My name is Rachitaa Gupta and I am speaking on behalf of ENGO CAN, ENGO DCJ, TUNGO and WCJ. We refuse to make an official statement and contribute to the sham of a process. We will not be complicit in the failure of COP that has turned from a Conference of Parties into a conference of developed countries. We refuse to bring more legitimacy to a system that is collectively failing all of us for the benefit of a few. Thank you.

My name is Rachitaa Gupta and I am speaking on behalf of ENGO DCJ.

I voluntarily declare that I have no ties with fossil fuel industries (or other emission intensive industries) and no conflict of interest. There are nearly 1,800 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP29.

Every year half my country suffers from devastating heatwaves while the other half is ravaged by floods. And the very criminals who have polluted our world, my home, are now here to pollute these talks supported by the Global North countries. And they have been doing it for nearly 30 years.

We and our communities are being destroyed by wildfires, floods, typhoon, drought, climate crisis induced destruction and devastation. And we are not the ones responsible for it. It is you rich countries and your fossil fuel buddies. Your hunger and greed have looted our lands, our water, our forests, and with it our very future.

We are here for a finance COP. And it is turning into a bankrupt COP as you developed countries continue to deny your historical responsibility. 

We demand an ambitious NCQG of 5 trillion USD per year as new, public, grants based,  and non-debt creating climate finance.

You can’t lie to us that you don’t have the money. You provide 1 trillion USD in subsidies to fossil fuel companies and 1 trillion USD to your militaries. You would rather fund war, conflict, and genocide than climate action. You want us to instead sell our lands and resources as carbon markets to continue your imperialism and colonialism.

I now call upon our governments to stand up and stand strong against the dirty tactics of the rich countries. You are here representing millions of people back home. A bad deal—one that shifts the burden to Global South countries or dilutes the Global North’s obligations—is worse than no deal at all. Don’t let global north governments derail this process and sow division. Our power lies in our solidarity.

We simply cannot afford another shameful and empty outcome. We are asking for our very right to exist. Defund genocide, fund climate justice!

This is Pang from the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice.

If you sense frustration in my voice, it is because I am trying to quell the raging anger of the communities from the Global South that I represent. The brunt of climate impacts is disproportionately borne by women, children, young, gender-non-conforming people, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and small food producers in the Global South. But let us address the elephant in the room – this crisis was NOT caused by those who are suffering most but by an elite few governments and corporations. One Global North country, for example, has emitted more than any other nation on the planet since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

For years, the Global North has made lofty promises to finance climate adaptation, yet delivered little more than empty words. Now, they want to involve the private sector to offer loans instead of fulfilling THEIR obligations. Let me be clear: the private sector will not save us. It will not rebuild our homes after disasters or shelter those displaced by floods. Its goal is profit, not paying the climate debt owed to us. We reject the claim that public finance is unavailable—$16 trillion was mobilized for public COVID stimulus in 2020. Surely, a fraction of that can be raised for an existential crisis threatening billions.

It’s time to expose the Global North. They continue to make promises but avoid concrete commitments, refusing to talk about numbers. When they do engage, they hide behind financial instruments that delay action and shift the burden to the Global South.

Centuries of colonization, exploitation, and extraction of the Global North from our communities is the REASON for the climate crisis. So the time has come for you to pay the climate debt YOU OWE. We DEMAND climate finance of AT LEAST $5 TRILLION/YEAR as partial payment – part of this will enable the Global South to adapt to a new apocalyptic reality that we did not cause and will go to Adaptation Finance – but it will also be used to phase out fossil fuels, build resilience, ensure a just transition of energy and food systems, and pay for losses and damages. 

Every dollar you fail to provide for adaptation today will cost 10 times more in losses and damages tomorrow. And the blood of those losses will be on YOUR hands. WE ARE FED UP with your excuses. Global North, Pay Up $5 trillion NOW!

