Najam Criticizes COP29 Climate Finance Deal as “Tiny” and “Shocking”
During a panel discussion on the BBC’s flagship The Climate Question program, Professor Adil Najam, Dean Emeritus and Professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies, offered a candid assessment of the finance agreement reached at COP29 in Baku.
The conversation also included insights from experts such as David Victor and Musonda Mumba, who analyzed the contentious COP29 negotiations, which were dominated by discussions on climate finance.
Najam didn’t hold back in his criticism of the final finance deal, calling the $300 billion pledge “pathetic” and far below the trillions that developing countries had demanded to support their transition away from fossil fuels and adaptation to climate impacts.
“There is no big deal. I’m not even sure there’s much of a deal,” Najam remarked. He expressed his disappointment, adding, “We came to this COP expecting to be heard, but it feels like we haven’t been.”
His comments reflected the frustrations of least developed nations and small island states, some of whom even walked out of the talks at one point. Najam pointed to the ongoing pattern in climate negotiations, where pledges often overshadow actual delivery, referencing the unfulfilled $100 billion annual commitment as a clear example.
“The real financing gap is what we’re promised and not even getting,” Najam explained. He warned that unless major emitters make substantial cuts to their emissions, “none of this matters.”
Najam’s critique highlighted the deep divisions that continue to plague international climate talks. Looking ahead to COP30 in Brazil, he stressed the importance of rebuilding trust and ensuring that the most vulnerable nations receive the support they desperately need.
Adil Najam is Dean Emeritus and Professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He served as the Inaugural Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies from 2014-2022. He is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and currently serves as the Global President of WWF International. Read more about Najam on his Pardee School faculty profile.