The number of observer organisations that are set to attend the forthcoming COP29 Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan is set to total around 4,000, the UNFCCC has said.
Some 3,629 NGOs were admitted to COP28 in UAE last year, along with 173 IGOs – a total of 3,802 observer organisations. This was up considerably on the 3,187 organisations that attended COP27 in Egypt, and the 3,016 that attended COP26 in Glasgow.
As the UNFCCC noted, over the last decade, the number of observer organisations attending the COP meetings has more than doubled, while their participation has more than tripled in the last five COPs.
The UNFCCC revealed the numbers as it launched the latest edition of the Observer Handbook, which provides important guidance to help participants make the most of their time at COP29.
‘Diverse experiences and perspectives’
“Observer organisations bring diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas from civil society, Indigenous communities, youth and academia, among many others, which are crucial to advancing the global climate agenda,” said Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, in his foreword to the Handbook. “Observers are also critical to ensuring transparency in the process.”
Due to COP29’s smaller venue and the increased number of observer organisations this year, the allocation of badges per organisation is more restricted compared to last year’s COP28, which hosted over 80,000 participants.
Under-represented groups
The UNFCCC has prioritised increasing the involvement of underrepresented groups, including indigenous peoples, youth, women, and gender-focused organisations.
Steill hopes that “affected organisations will support our efforts this year to move some way towards more balance in the mix of observer organisations at the COP, in a spirit of global solidarity which is so crucial to success, at all levels.”
A link to the Handbook can be found here. Image source: UN Climate Change.
