World Cement Association‘s CEO, Ian Riley, has spoken about the recent COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and its role in shaping environmental policy.
Riley’s comments come amid debates about whether COP’s influence is waning or if it continues to play a pivotal role in global climate action.
He said: “The withdrawal of France and Argentina’s negotiators, Trump’s reiteration of the US’s intent to pull out, and the politicised speech from the host nation—unrelated to climate—raise serious questions about COP’s effectiveness. Attendance by world leaders was sparse, and the largest delegations were from countries with minimal climate action records.
“Is the COP process reaching its limits? We might see a shift toward negotiations driven by the major emitters—China, the US, India, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Yet, none of these nations seem poised to take leadership on this urgent issue.
“The chances of significant multilateral progress seem slim without a US administration prioritising climate action. Meanwhile, the silver lining is that businesses are stepping up. Increasingly, companies are making tangible progress independently of government actions. This could become the defining climate story of the next four years.”
