As the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) unfolds, Bhutan’s delegation is making their mark in the critical negotiations.
As a small, climate-vulnerable nation, the delegation is working to ensure Bhutan’s unique challenges are recognised and to secure support for adaptation, resilience initiatives, and access to climate finance, while raising the country’s voice on the global stage.
Dubbed the “Finance COP”, this year’s conference is expected to make major strides in climate finance, with the primary goal of establishing a new target to replace the expired USD 100 billion annual climate finance pledge.
The new framework, the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), aims to surpass the previous target, ensuring developing nations have the financial resources they need to tackle the escalating climate crisis fuelled by a global temperature rise showing no sign of slowing.
Bhutan’s participation in COP29 comes after its graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group to the broader Group of 77 (G77) and China coalition. While this transition broadens Bhutan’s diplomatic reach, it also means the country can no longer rely on direct support through representation with LDC—a shift that reduces its negotiating influence compared to its previous, more focused role within the LDC group.
This story was produced as part of the 2024 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews' Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security. It was first published in Kuensel on November 16, 2024.
Banner image: Outside the COP29 venue in Baku, Azerbaijan / Credit: Yangyel Lhaden.
Yangyel Lhaden
