The environmental organization Global Witness accuses Azerbaijan, as the host country of the next world climate conference, of wanting to produce significantly more gas in the coming years.
Production of climate-damaging gas in Azerbaijan is set to be expanded by a third – from around 37 billion cubic meters this year to 49 billion cubic meters in 2033, the organization announced today in London, citing data from the analysis service Norwegian Rystad Energy.
“Drug traffickers will not solve the drug problem and oil and gas states will not solve the climate crisis,” criticized the organization. Climate policy should not be made by States that have an interest in the world remaining dependent on oil and gas.
Next climate conference in November
The next UN climate conference (COP29) is scheduled for November in Azerbaijan. The former Soviet republic's economy relies heavily on oil and gas exports. Azerbaijani Environment Minister Mukhtar Babayev is expected to become chairman of the conference. Previously, he worked for the state oil company SOCAR for a long time.
The environmental organization Germanwatch had already criticized Azerbaijan's decision as host country in December. “The fact that Azerbaijan, another oil state after Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, is leading the climate negotiations is highly problematic,” he said at the time. There are also big problems with corruption there.