Fossil fuels a gift from God, says Azerbaijani president at Cop29

‘We must be realistic. Countries should not be blamed for selling oil and gas. People need them,’ climate conference host declares in Baku

Fossil fuels are a gift from God and giving them up is not realistic, the host of the Cop29 climate summit has said.
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, defended his country’s oil and gas industry during opening remarks at the conference in the country’s capital Baku on Tuesday.
He said: “As a president of Cop29 of course, we will be a strong advocate for green transition, and we are doing it. But at the same time, we must be realistic.
“Countries should not be blamed for having [oil and gas resources], and should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market, because the market needs them. The people need them.
“Quote me that I said that this is a gift of God, and I want to repeat it today here at this audience,” he said, having made a similar statement in April.
Fossil fuels account for around a third of Azerbaijan’s economy, and the country produces so much oil and gas that production exceeds demand four times over.
Azerbaijan is not the first petrostate to take over the Cop presidency, which was last year held by the United Arab Emirates.
But whereas the UAE focused its messaging on its efforts to invest in renewables and build a green economy, Azerbaijan has come out in defence of its fossil fuels.
The Cop29 hosts have been criticised for appearing to use their role to try and secure more deals for their significant oil and gas industry.
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan struck three times as many deals in the year leading up to the climate conference than usual, according to a report from NGO Global Witness.
Mr Aliyev has also faced scrutiny over his country’s poor human rights record and repression of dissent in the country.
On Monday, he said he rejected criticism from what he called a “well-orchestrated campaign of slander and blackmail”.
He added that the sale of gas from the country had been encouraged by Europe after the invasion of Ukraine left the Continent cut off from Russian supplies.
Mr Aliyev said: “Unfortunately, double standards, a habit to lecture other countries, and political hypocrisy became kind of modus operandi for some politicians, state-controlled NGOs and fake news media in some Western countries.”
Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, agreed with his assessment that fossil fuels are a “gift of God” and said the UK should make use of its “energy treasure”. 
He tweeted: “Cop29 host, Azerbaijan president says oil and gas are a gift of God. Amen to that.” 
On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer addressed Cop29, saying the UK was committed to standing alongside countries which are “on the front line of the climate crisis today and to seize the opportunities of tomorrow”. 
The Prime Minister said he was focused on the “UK’s ambitious goal to be the first major economy to deliver clean power by 2030”. 
Azerbaijan was chosen as host of this year’s climate summit after a protracted process.
The presidency rotates on a regional basis, with eastern Europe taking up the helm this year, but Russia blocked European Union countries.
Azerbaijan, which is a close ally of Russia, was finally chosen after Armenia withdrew its original veto due to the conflict between the two countries over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.