COP29: Activists unveil ‘Giant climate invoice’ to demand trillions in climate finance

Stanley Ihedigbo

Activists from ActionAid, APMDD, CAN, and DCJ took to the streets at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to demand climate justice and accountability from Global North governments.

Holding up a 10-meter-long “invoice” and banners, they called for a strong climate finance goal of trillions of dollars per year in public funds to support vulnerable communities ¹.

Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, Teresa Anderson, emphasized that the time for excuses is over.

“Developed countries must own up to the harm they’ve caused and repay the debt owed to the Global South,” she said.

The “giant invoice” itemizes the costs of loss and damage, adaptation, and mitigation already borne by developing countries.

Climate activists from Tanzania and Somaliland shared personal stories of the devastating impacts of climate change on their communities.

A youth climate activist, Sylvia Kijangwa,
from Tanzania, demanded justice for women and children who have contributed least to the climate crisis but suffer the most.

Program Manager of ActionAid Somaliland, Nura Mohamed, emphasized that women and girls in Somaliland cannot wait any longer for climate finance.

The COP29 conference is a critical moment for countries to agree on a new collective quantified goal on climate finance, which would replace the existing $100 billion annual target.

With global temperatures hitting record highs and extreme weather events affecting people worldwide, the need for ambitious climate action has never been more urgent.