The 29th meeting of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), COP29, will be a pivotal moment in international climate negotiations. Hosted for the third time in an oil-producing country, Azerbaijan—which is known for its shrinking space for civil society—is expected to present particular challenges for human rights organizations and defenders participating in the conference.

COP29 will continue the negotiations on the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP), with civil society organizations (CSOs) hoping for an outcome that leads to the development of a Just Transition Action Plan by COP30. This plan must support workers and communities affected by the phase-out of fossil fuels, particularly Indigenous peoples, local communities, women, and other historically marginalized groups. It should include specific references in the decision text that call for countries to address challenges arising from the just transition, including those related to the increasing demand for energy transition minerals.

As COP29 takes place during the "year of finance," outcomes related to the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) and climate finance in general must be grounded in justice and equity. Developed countries must commit to providing $1 trillion per year in public climate finance, with a focus on grant-based funding for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage in developing countries. Finance should prioritize just transition pathways, ensuring vulnerable communities and workers in the Global South are empowered as they transition away from fossil fuels.

At the same time, COP29 must reaffirm the polluter pays principle, integrating corporate accountability into the global climate finance framework to address historical climate debts and ensure a fair and inclusive transition, and providing the funds necessary to address loss and damage.