Essay by Eric Worrall

First published JoNova – “… I have been low-key surviving off lunch and dinner date invites from my male global north friends who can afford it here. …”

A section of Kenyan delegates, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, say they’re not spared by hunger pangs.

“I know three people at COP who are sleeping hungry. They told me they are surviving on free biscuits from events happening around,” Doreen, a Kenyan journalist covering COP29, said.

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A section of young delegates attending the world’s biggest climate meet in Baku, Azerbaijan, say they are trying to focus on the conference but are struggling to do so amid pangs of biting hunger.

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A section of Kenyan delegates, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, say they’re also not spared by hunger pangs.

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A female delegate from Brazil has also lamented how expensive Baku can be.

“Ever since I landed on Saturday and discovered things in Baku are extremely expensive, I have been low-key surviving off lunch and dinner date invites from my male global north friends who can afford it here. To be honest, it feels like they are ‘living’ around here while we merely ‘exist’” she said.

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Read more (paywalled): https://nation.africa/kenya/news/cop29-as-world-meets-to-negotiate-climate-finance-african-delegates-at-conference-struggle-to-afford-food–4822086#story

If this story is true, I’m horrified. At the very least this is a wakeup call to COP organisers to ensure attendees get to eat regularly.