Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, attends Pre-COP29: Enhance Ambition and Enable Action in Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 10, 2024. Mohammed warned that the world is nearing a critical point, with global temperatures potentially exceeding a rise of 1.5 C, leading to severe consequences such as Hurricane Milton. Despite these challenges, she emphasized that hope remains as the global community takes action to combat climate change. Photo: VCG