I am Rachitaa Gupta from the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice. I voluntarily disclose that I have no ties to the fossil fuel industry or other emission intensive industries and no conflict of interest and invite others to also disclose the same as they speak. We want to highlight the new report that has just come out that shows there are nearly 1800 fossil fuel lobbyists at this COP and we know when they come here it is only to influence and prioritise their profit rather than people’s interests. We cannot ignore the contrast between shrinking of meaningful space for rightsholder constituencies on one hand, and the vastly increasing power and influence of the polluting interests like the fossil fuel lobbyists over this process on the other hand. For us, enhancing observer engagement requires ensuring that that engagement does not come at the cost of introducing conflicting interests that risk the integrity of the very UNFCCC objectives and process, and that displace the lived experience and expertise of rights holders. We call on your support to convene a public, formal way for observers to engage in dedicated, constructive, deep dialogue with parties on this topic, and to take all possible measures to safeguard against the undue influence of polluting interests.

We reiterate all the points made by our comrades in the rights based constituencies. We all know that this is a crucial COP since it is called “finance COP”. We hope to see ambitious public finance commitments from the parties, especially the developed countries who have the historical responsibility. We condemn the priorities of the countries around the world, especially rich countries choosing to fund and fuel genocides, war, and conflict around the world rather than funding climate action and justice. These issues are deeply interlinked- there is no climate justice on occupied land, and these same actors are perpetuating both the climate crisis and the genocide and systemic violence happening around the world.

We are all gathered to be part of discussions and negotiations that have serious implications on our lives and communities in the global south. Yet we gather here year after year with no meaningful progress or solutions for our communities back at home who are at the frontline of this crisis yet least responsible for it. We insist on more accountability from the rich countries to deliver on the commitments that they make here year after year. As you know Data compiled by the UNFCCC Secretariat shows that developed countries have fallen far short of their formal pledges to reduce deadly greenhouse gas emissions, fulfilling only about one-quarter of the cuts urged by scientists. The pushing of article 6.4 in the opening plenary and the agenda is deeply problematic since it. It is also a strong attempt to bring in false solutions like carbon markets and speculative and untested technologies of geoengineering that are used as dangerous distractions from real emission cuts that need to happen urgently and immediately.

And we call on you to strengthen the disclosure requirements instituted last year, in time for strengthened measures to come into place for COP29 registration. Specifically, we request that all observer participants be required to disclose who is funding their participation in talks before receiving theri registration. We urge you to initiate the process of conflict of interest policy and an accountability framework. We strongly believe this lies within the remit of the secretariat, and is the type of bold action that is needed now. A type of boldness that has also been echoed by the UN Secretary General in his comments earlier this year. The world is looking to you to give a strong signal that this hall of climate action is not overrun with the very actors that have caused the climate crisis. We cannot afford another COP with an empty outcome.

My name is Paloma Jofre, I am speaking on behalf of ENGO-DCJ. I voluntarily declare that I have no ties with fossil fuel industries (or other emission intensive industries) and no conflict of interest.

I come from the Wallmapu, Mapuche territory in South America, where our communities and our land cannot afford more extractivism, we cannot afford more false solutions. 

We may be in week 2 of this COP but really we have been at this same juncture for nearly 30 years. When are you all gonna wake up?! Wake up.

There are nearly 1,800 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP29—why are they here? To protect their dirty business and derail negotiations. We know who’s to blame for the climate crisis: you, rich countries and the fossil fuel industry.

We demand an ambitious NCQG of 5 trillion USD per year in public and non-debt creating climate finance. Don’t say you don’t have the money. You just choose to spend it on war, conflict, and genocide and in supporting big polluters.

I now speak to our governments. You represent millions of people suffering from the climate crisis, stand up for our survival. . A bad deal—one that shifts the burden to Global South countries or dilutes the Global North’s obligations—is worse than no deal at all. Don’t let global north governments derail this process and sow division. Our power lies in our solidarity.

