Azerbaijan

For the Azerbaijani regime, hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku represents a chance to obscure its poor climate record and relentless attacks on civil society.

This article examines the critical issue of public participation in environmental governance in Azerbaijan, focusing on the intricate relationship between environmental procedural rights and political repression, particularly in the context of the country hosting COP29.

Azerbaijan has strengthened its energy ties with the EU since 2022, ramping up gas deliveries and articulating ambitions to export renewable energy and green hydrogen to Europe in the future. However, the EU’s shrinking gas demand and Azerbaijan’s lack of a genuine decarbonization strategy cast uncertainty on the long-term prospects of this partnership.

COP29 in Baku will decide the future of global climate finance. As developing nations demand $1 trillion in annual support, tensions rise over who should contribute and how funds are allocated. Will this summit deliver on the promise of climate justice and equity?

Azerbaijan is the third authoritarian and repressive petro state in a row to host the COP presidency. The most important issues on the COP29 agenda: the new global goal on climate finance (NCQG) and the negotiations on carbon markets - and for both is true: the climate crisis is a matter of global justice.

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, movements, groups and individuals, highlight the urgent need to address serious human rights concerns in Azerbaijan in the lead-up to its hosting this year’s United Nations Climate Conference (COP29).

As the host country of the COP29 climate conference, authoritarian Azerbaijan wants to improve its international reputation. How should democratic states and international civil society approach the next COP?

In December 2023, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev surprisingly announced snap presidential elections. Accordingly, Azerbaijani voters will go to the polls on February 7th. These elections signal one thing: the consolidation of authoritarian power.