At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Russia emphasized energy cooperation over climate action, with a large delegation promoting gas deals amid sanctions. Azerbaijani President Aliyev defended fossil fuels and criticized the West. The summit revealed deepening ties between Azerbaijan and Russia, highlighting their mutual dependency on fossil fuel exports while overshadowing climate goals, raising concerns about the future of carbon reduction efforts.
The recent UN Climate Change Conference, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, showcased Russia’s strategic focus on gas and oil cooperation alongside its efforts to strengthen ties with Azerbaijan, rather than prioritizing climate change measures. With an extensive delegation of 900 members, including significant political and business figures from Russia, the conference highlighted Azerbaijan’s pivot toward Moscow and its active pursuit of energy agreements amidst Western sanctions. During his address, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev defended fossil fuel usage and criticized accusations from the West, stating that fossil fuels are a “gift of God.”
The summit, which featured limited media coverage from Azerbaijani and Russian outlets, allowed for discussions on energy transit agreements involving Gazprom and potential swap deals with the EU. Notably, Azerbaijan’s increased imports of Russian gas suggest a deeper interdependence between the two nations in energy matters. Throughout COP29, the dominant theme was the promotion of fossil fuel cooperation, overshadowing the conference’s core mission of addressing climate change.
While officially advocating for global food security and carbon trading, Russia’s actions at the summit indicated a prioritization of its fossil fuel lobby interests. With ongoing negotiations to expand gas pipelines through Central Asia and efforts to renew contracts with the EU on gas transit, the results reflect a stark contradiction to the climate goals professed at COP29. The alliance aims to maintain revenue streams despite international pressures to reduce reliance on Russian energy.
In summary, COP29 exemplified the collaboration between Russia and Azerbaijan and their mutual economic interests in fossil fuels, while raising concerns about undermining genuine efforts to combat climate change. The emphasis on energy solidarity and bypassing sanctions starkly contrasts with the expected initiatives to promote renewable energy and carbon reduction strategies at the global conference.
The COP29 conference in Baku highlighted the shifting dynamics of international relations, particularly between Russia and Azerbaijan amid rising global tensions and energy crises exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The conference provided a platform for Russia to solidify its ties with Azerbaijan, showcasing their collaboration in the fossil fuel sector at a time when many Western nations are prioritizing renewable energy and carbon neutrality. Given Azerbaijan’s critical role as an energy supplier to Europe, due in part to intensified sanctions on Russian energy, this partnership underscores the geopolitical battlefield in the global energy market.
The COP29 summit underscored the potent alliance between Russia and Azerbaijan, where the focus shifted from climate action to enhancing fossil fuel collaborations. The significant Russian delegation and the positive rhetoric exchanged between Aliyev and Moscow highlight a deviation from global climate goals in favor of economic and geopolitical interests. As nations push for reduced reliance on fossil fuels, the actions taken at this conference raise questions about the sincerity of pledges made to mitigate climate change, posing challenges for genuine global cooperation.
Original Source: theins.ru
