At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan,

The host country’s president hails fossil fuels as “a gift from God,”

While pledges on energy storage and green energy are made,

Emphasizing the need to end fossil fuel dependence,

To avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

But alarming new predictions highlight rising CO2 emissions,

Putting the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement at risk.

Although initiatives like the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge

Offer promising steps toward a sustainable energy future,

The absence of several key countries,

The ongoing power shift in the US,

And the overwhelming influence of fossil fuel lobbyists,

Paint a far less hopeful picture.

Bal Krishna, Editor

bal@mycoordinates.org