We simply cannot afford another shameful and empty outcome. We are asking for our right to exist. Defund genocide, fund climate justice!

My name is Natalia Figueiredo. I’m from World Animal Protection, based in Brazil. delivering this statement on behalf of one of the ENGOs, the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice DCJ:

We are pleased that the online portal is open to observers and urge considerations to make it more accessible – including more translations and ensuring quick uploads onto the portal. We also would like to urge the joint work to add a moderation function to the portal so voices and solutions are equally represented, and conflict of interests prevented.

Civil societies should not just be observers but active participants in this process, as our networks represent frontline groups, we have both the expertise and legitimacy for this. We are looking forward to using the portal and sharing case studies of small food producers, with gendered approaches and community-led solutions. These solutions have been created, tested, and implemented by frontline groups relying on agriculture for their livelihoods. We urge the joint work to make these solutions central to the workshops 

As we speak, the climate crisis is devastatingly impacting the global south. In my country, Brazil, we continue to suffer from its impacts, with fires in the Cerrado, droughts in the Amazon, and floods in big cities, which have had disastrous consequences for our lives. 

We urgently need agreements on the portal’s modality, including measures to avoid conflicts of interest, so we can move on to meaningful conversations about the workshops in the lead-up to COP30 in Belem.

I am Rachitaa Gupta from the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice. I voluntarily disclose that I have no ties to the fossil fuel industry or other emission intensive industries and no conflict of interest and invite others to also disclose the same as they speak. We want to highlight the new report that has just come out that shows there are nearly 1800 fossil fuel lobbyists at this COP and we know when they come here it is only to influence and prioritise their profit rather than people’s interests. 

We cannot ignore the contrast between shrinking of meaningful space for rightsholder constituencies on one hand, and the vastly increasing power and influence of the polluting interests like the fossil fuel lobbyists over this process on the other hand. We seek your support in constituting a meaningful observer engagement process within UNFCCC.

We are all gathered to be part of discussions and negotiations that have serious implications on our lives and communities in the global south. Yet we come here year after year with no meaningful progress or solutions for our communities back at home who are at the frontline of this crisis yet least responsible for it.

We all know that this is a crucial COP since it is called “finance COP”. We hope to see ambitious public finance commitments from the parties, especially the developed countries who have the historical responsibility. We condemn the priorities of the countries around the world, especially rich countries choosing to fund and fuel genocides, war, and conflict around the world rather than funding climate action and justice. These issues are deeply interlinked- there is no climate justice on occupied land, and these same actors are perpetuating both the climate crisis and the genocide and systemic violence happening around the world. We raise the demand of 5 trillion USD per year to be delivered as need based with a core of public grant-based finance through non-debt creating mechanisms.

It is imperative that the UAE dialogue focus on finance and not be diluted to cover everything and thus nothing.

We insist on more accountability from the rich countries to deliver on the commitments that they make here to make sure they are not just lip service but actually deliver on the urgent climate action. As you know Data compiled by the UNFCCC Secretariat shows that developed countries have fallen far short of their formal pledges to reduce deadly greenhouse gas emissions, fulfilling only about one-quarter of the cuts urged by scientists.

We are deeply concerned about the undemocratic process the COP Presidency took to push the Supervisory Body of Article 6.4 text through without proper party-driven process. The guidance in the CMA room on A6.4 has been rushed with parties voicing concerns just this morning about the lack of proper process and we are seriously concerned about the precedent that has been set here.

Carbon markets are not real climate finance. These dangerous distractions of false solutions and speculative and untested technologies of geoengineering are like a get out of jail free card for polluters without real emission cuts that need to happen urgently and immediately. These false solutions have a history of continuing the horrific violation of the Indigenous Peoples’ rights and human rights of our communities and need to stop.

Lastly, we would like to reiterate that rich countries need to step up to their historical responsibility of supporting global south countries with finance and technology. Defund genocide, fund climate justice.

