Why is a petrostate hosting a climate summit? COP29 kicks off in Azerbaijan

Tens of thousands of delegates gathered in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, for COP29, the annual United Nations climate conference, in hopes of charting a course to limit further environmental damage. Azerbaijan claims to be the world's leading petrostate, so much so that it still depends on oil and gas for 90% of its export revenues. Greta Thunberg's questions

COP29 formally opened in Baku, Azerbaijan, against a background of a re-elected US president in denial about the climate crisis. On its first day, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg wrote an impassioned opinion piece for The Guardian, asking why such a vitally important event was being hosted by yet another petrostate-a country with a track record of human rights abuses-at a time when the climate and humanitarian crises worsen across the world.

These are concerns Thunberg shares with many people around the world. These conferences come across more like slick greenwashing exercises than genuine avenues for climate action. They serve as an alibi and lend legitimacy to the richest countries’ continued failure to secure a livable future. Over the past years, COPs have, in fact, allowed authoritarian regimes such as Azerbaijan, and previously Egypt and the UAE, to sustain their repressive regimes while continuing their flagrant disregard for human rights.

“Genocides, ecocides, famines, wars, colonialism, growing inequalities, and an escalating climate collapse are all interconnected crises that feed into each other, creating unimaginable suffering,” Thunberg writes.She names humanitarian crises still unfolding in Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan, Congo, Kurdistan, Lebanon, Balochistan, Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, and beyond. Meanwhile, humanity has already overshot the 1.5°C greenhouse gas emissions threshold, with no considerable cuts in view.

Adding to the urgency, 2023 marked record global emissions, and this year is “virtually certain” to become the hottest on record, with unprecedented extreme weather events.

“The destabilization of the biosphere and natural ecosystems on which we depend for survival is causing unimaginable human suffering and accelerating the mass extinction of flora and fauna,” Thunberg underscores.

The reek of petroleum and crimes against humanity

In Baku, it’s in the air-a reminder to anyone that a highly recent dependence on fossil fuels has just grown astronomically.

One of the first Caspian Sea nations and one of the world’s first great petroleum giants, starting in the mid-19th century, today depends on them for 90% of its exports. Oil rigs dot the landscape, and refinery flames light up the night sky; its national symbol, a gas flame, decorates its iconic skyscrapers.

Unsurprisingly, Azerbaijan does not have any serious ambition regarding climate. On the contrary, the country plans to increase the production of fossil fuels-something that is completely at odds with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C objective.

Many attendees of COP avoid controversy that implicates their host country. Human Rights Watch issued a warning recently that the rights of peaceful protesters to demonstrate during this summit could not be guaranteed. Border closure by Azerbaijan: The land and sea borders have been kept closed; access to air travel—considered an emissions contributor—is restricted.

“The Azerbaijani regime is guilty of ethnic cleansing, humanitarian blockades, and war crimes while repressing its own population and stifling civil society,” said Thunberg.Free watchdog Freedom House also ranks Azerbaijan among the least democratic nations in the world. Journalists, independent media, political activists, and human rights defenders are targeted by the regime. Also, Azerbaijan provides Israel with approximately 40% of its annual oil imports. In the Middle East, Israeli aggression-which is fueled by Azerbaijan-continues to keep the full-complicity Military Operation running in Palestine and Lebanon.

How did a petrostate secure the hosting right?

Hosting was consistent with geopolitical maneuvering. Eastern Europe’s turn it was to host COP29, but Russia vetoed the European Union member states one after the other. Only Armenia and Azerbaijan remained in the running, with Armenia withdrawing its opposition to the Azerbaijan bid in exchange for the release of prisoners. Most Armenian political detainees remain behind bars.

In 2023, noted regime critic Gubad Ibadoghlu was jailed for speaking against the fossil fuel industry of Azerbaijan. Other political prisoners include peace activist Bahruz Samadov, researcher of ethnic minorities Iqbal Abilov, and journalists cum political activists Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzatli.Meanwhile, the European Union continues to purchase fossil fuels from Azerbaijan and is planning to double that import by 2027-a development that will further seal the regime in power.

As Thunberg herself says, “The climate crisis is not just about the future of the environment and biodiversity, but about human rights.” You can’t claim to care about climate justice and continue to ignore the suffering of oppressed and colonized peoples now.

Justice for the climate translates as justice-security-freedom for all.