On the morning of November 11, local time, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) opened in Baku, Azerbaijan. The theme of this year’s climate conference is “Enhance Ambition, Enable Action”. Climate financing took center stage at the event, earning COP29 the nickname “The Climate Finance Conference.” Discussions also covered technological innovation, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and Loss and Damage.

Shan Shui’s Engagement at COP29

Four members of Shan Shui Conservation Center participated in three side events and a two-day COP exhibition. For these first-time attendees, the key question was: What value and contributions can a biodiversity-focused CSO bring to the UNFCCC COP? Through learning about COP’s history and technical terminology such as NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance), they gradually understood the significance of COP29’s focus on climate financing. While most CSOs may not influence financing decisions directly, they play critical roles in dissemination, interpretation, and raising public awareness.

Shan Shui’s Exhibition Booth

Shan Shui, alongside the Vanke Foundation and the CYCAN (China Youth Climate Action Network）, hosted a six-day booth at COP29. On November 11-12, in this little “Shan Shui corner,” we welcomed over 100 participants and conference volunteers from around the world with:

• Postcards of wildlife captured by camera trps at our project sites;
• Stamps depicting species  in different regions;
• Handcrafted Tibetan fox felt items by women from the Gyatong Grassland.

These creations attracted attendees and volunteers from diverse regions and backgrounds, sparking exchanges and photo opportunities. While discussing climate change issues, participants also paid attention to biodiversity changes. At last year’s COP28, 18 countries signed the Joint Statement on Climate, Nature, and People, committing to transforming the synergies between climate change and biodiversity into actionable systems and policies to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

(Shan Shui colleagues setting up the booth)

(Shan Shui colleagues engaging with participants at the booth)

Presentations and Side Events

Renewable Energy and Biodiversity

On November 18, Anyu Chen from Shan Shui’s Nature Watch team presented at a side event on tripling renewable energy goals, co-hosted by the Green Finance 60 Forum (GF60) and Renewables First. Chen presented the report “Synergy of Renewable Energy and Biodiversity in China –Opportunities and Challenges (link)“ introducing the progress of research, policies, and solutions related to biodiversity conservation in renewable energy development. The presentation aimed to encourage companies to strengthen cross-sectoral exchanges and collaborations, contributing to global biodiversity conservation goals.

The report, jointly written by the Shan Shui Conservation Center, the Center for Nature and Society at Peking University, and the Friends of Nature, represents Shan Shui’s first in-depth exploration of a specific industry following the series reports of Corporate Biodiversity Evaluation Program in 2022. With the global goal of tripling installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, the renewable energy sector will continue to grow, making the balance between renewable energy development and biodiversity conservation a new proposition for sustainable development. The report urges relevant enterprises to respond to ecological protection policies and requirements, proactively turn challenges into opportunities, and develop scientific, effective, and actionable collaborative governance solutions to improve competitiveness and integrate climate change and biodiversity conservation into economic development and transformation.

(Nature Watch team’s Anyu Chen sharing Shan Shui’s work at the side event)

Side Event on Climate Action Collaboration

On the morning of November 21, Shan Shui, in collaboration with the China Association for CSO Cooperation and the China CSO Network for International Exchanges, co-hosted a side event titled “Promoting Climate Action Together“ in Meeting Room 4 of the Blue Zone. Xi’er Chen, from Shan Shui’s grassland and wetland conservation team in the Sanjiangyuan region, joined three other guests to share their work experiences on climate change issues from the perspective of different Chinese CSOs. Chen’s presentation explored Shan Shui’s long-term scientific research on the Gyatong Grassland amid climate change and grassland degradation, illustrating how each component of the Tibetan Plateau’s complex socio-ecological system functions, interacts, and responds dynamically to climate change. Human involvement is a critical component. Shan Shui’s role as a biodiversity conservation CSO includes influencing decision-makers through scientific data, offering modern perspectives to indigenous communities, and uncovering traditional wisdom.

