Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has delivered a stark warning to global leaders at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, criticizing empty rhetoric and emphasizing the urgent need for collective and meaningful action against climate change.
Addressing the gathering on the third day of the summit, Rama expressed his frustration with the repetitive cycle of optimistic speeches that fail to yield real progress. “People eat, drink, meet, and pose for pictures together — and those images of silent leaders are replayed endlessly. To me, it feels like this is precisely what happens in the real world every day,” he remarked, adding, “Our words about fighting climate change don’t change anything.”
Rama referenced a statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who highlighted the continued rise in carbon emissions. He posed critical questions: “What does it mean for our planet’s future if the largest polluters continue with business as usual? What will we achieve at this meeting, without an urgent and shared political will to go beyond words and unite for meaningful action?”
The climate summit in Baku has faced criticism over insufficient efforts by nations to combat climate change. However, a glimmer of hope emerged when the United Kingdom announced an ambitious pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 81% by 2035, a commitment warmly welcomed by many attendees.
