Azerbaijan's oil boss hosts world's biggest climate talk, and its getting weird
67000 people flew to oil-rich Azerbaijan for another climate meeting while most world leaders stayed home. Nations talk about cutting emissions‚ yet private jets at the event doubled from last year
At the COP29 climate-conference in Baku‚ Ilham Aliyev the Azerbaijan president made an odd statement: calling his nations gas a “gift of god“ (while speaking to thousands of climate delegates)
The mega-event brought together 67000 participants - many paid by tax-money - discussing world climate issues; however the meetings effectiveness is doubtful. Private-jet arrivals in Baku jumped to 65 from last years 32‚ showing a weird contrast with the events eco-friendly goals
Climate change isnt a top priority for most people: in recent elections in UK and US it wasnt even a major topic. A UN poll of 10 million people from 194 countries showed climate concerns at the bottom of peoples worries
The meetings - going on for about 30 years now - dont seem to change much: fossil-fuels still make up 82% of world energy. Big-name leaders like Joe Biden‚ Emmanuel Macron‚ and Xi Jinping didnt show up this time; though Keir Starmer went and made a bold promise for UK to cut 81% of emissions by 2035
With Donald Trump and Argentinas Javier Milei planning to quit climate deals‚ these huge meetings might become less important - like a fancy boat race that nobody really cares about anymore