(Xi‘er Chen sharing Shan Shui’s work at the side event)

Urban Climate Mitigation and Adaptation

On the afternoon of November 21, the side event titled “Multi-stakeholder Support for Urban Climate Change Solution“ was held in Meeting Room 7 of the Blue Zone, co-hosted by the China Meteorological Service Association (CMSA) and WildAid. The event explored challenges and opportunities in climate change response, sharing successful case studies and valuable experiences from urban climate strategies. It aimed to contribute Chinese insights and solutions to global climate governance.

Chen Feng from Shan Shui’s Communications and Brand Team, and the Citizen Science and Urban Biodiversity Restoration (Yangtze River Delta) Team, participated in a roundtable discussion. She shared Shan Shui’s localized conservation efforts through community and citizen science, emphasizing the role of public participation in urban green space ecological restoration. On the one hand, conserving biodiversity helps maintain the stability of ecosystems, enhancing their adaptability and resilience to climate change. At the same time, it can increase ecosystems’ carbon storage capacity, contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the pace of climate change, while also promoting soil conservation and reducing the frequency of natural disasters. Shan Shui’s ecological restoration work in urban areas aims to explore “compatible conservation” through citizen science and public engagement. This involves protecting and restoring biodiversity in “near-human ecosystems” in places not primarily focused on biodiversity conservation, such as urban parks, sports venues, residential communities, factories, farmland, plantations, and campuses, to collectively explore healthy urban ecosystems.

(Chen Feng sharing Shan Shui’s work at the side event)

Reflections on “Just Transition” and Climate Finance

Discussions on “Just Transition” were abundant at COP29. This concept integrates low-carbon development goals with social equity, ensuring fair cost-sharing among stakeholders while maximizing social, economic, and ecological opportunities. Shan Shui’s ecological conservation work aligns with this principle, focusing on the transition from environmentally impactful livelihoods to sustainable practices while minimizing adverse effects.

If the environmental impact of a traditional livelihood is proven to be too great, who should take on the responsibility of transitioning? How should this transition be carried out? How can we minimize the negative impacts on the affected group?

For example, the NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance) aims to establish commitments from developed countries, particularly those that historically relied on massive carbon emissions to achieve their current levels of development, to provide financial support annually to developing nations in addressing climate change challenges. This includes small island states most urgently affected by rising sea levels. Considering that countries have different development histories and natural endowments, what constitutes maximum fairness? Who should bear the greatest responsibility?

Similarly, imagine a grassland system with heterogeneity in its landscape: some individuals have historically capitalized on the grassland to generate significant wealth, while others, living in poverty and with livelihoods most vulnerable to threats, may still engage in activities causing substantial ecological damage. How should we coordinate such a system to balance development and conservation?

(Signage near the Shan Shui booth highlighting “Nature, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples”)

The climate change conferences are never short of variety and vibrancy. Beyond the side events and booths hosted by academic groups, government departments, and NGOs, the venue often features unofficial grassroots advocates who express their positions and raise awareness in engaging or impactful ways. This might also reflect a cultural difference from what we experience domestically. For example, there was a man who stood outdoors for 11 consecutive days, rain or shine, holding a banner promoting vegetarianism. Another memorable speaker at a roundtable during a side event humorously said, “We offer different packages for everyone. You can start by practicing vegetarianism two days a week, or even with something as simple as skipping the bacon at breakfast.” This drew smiles, as it revealed the many paths available to express and promote one’s beliefs and practices.

A young NGO representative once approached our booth to introduce their app and asked us if we had “offset the carbon emissions” from our flights. He enthusiastically explained their tree-planting program. We mentioned that we had been working on grassland restoration on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, to which he immediately replied, “That’s great, but we still welcome your contributions to offset the emissions from your flights.” While we didn’t end up donating, we appreciated the reminder: everyone’s daily life is closely tied to carbon emissions. Much like time and money, if environmental impact could be naturally and quickly calculated and factored into our decisions, it would undoubtedly be a fortunate step forward for the planet.

As ecological conservation practitioners, participating in COP29 pushed us to learn and understand various climate governance topics and regional differences. In this era of rapid climate change and urgency, no one’s life is untouched. The slogan of COP29, “In Solidarity for a Green World,” reminds us of the collective responsibility to create a sustainable future.

Strong ‘voices’ at COP29