A senior official at the COP29 climate change conference, Elnur Soltanov, appears to have engaged in questionable activities by arranging discussions around fossil fuel deals, sparking outrage among climate advocates and experts.
COP29 Executive Allegedly Promotes Fossil Fuel Deals Amid Climate Conference
COP29 Executive Allegedly Promotes Fossil Fuel Deals Amid Climate Conference
In a troubling revelation, secret footage shows COP29 chief Elnur Soltanov discussing fossil fuel investment opportunities, raising questions about integrity in climate negotiations.
Elnur Soltanov, the chief executive of Azerbaijan’s COP29 team and deputy energy minister, was filmed whispering about "investment opportunities" in Azerbaijan's state oil and gas company, Socar, which raises serious concerns about his role at the climate summit. This unsettling footage showcases Soltanov speaking to an individual posing as a potential investor from a fictitious Hong Kong investment firm interested in sponsoring COP29 in exchange for potential energy deals.
The revelations emerged just before the COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference, set to kick off in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the recording, Soltanov is seen discussing not only "green transitioning projects," but also the country's extensive plans to expand natural gas production and its existing oil and gas infrastructure, suggesting that these resources would play a continued role in Azerbaijan's economic model.
Critics, including former UN climate body head Christiana Figueres, have condemned Soltanov’s actions as a "betrayal" and "treason" against the inherent goals of the COP process. The summit should be focused on reducing fossil fuel dependency, yet Soltanov's promotion of investments in the fossil fuel sector sends a conflicting message. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has established strict standards designed to uphold the integrity and impartiality of COP officials, yet there are significant concerns about breaches in these standards.
During the secretive meeting, Soltanov encouraged open discussions for solutions, inviting oil and gas firms under the guise of tackling the climate crisis. However, this shift in focus towards fossil fuel promotion contradicts global climate commitments aimed at limiting warming under the Paris Agreement.
In addition to Soltanov's dubious dealings, the United Nations' expectation for impartiality has been called into question, especially given the backdrop of both COP29 and last year’s COP28 alleging similar instances where host countries sought to leverage their positions for oil and gas deals.
The motives behind COP conferences are to cultivate a collaborative approach to climate action and to provide genuine pathways towards sustainable solutions. The revelations surrounding Soltanov signify the importance of vigilance in safeguarding the integrity of international climate negotiations as the world grapples with the escalating climate crisis.
