An S.O.S. from the Poles to World Leaders at COP29

Following contributions during the first week of events at COP29, BEPSII co-chairs Letizia Tedesco and Jacqueline Stefels initiated the issuing of an urgent and unified statement from the scientific community addressing the cryosphere. 

In concert with CATCH, ASPeCt, QuIESCENT, and PACES,  they expressed their deep concerns about the current state of the climate and the insufficient progress observed in ongoing negotiations. Consequently, they drafted a press release to convey these concerns and emphasize the critical need for action to address the escalating climate crisis due to the risk of triggering irreversible global impacts.

20 international scientific organizations, including the World Climate Research Program (WCRP), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and the European Polar Board (EPB), endorsed the open letter.

The endorsed organizations stress that exceeding the +1.5°C threshold risks triggering climate tipping points, with devastating consequences for current and future generations. They call on world leaders to meet their commitments under the 2015 UN Paris Agreement and implement robust policies and measures to keep the +1.5°C limit achievable. 

This is the first time the leading polar research groups have weighed in on these threats in the climate talks, which remain deadlocked over lack of a clear financing goal. “There is no more time to waste,” the Open Letter concludes. “Immediate and decisive action is not just necessary—it is essential for the future of our planet and humanity.”

The open letter was read and presented during a media event streamed live at the Cryosphere Pavilion of COP29 on 22 November 2024 at 13:00 in Baku (UTC/GMT+4).

Open letter

Press release

Media event

Expert contacts: 

Dr Letizia Tedesco [E: Letizia.Tedesco@environment.fi; Ph: +358 295 251 686].

Dr Jacqueline Stefels [E: jstefels@rug.nl; Ph: +31 6 311 95 202].