This year’s COP29 summit is days away from kicking off, yet it is already making headlines.
The BBC has obtained and published ‘secret’ footage of COP29 chief executive officer Elnur Soltanov appearing to arrange meetings to discuss potential fossil fuel deals.
In the video posted online, Mr Soltanov can be heard discussing his country, Azerbaijan’s “green transitioning projects” before adding: “We have a lot of gas fields to be developed.”
This would go directly against the landmark decision at last year’s COP meeting to move the world away from fossil fuel use, and the purpose of the COP meetings altogether.
What is COP29?
This year’s event is the 29th session of the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties (COP), an annual meeting that brings together world leaders to discuss solutions to climate action.
The aim of these meetings is for attendees to review the implementation of measures discussed at the previous meeting, and ways to further promote them.
The first COP was held in Berlin, Germany in March 1995.
Where and when is COP29?
This year’s gathering is being hosted in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, from November 11-22.
The first daily programme will be published on November 11, however, as Azerbaijan is four hours ahead of the UK, it is expected to kick off late afternoon our time.
Who will be at COP29?
The UK will attend this year’s summit, and will host its own pavilion displaying the UK’s climate progress.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has yet to confirm his attendance, however, his presence is highly likely, as he attended last year’s meeting in Dubai.
It is understood that King Charles III, who at last year’s meeting warned delegates that the world was “dreadfully far off track” in key climate targets, will not attend COP29 in Buka.
According to Reuters, other international leaders are also expected to miss this year’s COP, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, outgoing US President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
