COP29 Faces Criticism Over Fossil Fuel Influence

The COP29 climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, have highlighted the shrinking Caspian Sea, attributed to climate change and human activity affecting river flows. The conference has faced criticism from activists and former UN leaders for the influence of fossil fuel interests, with calls for reforming the COP process to prioritize implementation over negotiation. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev defended fossil fuels as a 'gift from God,' while the presence of numerous fossil fuel lobbyists has sparked demands for a shift in the climate talks' structure. Former UN officials Ban Ki-Moon and Christiana Figueres emphasized the need for COP to transition from negotiation to implementation of existing agreements. The conference is viewed as a critical test for global climate efforts, with slow progress on discussions about financing the transition to clean energy.