Baku: Protesters call for Gaza ceasefire during opening of COP29

There can be no climate justice without human rights, decried activists during a demonstration in Baku on Monday on the first day of the COP29 climate summit.

Gathered inside the COP29 venue, the activists held a quiet protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. They clutched banners reading: "Stop fueling genocide" and "Ceasefire now! End the occupation!"

One of the protesters, who introduced himself as a climate activist from Gaza, made a brief speech and said: "Our system is unjust and we need to redistribute justice back to the people one step at a time. Give power back to the indigenous, power back to the vulnerable. Free Palestine. There can be no climate justice without human rights."

Another protester said, "So on the first day of COP29, our main message is one of solidarity, of solidarity with Palestine and one of justice and accountability for the Global North. So, it's both asking the Global North to deliver the climate finance that is needed at this COP and to stop funding a genocide in Gaza."

Several world leaders, campaigners, and climate activists will discuss the climate crisis until November 22. Some of the agenda items included a climate finance goal, especially for the developing countries that are most affected by the climate crisis.

Soaring rhetoric, urgent pleas and pledges of cooperation contrasted with a backdrop of seismic political changes, global wars and economic hardships as United Nations annual climate talks began Monday and got right to the hard part: money.