Trump presidency or not, COP29 leader demands US uphold climate commitments
In his third media interview since being named president-elect of the COP29 summit, Mukhtar Babayev has told the US news website Newsweek that he expects the US to maintain its climate commitments no matter who wins the US Presidential election.
“We hope that all the countries, including the United States, will demonstrate their readiness to fulfill their obligations, to fulfill their readiness to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels,” he said.
COP29 is scheduled to happen one week after the US Presidential election in November. Former president Donald Trump’s campaign’s energy policy’s premise is increasing domestic fossil fuel production which doesn’t exactly line up with keeping climate commitments. Trump plans to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act which provides $500 billion in investment for the infrastructure necessary for the transition to a green economy if re-elected.
When questioned about persuading an incoming President Trump to uphold emission reduction pledges, Babayev said “I think it is [a] very critical time for the world. We hope that all countries will fulfill their obligations and intentions to provide [for that] 1.5 [Celsius, 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit] limit. That’s why I think, and I hope, that all the countries will demonstrate their readiness and—by action—their activities to provide this target.”
Critics may dispute Azerbaijan’s status as a major fossil fuel producer hosting a climate meeting. However, Babayev highlighted the country’s commitment to switching to renewables. Despite depending primarily on oil and gas exports, Azerbaijan aims to get 30% of its energy from renewables by 2027.
“For Azerbaijan, it is [a] very good opportunity to demonstrate to the world how the oil and gas country in the past can turn to the green growth direction. One of the aspects of our program [is] to invite oil and gas producing countries to see how we will use all the chances to reduce the emission, to find the investment potential for the green growth,” he added.
Babayev has more modest expectations for the results of COP29 than COP’s previous chapters. Instead of going after historic agreements, he wants countries to honor their previous commitments, such as those made in the Paris Agreement.