WILPF, once again, was present at this annual event, which represents a critical opportunity to raise awareness of militarism contributing to the climate crisis and demand action from governments.
Our delegation of two leading feminist peace activists — Áine Beattie of the WILPF Scottish Branch and Åse Møller-Hansen of WILPF Norway — attended and hosted numerous events and actions with a focus on the urgent need to redirect military spending to meet climate goals.
Here, we’re providing a recap of the outcomes of COP29, how WILPF got involved and our delegates’ reflections on this year’s climate conference.
COP29 Negotiations Fall Short
Despite being the so-called “COP of Peace,” COP29 once again failed to adequately address the links between militarism and the climate crisis. Here’s how:
Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery
The “Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery,” hailed as a “milestone initiative,” failed to address the elephant in the climate room: increasing military spending, which is directly contributing to record levels of emissions of around 5.5% from the global military.
While the call focuses on water scarcity, food insecurity and land degradation, its failure to explicitly call out increasing militarism and its impact on the climate crisis undermines the overall effectiveness of such an initiative.
The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance
After a turbulent final weekend that led to internal disarray, a last-minute deal on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) — the new climate finance target — was agreed upon.
The initial proposal of $250 billion USD annually faced intense backlash from developing countries and civil society, which stated that “No deal is better than a bad deal.” Negotiations ran on for over 33 hours, and the final text, which marginally increased the core to at least $300 billion USD by 2035 and included a vague call for scaling up finance to developing countries from all sources to the amount of $1.3 trillion per year by 2035, was agreed at almost 3 a.m. on Sunday morning. The polarising decision, which was adopted without giving countries the chance to formally object, was followed by a mix of standing ovations and outrage in the room.
Considering the year-on-year rise of military spending, this outcome was disappointing in numerous ways:
- The agreed $300 billion USD is $1 trillion USD per year short of the bare minimum financing needed to effectively tackle the climate crisis. It is strikingly insufficient when compared to the $2.4 trillion USD spent on military expenditures in 2023. Notably, the $200 billion USD increase in military spending from 2022 to 2023 alone nearly matches the proposed climate finance target.
- The timeframe for the provision of $300 billion USD by 2035 doesn’t match the urgency of the climate crisis and fails to consider the inflation rate. According to calculations with a conservative inflation rate of 5%, “the net present value of $300 billion mobilised in 2035 would be worth approximately $175 billion in 2024 dollars.”
- The text failed to acknowledge the impact of military activity or armed conflicts on climate action and lacks recognitions of human rights and gender-responsiveness.
- While loss and damage were not recognised as a specific sub-goal under the NCQG, voluntary pledges for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage only rose to $731.15 million USD. This is completely inadequate to address the massive current and growing impacts of the climate crisis on people, communities and infrastructure in the years ahead.
Despite this, WILPF continues to advocate for the reallocation of military spending to financially support those most impacted. The countries most responsible for the climate crisis are morally and legally obligated to ensure their climate financing commitments are adequate. Climate action must be prioritised over militarisation.
Failure to reiterate commitment to “transition away from fossil fuels”
After the historic call for countries to “transition away from fossil fuels” in the Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 in Dubai last year, parties at COP29 discussed how to take these outcomes forward, particularly under the framework of the UAE dialogue.
While some parties argued that the focus should be on scaling up finance, others wanted to address the full range of GST outcomes, including the historic reference to transitioning away from fossil fuels. This led to disagreement and the deferral of the negotiations to next year.
Despite this setback, WILPF continues to urge parties to step up their climate ambitions through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are set to be published in 2025 ahead of COP30. This includes transparency and accountability with regards to military greenhouse gas emissions as well as clear targets to reduce those emissions in line with the 1.5°C limit.
On a positive note, Enrique Ochoa, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico reiterated President Claudia Sheinbaum’s call during the G20 Leaders’ Summit “to dedicate 1% of military spending to a reforestation program that would restore 15 million hectares and capture millions of tons of carbon dioxide.”
However, with key negotiation tracks such as the Mitigation Work Programme and the Just Transition Work Programme lacking agreement and parties’ failure to explicitly recommit to transitioning away from fossil fuels, WILPF calls on states to continue their efforts as a coalition of the willing within the framework of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to advance an equitable fossil fuel phase out.
For more details on how this treaty can serve as a powerful tool for both climate action and peace, read more in our report ‘Stop Fossil Fuels from Fuelling Conflict: Why the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is an Essential Climate Tool for Peace’.
Adoption of the new Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG)
At COP29, parties agreed to a new 10-year work programme on gender — a crucial step to provide a clear blueprint for parties developing a Gender Action Plan (GAP) next year towards COP30.
However, despite this outcome, backlash and threats of backsliding shaped the consultations. The negotiations were marred by hours of pushback on key issues and language addressing human rights, equality and intersectionality, rejecting references to “in all their diversity” or “multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.” This is indicative of a wider troubling trend of global anti-rights and anti-gender movements. The Women and Gender Constituency (WGC) — one of the nine official constituencies under the UNFCCC and of which WILPF is a member — therefore urged parties to “hold the line against the rollback on our rights.”
While it is disappointing to see states fail to deliver a work programme that is aspirational, coordinated and progressive, the new 10-year work programme on gender will at least provide an entry point for the integration of gender in climate policy in the formulation of the upcoming GAP.
