As the world digests the reelection of Donald Trump as U.S. president last week, more than 30,000 government officials, businesspeople and activists from roughly 200 countries will gather in the southeastern European country of Azerbaijan for the most significant climate conference of the year.
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) starts Monday amid reports that 2024 will be the hottest year yet. It will also be the first year that global temperatures are more than 1.5 C warmer than in preindustrial times, signaling that the world is moving dangerously close to the benchmark scientists have set to prevent the worst effects of climate change, including severe heatwaves, floods and droughts. The Asia-Pacific region is said to be more vulnerable to these effects than some other parts of the world.
