KEY POINTS
- Azerbaijan’s COP29 CEO accused of promoting fossil fuel deals.
- Oil and gas form a major part of Azerbaijan’s economy, sparking concerns.
- Critics question the credibility of fossil fuel-dependent nations hosting COP summits.
Azerbaijan, the host of next week’s COP29 climate summit, faces scrutiny after a video emerged showing a top official allegedly promoting fossil fuel deals ahead of the event.
Environmental advocacy group Global Witness released a video they claim shows Elnur Soltanov, CEO of COP29 and Azerbaijan’s deputy energy minister, offering to facilitate talks for fossil fuel investments with a fake oil and gas firm created by the organization.
According to Global Witness, Soltanov proposed introducing representatives of EC Capital, a fictional entity created as part of the investigation, to officials at Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR.
In the video, Soltanov reportedly suggested possible joint ventures with SOCAR, describing Azerbaijan’s robust pipeline infrastructure, active gas fields, and ongoing green projects. Soltanov allegedly told the undercover team, “We have a lot of gas fields that are to be developed.
However, there are potential joint ventures SOCAR is very interested in.” The interaction has stirred controversy as COP29 is intended to advance global efforts toward reducing fossil fuel dependency.
SOCAR reportedly followed up with EC Capital, expressing interest in a meeting. Neither Soltanov nor SOCAR responded to Reuters for comment, while Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency, led by Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mukhtar Babayev, declined to comment on the matter.
Oil and gas industry dominance raises questions about COP integrity
Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector makes up roughly half of its economy and accounts for 90 percent of its exports. The video has sparked debate over Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29, a conference aiming to further progress on climate action and limit fossil fuel use.
According to Reuters, this comes one year after the COP28 summit, where leaked documents alleged that host United Arab Emirates considered discussing gas deals ahead of the climate talks, which COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber denied.
Moreover, Simon Roach, a senior investigator with Global Witness, raised concerns about fossil fuel-heavy nations hosting these climate summits.
“If petro-states continue presiding over COP, it raises questions for the U.N. about how climate goals are prioritized,” Roach stated, adding that it could erode public trust in the conferences’ integrity.
In addition, the issue highlights broader concerns regarding the influence of the fossil fuel industry on climate policy-making.
UN and international response to COP29’s controversy
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which governs the COP process, has not responded to the allegations. COP29 is set to begin on Monday in Baku, with a primary goal of building on the previous year’s agreements to transition away from fossil fuels.
However, the new revelations could place Azerbaijan under heightened scrutiny as world leaders convene to discuss climate commitments.
As the summit approaches, climate advocates urge the U.N. to establish stricter guidelines for COP presidencies, ensuring a focus on sustainable energy goals. Furthermore, the incident is prompting calls for increased transparency to prevent conflicts of interest that could compromise the summit’s objectives.