Together with feminists from the WGC, WILPF will continue to push for an ambitious and fit for purpose Action Plan at the SB62 Climate Conference in June 2025 and COP30 in November 2025.
WILPF at COP29
At COP29, WILPF co-hosted two key side events and delegates joined bilateral meetings, participated in actions and got involved in virtual spaces. Here’s a recap of our activities at the conference:
Side Event: A COP of Peace: Addressing Militarism for Climate Justice in the Pacific – 16 November
This panel hosted by Peace Boat, WILPF, and the Peace & Demilitarisation Working Group brought together experts to discuss the connections between peace, demilitarisation and climate justice in the Pacific region.
Dr. Sindra Sharma voiced frustration over NCQG negotiations, criticising the contradiction between commitments to Indigenous rights and policies driven by extraction. She pointed to the United States’ $916 billion USD military budget as evidence that resources exist to fund meaningful climate action.
Lennard De Klerk emphasised the lack of data on conflict emissions, while Dr. George Carter called for the international adoption of Pacific-led climate security frameworks and human-centred security approaches.
Frances Namoumou stressed the importance of inclusive and flexible climate financing that prioritises community-driven approaches and women’s leadership.
The discussion underscored the critical need to confront militarism’s environmental and social impacts and champion climate justice by integrating peacebuilding, human rights and inclusive governance.
Side Event: What Really Makes Us Safe? Peace, Climate Finance and Climate Action in an Existential Time – 16 November
Co-hosted by WILPF together with other civil society organisations, this side event featured a panel of experts who involved the audience in a conversation touching on peaceful, healthy, sustainable and just climate finance and addressing the question of “What really makes us safe?”.
The event was moderated by QUNO’s Interim Deputy Director, Lindsey Fielder Cook. Speakers included Shirine Jurdi (WILPF Lebanon), Deborah Burton (Tipping Point North South), Andrew Okem (IPCC), Lucy Plummer (Soka Gakkai International), Harriet Mackaill-Hill (International Alert) and Duncan McLaren (UCLA Law School).
Andrew Okem stated that the impact of climate change doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and equity and justice must be integrated, while Duncan McLaren called for a transformation of values through community and collective measures to phase out extractive capitalism and fossil fuels and meet our needs as a global community.
Harriet Mackaill-Hill discussed how although the climate is never a sole cause of conflict, it exacerbates various conflict stressors such as food security and competition of natural resources, which in turn slows climate action and hampers adaptation efforts. She called for long-term, agile and flexible finance that will boost resilience, and to prioritise local ownership and leadership.
Shirine Jurdi joined via Zoom from Lebanon where we could visibly see the screen shaking from bombs going off in the background. Her powerful testimony, stating that “true safety comes from ending war, halting the production of weapons and committing to a permanent ceasefire” in the face of unimaginable danger and fear brought many attendees to tears.
As Shirine concluded, “Without peace, there can be no climate justice — and no justice for our planet or our people.”
Additional activities
In addition to the side events, WILPF’s delegation also participated in:
- Bilterals: WILPF delegate Áine Beattie joined a bilateral meeting with H.E Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Pa’olelei Luteru, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
- Actions: On the Peace, Relief and Recovery Day, WILPF participated in the action “Demilitarise for Climate Justice!” organised by the Peace and Demilitarisation Working Group.
- Virtual participation: Besides our two in-person delegates, an additional six WILPFers followed the negotiations online.
Reflections from WILPF’s Delegates
Following their participation in COP29, WILPF’s delegates shared their reflections on what’s needed to continue driving progress for climate justice in the years ahead.
Áine Beattie, WILPF Scotland: As Áine Beattie shared, “Engage with the climate crisis! Together, as feminists, we can continue to be powerful agents of change. We need to build momentum by pushing wherever we can at the local, regional, national and international level, because giving up is not an option.”
Åse Møller-Hansen, WILPF Norway: Åse Møller reiterated the urgent need for governments to commit to meaningful reductions in military spending in order to effectively address the climate crisis. As she stated, “We have to continue to address the military greenhouse gas emissions and expenditures to highlight how war and militarism are counteracting efforts to keep global warming under 1.5°C.”
What’s Next?
Coming out of COP29, WILPF is taking forward our learnings and reflections to deepen our advocacy on militarism and climate justice.
Following internal reporting and discussions with WILPF’s Environment Working Group, we will continue to strategise the most effective approaches to demanding change at the local, national and international levels and engage feminist peace activists around the world with our messages, actions and campaigns.
Stay Engaged!
It will take all of us working together to address the climate crisis and create a future where people and the planet thrive. You can be part of the movement by staying engaged, learning more and following along!
Follow WILPF on Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook, learn more about our work on ecological justice and join the Environment Working Group.
You can also read more about militarism and climate change using the following resources:
- Video: Why Can’t There Be Climate Justice Without Demilitarisation?
- Reel: Áine Beattie during Finance, Trade, & Investment Thematic Day at COP29
- Reel: Day in the life of a WILPF Delegate at COP29 – Áine Beattie
- Reel: Interview with Ellie Kinney from The Conflict and Environment Observatory at COP29
- Blog: 10 Things You Should Know about Militarism and Climate Finance
- Report: Stop Fossil Fuels from Fuelling Conflict
- Report: “Petrobromance,” Nuclear Priesthood, and Police Repression: Feminist Confrontations of Violent Industries, and Movements to Abolish Them
