Armenian separatists attempt to prejudice COP29 as Baku turns into great energy hub

By Fatime Letifova

The COP29 event, to be held in Azerbaijan this November, has caused considerable concern among several organizations. Some entities, that consider Azerbaijan's transition to green energy as "insufficient," aim to sabotage COP29. According to allegations, Azerbaijan's economy is dependent on oil and gas, which is seen as an obstacle to the transition to green energy.

Indeed, Azerbaijan possesses the richest resources in the South Caucasus, and this has been the reason for numerous invasions over the centuries. However, oil and gas production is driven by consumer demand, and many European countries purchase Azerbaijani oil and gas. Considering the large states surrounding Azerbaijan, the high development dynamics recorded in every sector since the country's independence suggest that it will achieve even greater success in the future.

For example, Azerbaijan's cooperation with Trans-Caspian countries is crucial for regional stability and development. There is close cooperation among the countries located in the Caspian Sea basin in the fields of energy, transportation, and trade. Azerbaijan's initiatives and projects, such as the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, play a significant role in delivering energy resources from the region to Europe. This cooperation also increases the strategic importance of the region and turns Azerbaijan into a regional hub.

The visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Astana on August 9, and his participation in the meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, demonstrate that Kazakhstan's relations with Azerbaijan among Caspian countries are ahead of others. It should be noted that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is particularly strong in the energy sector. Both countries are connected through the Caspian Sea and implement joint projects in the export of energy resources. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) are significant transportation corridors for both countries. The export of Kazakhstan's oil and gas resources to Europe is made possible through Azerbaijan, which increases the level of strategic partnership between the countries.

Azerbaijan's energy projects are not limited to regional countries. Cooperation with Baku is also of interest to large companies like Masdar. It is the fact that Masdar is a renewable energy company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and has a particular interest in cooperating with Azerbaijan's energy sector. Masdar's main goal is to implement advanced projects in the field of renewable energy, and Azerbaijan has great potential in this area. Specifically, the wind energy potential in the Caspian Sea is a crucial direction for this cooperation. Collaboration with Masdar accelerates Azerbaijan's transition to renewable energy sources in the energy sector and reduces the country's carbon footprint.

All of this indicates that Azerbaijan is the ideal country for COP29. The country is actively taking steps towards transitioning to renewable energy sources. Azerbaijan's contribution to international efforts in combating climate change and in the energy sector is one of the key factors for it to host this prestigious event. In recent years, Baku has undertaken significant reforms in the green energy sector and increased investments in renewable energy projects.

However, what distinguishes Azerbaijan from other countries is its ability to maintain the unity of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Undoubtedly, a complete transition from oil and gas is a long-term process, and Azerbaijan has already made significant progress in this area. On the other hand, innovative projects being implemented, especially in the liberated Garabagh region, which has attracted the interest of countries like Japan, Turkiye, and Italy, demonstrate that the country is also successfully transitioning to green energy.

Consistent sabotage and prejudice

Baku was chosen as the host country for this event after Abu Dhabi, and visible developments and projects are evident in preparation for COP29. Now, remnants of the separatist elements neutralized by Azerbaijan in Garabagh in 2023 are trying to sabotage the COP29 event from their nests in foreign lands, attempting to cover up the crimes they committed. Targeting Azerbaijan's natural resources as part of this effort is nothing but jealousy.

The increased bias against Azerbaijan is primarily because, in 2020, Azerbaijan liberated its lands from Armenian occupation. The forces trying to carry out their sinister plans in the South Caucasus had been militarizing Armenia for years, but the Azerbaijani army broke this "chain of assistance" in 44 days, which seems to have caused these forces shame and anger.

However, these claims and threats do not change reality. The COP29 event will take place in Azerbaijan in November, and many European countries, where separatist elements place their hopes, have already expressed their congratulations and hopes to President Ilham Aliyev regarding this event.

Recall that Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, will host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) for the first time in the region from November 11–22, 2024. The decision was made at the plenary session of COP28 on December 11. Azerbaijan successfully participated in the COP28 held in Abu Dhabi last year.

Azerbaijan will take the opportunity to bring heads of state and governments, civil society organizations, businesses, and international institutions together in the South Caucasus to discuss climate change, measures to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and focus on long-term climate strategies and goals.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan confirmed its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 35 percent by 2030 and increase this target by 40 percent by 2050. Fulfilling the commitments under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and actively working in this regard are priority issues for the government of Azerbaijan.

The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been held annually since 1995. The event aims to assess the progress made in combating climate change around the world.