COP29 Leadership Under Fire for Alleged Fossil Fuel Promotions

Elnur Soltanov, chief executive of Azerbaijan's COP29, reportedly engaged in discussions about fossil fuel investments, leading to criticism of a potential conflict with COP's environmental goals.

A senior official at the COP29 climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, has allegedly misused his position to promote fossil fuel investment, stirring significant controversy. Elnur Soltanov, the chief executive of Azerbaijan's COP29 team and deputy energy minister, was secretly recorded discussing investment opportunities with an individual posing as a potential investor.

During the covert meetings, Soltanov emphasized the wealth of gas fields in Azerbaijan available for development, which he described as "a lot" of potential avenues for investment. He also mentioned his role on the board of the state oil and gas company, Socar, raising concerns regarding conflicts of interest. A former head of the UN body overseeing the climate negotiations has labeled Soltanov's actions as "completely unacceptable" and a severe breach of the COP process.

This year's COP29, commencing in Baku on Monday, marks the 29th annual UN climate summit focusing on climate change solutions and global action. Nonetheless, allegations of misconduct have surfaced for two consecutive years involving the host government, indicating a troubling trend.

Secret documents and recordings, provided by the human rights organization Global Witness, reveal that a representative approached the COP29 team under the guise of leading a fictitious investment firm eager to sponsor the conference while seeking investments in Azerbaijan’s energy sector. During conversations with Soltanov, he expressed willingness to foster discussions regarding oil and gas deals and promoted Azerbaijan's pipeline expansion plans.

Despite his rhetoric about addressing the climate crisis, which includes transitioning from hydrocarbons, Soltanov acknowledged the continuous need for oil and gas. His comments resonate with findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which foresees a role for fossil fuels up to 2050 but explicitly states that developing new oil and gas fields contradicts the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This incident raises significant ethical concerns, as COP officials are expected to maintain impartiality to uphold the integrity of the climate negotiations. The UN's standards for COP officials prohibit any behavior that could appear biased or self-interested, emphasizing the importance of independent judgment.

Christiana Figueres, a key figure behind the 2015 Paris Agreement, expressed her shock at the actions revealed in the recordings, deeming them a "treason" against the fundamental goals of the COP process. Furthermore, emails reviewed by the BBC revealed discussions about a sponsorship deal involving significant financial commitments for access to and participation in the COP29 conference.

This emerging scandal follows last year's revelations regarding the UAE's attempts to leverage COP28 for oil and gas agreements. The COP community now faces pressing questions regarding the sincerity and motivations of those leading the important global climate discussions.