Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency sets precedent with focus on amplifying voices of vulnerable nations

The ongoing COP29 Climate Conference in Baku has seen crucial advancements on multiple fronts in the first few days, underscoring Azerbaijan’s leadership as the host nation. Building on the foundation set by President Ilham Aliyev’s strong speeches at the World Leaders Climate Action Summit and the Leaders’ Summit of the Small Island Developing States, COP29 has already set historic precedents in climate finance, international partnerships, and energy innovation.

Commitment to Energy Security and Transition: Defying all the odds

Being a country endowed with beautiful natural resources, notably oil and gas, has made certain countries to refer Azerbaijan as a ‘petrostate’. While being called as such, gave hypocritical ‘forces’ an excuse to use this as a weapon towards the nation. We consistently see a recurring theme in the media: "How can a petrostate possibly host a climate conference?" While hosting the event we can easily say that in the past 3 days, even in this short term Azerbaijan has defied all the odds, and underscored its commitment to energy transition. For instance, let's count some of the milestones that have been reached. One of the key events on the first day of the climate forum was the approval of the conference agenda, which successfully demonstrated COP29's leadership and achieved consensus among participants. This compromise involved extensive diplomacy and negotiations, reflecting the commitment to meaningful changes in global climate policy. Consensus was also reached on standards for transparent and reliable carbon markets under Article 6.4 of the 2015 Paris Agreement. This is a vital milestone, as carbon markets help redistribute resources to developing countries. Article 6 aims to reduce the costs of implementing national climate plans by $250 billion annually, facilitating cooperation and CO2 emission quota exchanges, particularly beneficial for resource-limited countries seeking to cut emissions.

In parallel, in his opening speech at the ceremony of the COP29 Leaders' Summit in Baku on November 12, President Ilham Aliyev firmly stated that the mega-projects launched by Azerbaijan have undeniably transformed the energy and transportation landscapes of Eurasia. These initiatives have established robust frameworks for multilateral cooperation, and they have not gone unnoticed on the international stage.

Then he took a moment to address the political hypocrisy surrounding Azerbaijan’s role as an energy producer, pointing out that while Azerbaijan’s oil production accounts for less than 1% of the global share, the country has faced unjust criticism from some Western media and NGOs labelling it a "petrostate." He emphasized that natural resources should not be a basis for criticism, especially as Azerbaijan has a robust and actionable green agenda. "Our green agenda—I have already described our plans…These, along with many other important criteria, should serve as the basis for evaluating the country's performance, rather than its natural resources, which are a gift from God."

Advancing the Green Agenda with Massive Renewable Energy Potential: Bridging the East and West

Despite the criticism and double standards of some Western politicians, Azerbaijan has consistently kept its commitments and remains focused on fostering cooperation in the future. This cooperation spans agreements in traditional energy sectors as well as in the rapidly developing "green" initiatives. This message is especially important in the context of creating new cross-border energy connections across the vast Eurasian continent. Azerbaijan is committed to implementing the concepts of "clean environment" and "green growth" as key priorities for the country's development until 2030 and beyond. This includes the development of renewable energy generation, the establishment of "green" energy zones, the decarbonization of oil and gas operations, the improvement of energy efficiency, and the promotion of electric mobility.

With a total renewable energy capacity of nearly 300 gigawatts onshore and offshore, Azerbaijan has emerged as a leader in the region’s transition to green energy. President Aliyev outlined ambitious projects including wind and solar plants, notably the 230-megawatt solar power plant inaugurated by Masdar from the UAE, and the 240-megawatt wind project by ACWA Power from Saudi Arabia. He also highlighted an upcoming agreement with BP to develop a 240-megawatt solar facility in Jabrayil, a former conflict zone now central to Azerbaijan’s green transformation.

Strengthening Global Partnerships and Responding to Calls for Energy Security

The European Union has leaned on Azerbaijan to secure energy resources amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, an arrangement solidified by a strategic energy partnership agreement signed two years ago. Given this fact, Azerbaijan continues to fulfil its commitments in the gas sector. Specifically, between January and September of this year, Azerbaijan exported 9.4 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe, which is a 9.3% increase compared to the previous year. In total, gas deliveries from Azerbaijan to Europe through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) amounted to approximately 40 billion cubic meters from December 31, 2020, to mid-September of this year. As of today, 43 companies are authorized to reserve pipeline capacity. Furthermore, by the beginning of 2026, TAP’s transportation capacity will be increased by 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a green energy exporter to Europe, with the ongoing Black Sea-Caspian energy cable project aimed at transmitting up to four gigawatts of renewable energy to European markets. "This is only the beginning," head of state remarked, underscoring Azerbaijan's commitment to sustainable development and resilience amid global energy demands.The preliminary results of the feasibility study of the Black Sea Energy project are expected to be announced during the ninth meeting of the energy ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary participating in the Agreement on Strategic Partnership for the Development and Transmission of Green Energy scheduled within the framework of COP29 conference. "We are also looking at export markets and working actively with our partners in order to implement another important energy security project—the Black Sea Caspian energy cable," said President Ilham Aliyev at the opening ceremony of the Leaders' Summit. " This will allow us to export green energy to Europe, and the technical potential of this cable - by the way, feasibility studies will be ready very soon—is close to four gigawatts," he added.

Addressing Neocolonialism and Environmental Justice, the main focus of the day three

Azerbaijan’s support for the Supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has become a cornerstone of its climate agenda. President Ilham Aliyev’s address on November 13 at the Leaders’ Summit of the Small Island Developing States, on the third day of COP29, outlined this commitment. He emphasized Azerbaijan’s backing of various disaster-prone countries through educational grants, financial aid, and humanitarian assistance—stating that “Azerbaijan has provided assistance to more than 10 small island states” in mitigating climate change impacts. To further aid SIDS, Azerbaijan allocated $10 million towards Commonwealth projects and signed an MoU for satellite data-sharing on environmental monitoring, enhancing climate resilience for these vulnerable regions. Such initiatives signal Azerbaijan's intent to support countries facing an existential threat from climate change, underlining its dedication to accessible climate finance for those in need.

Azerbaijan’s assistance to SIDS extends beyond climate finance; it includes educational grants, humanitarian aid, and investments in infrastructure that bolster food security and clean water access. The president's statements reflect a broader philosophy that climate action should encompass both immediate financial support and long-term capacity-building. He cited Azerbaijan’s provision of educational grants to students from over ten small island nations as part of this commitment, underscoring the country’s dedication to building climate resilience through knowledge-sharing and human capital development.

The early milestones at COP29 signify a pivotal shift towards coordinated, inclusive climate action. Azerbaijan’s presidency has set a strong precedent for future conferences, with a focus on amplifying the voices of vulnerable nations, fostering global partnerships, and addressing both immediate and long-term climate challenges. As COP29 progresses, the hope is that the momentum generated will inspire further commitments and resources to support ambitious global climate targets.