The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) will be held under the theme “In solidarity for a green world”. The theme emphasizes the shared moral duty to avoid overshooting the 1.5°C temperature target and the urgent need for deep, rapid and sustained emission reductions. 

Organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), this annual meeting will bring together leaders from government, business and civil society to discuss and coordinate global actions to combat climate change. 

Key focus areas of UNFCCC COP29 will include:

• Climate Finance: Mobilizing the funds that are needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect society from climate impacts. 
• Updated National Climate Action Plans: Progress on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will be examined, with the next submission of NDCs due in February 2025.
• Transparency: Ensuring transparency in climate actions to enable the tracking of climate progress and foster accountability. 
• Adaptation and Resilience: Strengthening efforts to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. 

WBCSD engagement priorities 

WBCSD is a leading global platform where the world’s largest companies collaborate to make sustainable success a reality. We enable our members to place sustainability at the core of competitiveness and deliver real impact.

Our leading business community is at COP29 to enable the translation of policy and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) into real business action. Our focus is to make sure that climate, nature, and equity are interconnected in the discussions and decision making.  

We recognize that COP29 is an important opportunity to build interest, engagement and momentum around pragmatic solutions that will help businesses achieve net zero by 2050.  

As part of an 18-month strategy that mobilizes the private sector to deliver a high-ambition climate-action agenda and drive implementation, WBCSD will bring the voice of the business community to Baku and focus on the following priorities:  

• Business-to-business action and investment through supply chains: We will elevate and showcase Scope 3 action through demand aggregation and the building of capability to unlock action and finance for new solutions and suppliers.  

• Driving implementation and investment of credible National and Business Action Plans: Businesses are increasingly working with governments to drive implementation and investment. We support and enable this by backing transition-planning norms for corporates and exploring the intersections between national and corporate transition plans.  

• Demonstrating accountability and enabling action: We foster alignment on priority metrics, standards and targets that demonstrate accountability and enable action.  We will build on the announcement of CPAS for Climate at COP28 and profile opportunities to develop consistent metrics and standards across jurisdictions to help unlock finance and business action.  

• Business support for a just transition that delivers for people and planet: We will contribute to defining and shaping a just transition agenda with an emphasis on the role of business and investors in enhancing green skills, championing inclusive community engagement and financing a just transition.  

Below, you can find a list of our events and engagement opportunities at COP29. Use the filter to select different types of events and sign up for events that interest you.