COP29 in Azerbaijan: Oil and Corruption for Climate Change
Is it time to give up on the COPs? Perhaps we need to question the relevance of these events altogether. This year, COP29 is being held in Azerbaijan – a petro-state notorious for corruption, where its CEO was secretly filmed while making gas and oil deals.
But is this the climate action platform the world needs? Or is it a glaring sign of systemic failure?
“It’s unacceptable that a country that depends upon oil and doesn’t respect human rights is hosting COP29” – declared Greta Thunberg, who boycotted the event.
COP29 – Azerbaijan
The annual climate conference has sparked fierce criticism. In a divisive address, Azerbaijan’s president declared oil to be a “gift of God.” Meanwhile, with Trump’s recent election victory, there is growing concern that the climate emergency could vanish from the global agenda entirely.
Rupert Read, leader of The Climate Majority Project, reflected on the unfolding debacle: “The news that the head of COP was using COP to make gas deals is hardly even a surprise.”
This revelation underscores the troubling state of an institution increasingly out of step with its mission. However, Read sees a potential upside: growing scepticism around COP could catalyze the creation of meaningful alternatives. “What we need are coalitions of the willing – countries genuinely committed to action. COP was designed to fail.”
With the 1.5°C target now out of reach, the narrative must shift. Pretending that decarbonization alone will suffice is no longer viable. Instead, the focus must pivot to transformative and strategic adaptation. “In this context, adaptation, preparedness, and resilience-building aren’t optional – they are pivotal. These measures will determine whether humanity survives, let alone flourishes,” says Read.
Is it time to give up?
The future of the climate movement won’t hinge on a singular solution but rather a multiplicity of efforts. “The next big thing will be lots of things” – Read explains on his website. “It will emerge from millions of people with diverse backgrounds, talents, and needs, each finding their own part to play in something much, much larger. We could never actually construct such a movement. We can only do everything we can to make sure it happens.”
In conclusion, can these events still become platforms for real change, or is it time to move beyond? Is it time to give up on the COPs entirely?
Yes… it may sound rhetorical.
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