Oil Change International reaction to Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev’s speech at COP29
“Using a climate conference to promote the continued production and use of fossil fuels is deeply contrary to everything the COP is about as well as provocative, and deeply disrespectful to the countries on the frontline of climate impacts.”
In reaction to the speech by Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, at COP29, Romain Ioualalen, Global Policy lead at Oil Change International, said:
“We expected a speech outlining how Azerbaijan, as COP 29 host, was going to work to secure support for the energy transition that President Aliyev claims to champion, and for the ambitious finance outcome that will unlock it. Instead, the focus was on settling scores with civil society and the media and airing petty grievances. This bodes ill for the rest of the conference.
“Global civil society has been extremely clear: increasing fossil fuel production is unacceptable everywhere, not just in Azerbaijan – because that’s what the science says. While President Aliyev is right that the United States is the main culprit when it comes to oil and gas expansion and needs to phase out faster than others, his own country has a responsibility to lead by example both as COP29 host and member of the COP Troika. Using a climate conference to promote the continued production and use of fossil fuels is deeply contrary to everything the COP is about as well as provocative, and deeply disrespectful to the countries on the frontline of climate impacts.”