BAKU — This year's United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan's capital Baku is taking place against a tumultuous geopolitical backdrop. In addition to shifting strategic alliances, trade tensions and violent conflict, the 'year of elections' has ushered in a period of heated political rhetoric and led to changes of government.

But this must not distract us from the current state of the planet and the real economy. The effects and costs of climate change are increasing. Extreme weather events, from hurricanes in the Caribbean to catastrophic floods in Europe and droughts in the Amazon, are growing more frequent and intense, enhancing the risk of financial instability, especially in the world's most vulnerable and highly indebted countries.