Deputy Executive Secretary

I am Rachitaa Gupta from the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice. I voluntarily disclose that I have no ties to the fossil fuel industry or other emission intensive industries and no conflict of interest and invite others to also disclose the same as they speak. We want to highlight the new report that has just come out that shows there are nearly 1800 fossil fuel lobbyists at this COP and we know when they come here it is only to influence and prioritise their profit rather than people’s interests. We cannot ignore the contrast between shrinking of meaningful space for rightsholder constituencies on one hand, and the vastly increasing power and influence of the polluting interests like the fossil fuel lobbyists over this process on the other hand. For us, enhancing observer engagement requires ensuring that that engagement does not come at the cost of introducing conflicting interests that risk the integrity of the very UNFCCC objectives and process, and that displace the lived experience and expertise of rights holders. We call on your support to convene a public, formal way for observers to engage in dedicated, constructive, deep dialogue with parties on this topic, and to take all possible measures to safeguard against the undue influence of polluting interests. 

We are all gathered to be part of discussions and negotiations that have serious implications on our lives and communities in the global south. Yet we gather here year after year with no meaningful progress or solutions for our communities back at home who are at the frontline of this crisis yet least responsible for it.

Access to UNFCCC is a serious concern for us. We appreciate the new steps taken by the UNFCCC but they are not nearly enough. Food 

We reiterate all the points made by our comrades in the rights based constituencies. We all know that this is a crucial COP since it is called “finance COP”. We hope to see ambitious public finance commitments from the parties, especially the developed countries who have the historical responsibility. We condemn the priorities of the countries around the world, especially rich countries choosing to fund and fuel genocides, war, and conflict around the world rather than funding climate action and justice. These issues are deeply interlinked- there is no climate justice on occupied land, and these same actors are perpetuating both the climate crisis and the genocide and systemic violence happening around the world.

We are all gathered to be part of discussions and negotiations that have serious implications on our lives and communities in the global south. Yet we gather here year after year with no meaningful progress or solutions for our communities back at home who are at the frontline of this crisis yet least responsible for it. We insist on more accountability from the rich countries to deliver on the commitments that they make here year after year. As you know Data compiled by the UNFCCC Secretariat shows that developed countries have fallen far short of their formal pledges to reduce deadly greenhouse gas emissions, fulfilling only about one-quarter of the cuts urged by scientists. The pushing of article 6.4 in the opening plenary and the agenda is deeply problematic since it .  is also a strong attempt to bring in false solutions like carbon markets and speculative and untested technologies of geoengineering that are used as dangerous distractions from real emission cuts that need to happen urgently and immediately.

1. We strongly echo the demands from our comrades in ENGO CAN, WGC, YOUNGO, TUNGO, and IPO. Access to the UNFCCC and global climate policy space is critical for civil society. Collectively we represent millions of people in the Global South who are at the frontline of this crisis and are increasingly being left behind within this process. We cannot ignore the contrast between shrinking of meaningful space for rightsholder constituencies on one hand, and the vastly increasing power and influence of the polluting interests like the fossil fuel lobbyists over this process on the other hand. For us, enhancing observer engagement requires ensuring that that engagement does not come at the cost of introducing conflicting interests that risk the integrity of the very UNFCCC objectives and process, and that displace the lived experience and expertise of rights holders. We call on your support to convene a public, formal way for observers to engage in dedicated, constructive, deep dialogue with parties on this topic, and to take all possible measures to safeguard against the undue influence of polluting interests. 
2. And we call on you to strengthen the disclosure requirements instituted last year, in time for strengthened measures to come into place for COP29 registration. Specifically, we request that all observer participants be required to disclose who is funding their participation in talks before receiving theri registration. We strongly believe this lies within the remit of the secretariat, and is the type of bold action that is needed now. A type of boldness that has also been echoed by the UN Secretary General in his comments earlier this week. The world is looking to you to give a strong signal that this hall of climate action is not overrun with the very actors that have caused the climate crisis.