The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP29, is currently underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024. Here are the key trends and highlights:

- **Critical Focus on Climate Finance**: COP29 is often referred to as "the finance COP" due to its emphasis on scaling up climate finance to help lower-income countries transition to zero-carbon economies and adapt to climate change impacts[2].

- **Global Participation**: The conference is expected to attract between 40,000 and 50,000 delegates, including government representatives, diplomats, UN officials, journalists, climate scientists, and activists from around the world[2].

- **Aims and Objectives**: The primary goal of COP29 is for countries to agree on and share plans to address climate change, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This includes setting new climate finance goals and finalizing guidelines for carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement[1][2].

- **Venue and Logistics**: The conference is being held at the Baku Olympic Stadium, with a dedicated 112,000 m² venue next to the stadium. The event is divided into two main zones: the Blue Zone for official negotiations and the Green Zone, which is open to the public and features corporate exhibitors showcasing climate-related products and services[1].

- **Controversies**: There have been criticisms regarding Azerbaijan's hosting of COP29, given its significant reliance on fossil fuels and recent plans to expand gas production, which are seen as incompatible with its Paris Agreement commitments[2].

- **Pre-COP Negotiations**: Preparatory meetings, including the Bonn Climate Change Conference in June 2024 and the Pre-COP meeting in October 2024, have laid groundwork for discussions on key issues such as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) and adaptation indicators[1].

As COP29 continues, the international community is watching closely for significant commitments and agreements that will shape global climate action in the coming years.