COP29 climate summit faces backlash over inadequate agreements and absent leaders

The recent COP29 climate summit faced significant challenges, with many representatives expressing dissatisfaction with the final agreement. Some countries, particularly small island nations, walked out in protest, feeling the financial commitments were inadequate and undermined previous negotiations. The agreed financial support for developing countries was set at £300 billion, which many deemed insufficient. Critics argued that the deal failed to address the urgent needs of vulnerable nations and lacked clarity on climate finance definitions. Major world leaders, including the U.S. and China, were absent from the summit, raising concerns about the commitment to climate action. The next COP is scheduled for Brazil, where expectations are high for a more effective outcome following the perceived failures of COP29.