As global leaders convene at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the urgency of addressing climate change has reached unprecedented levels. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that 2025 could see record temperatures, while the WMO reports a significant rise in global temperatures attributed to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon. Activists at the conference are demanding accountability from wealthy nations, insisting they finance efforts to help developing countries cope with climate impacts they did little to cause. Leaders from vulnerable nations shared firsthand accounts of devastating weather events, emphasizing that action is needed now to prevent larger-scale disasters. The discussions are set to focus on establishing a new collective quantified goal for climate finance and the necessity of transforming economies towards sustainability. With many experts highlighting the dire consequences of inaction, the stakes for effective agreements have never been higher.