As the world faces escalating climate crises, the final quarter of 2024 will be critical for advancing global environmental action. Major international conferences, including the UN Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, will focus on climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution.
Key discussions at COP29 (November 11-22) will revolve around Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in 2025, with sessions on methane emissions, energy transitions, and Indigenous rights. COP16 (October 21 – November 1) will review the progress of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Also, in focus is plastic pollution, with the final session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) taking place in Busan, South Korea, from November 25 to December 1. The conference aims to finalize a legally binding international treaty to address plastic waste, particularly in marine environments.
UNEP will also launch significant reports, including the 2024 Emissions Gap Report (October 24), Adaptation Gap Report (November 4), and the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas (date TBA), highlighting progress and challenges in global climate goals.
These events, alongside other major international gatherings, such as the G20 Summit and the UNCCD COP16 on desertification in Saudi Arabia, are expected to shape environmental policies and actions for years to come.
Credit: UNEP News Desk – 30th September 2024
