By: Leonor Cruz, Aretina Stefani, Dr Suzanne Maas (Friends of the Earth Malta)
Climate change is here, and its effects are already felt around the world. Over the past year, we have witnessed the hottest months on record. Countries across the globe – From the United States of America to Spain, Brazil and Nepal – have been facing devastating floods, record breaking heat waves and extreme storms, a reality that will only grow to be more devastating and destructive. Climate change affects every living being on Earth, plus, it also reflects and exacerbates the inequalities of the international system. Developing countries, with their limited economic resources and poor infrastructures are the most affected by climate change. In wealthier countries, the ones most affected are the vulnerable groups, meaning the elderly, children and those with lower socioeconomic status. Plus, the younger generations, around the globe, have been facing poor mental health due to climate change anxiety.
As beings that call this planet our home, we have the right and responsibility to create a sustainable environment where we can flourish and develop in harmony with nature. Therefore, our governments should be deeply committed to save our planet and provide us with a safe home.
What is COP?
COP stands for the Conference of the Parties, which is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It’s an annual climate summit and this year, COP29, is taking place in Baku – Azerbaijan, bringing together global leaders, environmental experts and policy makers, and civil society groups, to discuss and negotiate the best ways to advance the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5ºC. The conference is an important moment to ensure international collaboration on fighting climate change, promoting worldwide peace and reinforcing strong global relations.
COP29 should focus on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, reinforcing the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring global resilience, and addressing climate impacts worldwide. However, there are serious concerns around the recent COPs being hosted in petro-states, and the influence of lobbyists from the oil and gas industry increasingly influencing the global climate talks. COP29 presents a recurring issue with the presence of this industry at the negotiations table reflecting their influence, which jeopardises the implementation of strong policies to achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement, such as targets for the phase-out of fossil fuels and for the rapid transition to renewable energy.
The choice of host: a petro state
The choice of Azerbaijan as the host nation can be seen as a premonition for the interests of COP29. For the past three years COPs have faced criticism for their underwhelming and disappointing outcomes. COP27 in Egypt faced criticism for limited civil society participation and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates saw a record of fossil fuel industry attendance. COP29 seems to be going down the same path since hosting COP in an authoritarian and fossil fuel-dependent country undermines the very foundation of open dialogue and collaboration needed to fight the climate crisis.
Azerbaijan has a fossil fuel-based economy which shapes its domestic policy, international relations and climate stance. Socar Trading SA, Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy company, is one of the three companies part of the ElectroGas Malta consortium, alongside Siemens Project Ventures GmbH and GEM Holding Limited (a partnership between local shareholders Gasan Group, Tumas Group and CP Holdings). ElectroGas Malta operates the LNG facility and power plant in Delimara. The LNG is imported from Azerbaijan via marine carriers and held in a Floating Storage Unit (FSU), a cargo vessel storing LNG moored off of Delimara, and is then regasified onshore and used in the Delimara power plant (Friends of the Earth Malta, 2023).
“Armada LNG Mediterrana” a Floating Production Storage Offloading Unit at Marsaxlokk, Malta photo credits: Daniela Sala for ReCommon
Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, stated “Having oil and gas deposits is not our fault. It’s a gift from God.”. As a major exporter of oil and gas the country’s economy depends deeply on the international demand for fossil fuels, undermining the country’s transition towards renewable energy. Aliyev, the previous vice-president of Socar, named Rovshan Najaf, the current president of Socar, to be part of the COP29 organising committee and Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijan’s ecology and natural resources minister who previously worked for Socar for 26 years, to run COP29.
The host sets the tone for COP29 and this year the tone belongs to the fossil fuel industry.
The role of the EU and inclusion of lobbyists from oil and gas industry
With its European Green Deal, aiming to be the first carbon neutral continent, the European Union has the responsibility to show global leadership and promote their commitment to the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, that leadership is being questioned. For COP28 the EU and its Member States brought more than 130 fossil fuel lobbyists on their delegations. A tradition that will continue into COP29 with Wopke Hoekstra – the European Commissioner for Climate Action – who will be bringing oil and gas lobbyists to COP29.
“For COP to allow in thousands of representatives of the fossil fuel industry, which is making vast profits for a wealthy few while trashing the climate for everyone, perverts the very rationale of a meeting whose purpose is to protect the climate and people from further harm.”
said Amnesty International’s program Director of Climate, Economic and Social Justice and Corporate Accountability Marta Schaaf.
“112 orgs tell Hoekstra not to bring fossil fuel lobbyists to COP29”
Therefore, this year more than a hundred civil society organisations, one of them being Friends of the Earth Malta, have written to EU’s climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, asking him to not bring fossil fuel lobbyists to the UN climate talks as part of the EU delegation. The letter aimed to end the large influence of the fossil fuel industry on climate change policy discussions and to ensure that oil and gas companies are not given privileged access to the climate negotiations. The letter asks climate commissioner Hoekstra: “Your own team at the European Commission brought senior executives from BP and Eni into the talks, as well as ExxonMobil’s chief lobbyist in Brussels. Would the EU bring tobacco lobbyists to a global health conference?”
The EU’s role at COP29 is to pursue ambitious climate commitments, advocating for a transition from fossil fuels, reinforcing climate justice globally and promoting transparency and international accountability. EU leadership is crucial to set the tone of the climate negotiations. However, if the EU delegation is compromised by the interests of powerful fossil fuel lobbyists, will it be able to maintain credibility both internally and internationally? Is the EU genuinely committed to a renewable energy transition, or will the interests of fossil fuel companies prevail?
The COP29 in Azerbaijan will be held from 11-22 November. We will be posting updates throughout the weeks about what is being discussed and decided.
Sources:
Amnesty: “Global: Record number of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP undermines critical climate talks”-https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/global-record-number-of-fossil-fuel-lobbyists-at-cop-undermines-critical-climate-talks/
COP29 Website – https://cop29.az/en/home
European Environment Agency: “Climate change impacts, risks and adaptation” – https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/climate-change-impacts-risks-and-adaptation
Fossil Free Politics: “112 orgs tell Hoekstra not to bring fossil fuel lobbyists to COP29” – https://fossilfreepolitics.org/news/112-orgs-tell-hoekstra-not-to-bring-fossil-fuel-lobbyists-to-cop29/
Friends of the Earth Malta, 2023. Towards a Fossil Free Malta: A report on the energy system in Malta, its climate impacts, and a vision for the future. https://foemalta.org/download/climate-report-towards-a-fossil-free-malta/
Politico: “Good COP, bad COP: Azerbaijan’s climate charm offensive is backfiring” – https://www.politico.eu/article/good-cop-bad-cop-azerbaijans-climate-charm-offensive-is-backfiring/
The Guardian: “Cop29 host Azerbaijan set for major fossil gas expansion, report says” – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/23/cop29-host-azerbaijan-set-for-major-fossil-gas-expansion-report-says
Socar website – https://www.socartrading.com/
ElectroGas Malta Website – https://www.electrogas.com.mt/