COP29 in Azerbaijan: Climate Talks Amidst Human Rights Concerns and Financial Challenges

The United Nations Climate Conference, COP29, has commenced in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together world leaders from around 200 nations to discuss critical climate change issues. The two-week conference, which began on November 11, is focused on securing new deals on climate funding and transitioning developing countries away from fossil fuels to clean energy.

A key agenda item is the negotiation of new climate finance targets, particularly the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which aims to replace the previous $100 billion annual commitment to developing countries. The discussions are set against the backdrop of a report indicating that developing countries need around $1 trillion per year by 2025 and $2.4 trillion by 2030 to meet their climate finance needs.

Despite the urgent climate discussions, the hosting of COP29 in Azerbaijan has raised several concerns. The country’s significant reliance on oil and gas, as well as its plans to increase gas production, has led to questions about the credibility and integrity of the COP process. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s announcement to increase gas production to satisfy European Union demands has further heightened these concerns.

In addition to the climate-related issues, the conference is also overshadowed by Azerbaijan’s human rights record. Recent incidents, such as the arrest and charging of a citizen with hooliganism after a suicide attempt, and the crackdown on protests in villages like Soyudlu and Saatli, have highlighted the country’s approach to dissent and civil liberties. Human rights activists are calling for international attention to these issues during the COP29 conference.

The conference also faces challenges related to global political and economic instability, including the impact of inflation, constrained budgets, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The recent re-election of Donald Trump as US President and his administration’s stance on climate issues are also expected to influence the negotiations.

Despite these challenges, COP29 is seen as a critical moment for global cooperation on climate action. The conference aims to ensure that the Paris Agreement‘s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius remains achievable, with a strong emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and enhancing climate resilience.