Inside climate financing mechanism Africa wants

For several days in Baku, the air has been charged with one overarching concern: financing the planet’s future. As the clock ticks towards the November 22 close of the annual world’s largest climate summit, it’s clear that the story of COP29 will be written in dollars and cents—or the lack thereof.

In Baku’s Olympic Stadium, where COP is happening, the air is thick with tension. Conversations about money—often emotional, sometimes contentious, and invariably prolonged—dominate the scene. Dubbed the “Finance COP,” this summit has lived up to its name, with finance taking centre stage in every debate, discussion, and deal-making attempt.