{"id":10015,"date":"2024-11-11T15:07:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T15:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailywashingtoninsider.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/11\/cop29-host-suggests-it-cant-ditch-gas-because-of-eu-demand-and-plays-down-the-trump-effect\/"},"modified":"2024-11-11T15:07:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T15:07:07","slug":"cop29-host-suggests-it-cant-ditch-gas-because-of-eu-demand-and-plays-down-the-trump-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailywashingtoninsider.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/11\/cop29-host-suggests-it-cant-ditch-gas-because-of-eu-demand-and-plays-down-the-trump-effect\/","title":{"rendered":"COP29 host suggests it can\u2019t ditch gas because of EU demand \u2013 and plays down the Trump effect"},"content":{"rendered":"

Azerbaijan has to increase its gas production because of “commitments” to meet EU demand, its key official has implied, as it prepares to open the COP29 climate talks in Baku.<\/p>\n

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, lead negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev sought to dispel dark clouds gathering over the critical UN talks which begin on Monday.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Fear has spread that the already shaky negotiations will struggle to make progress after the re-election of climate sceptic Donald Trump<\/strong>, a scandal around one of Mr Rafiyev’s colleagues and the news that many EU leaders won’t attend the Baku talks.<\/p>\n

But Mr Rafiyev says he remains “optimistic” about the challenges facing COP29 – including Mr Trump’s US election win.<\/p>\n

Asked if the president-elect is bad news for climate action, he said: “I wouldn’t say so.” He has already met with US counterparts since the election, and they remain “constructive”, he added.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

‘Everybody understands the significance’<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many EU leaders will also be absent from the climate talks in Baku as they fend off political turmoil at home.<\/p>\n

Olaf Scholz’s German government is in disarray<\/strong>, the Dutch prime minister is dealing with football violence, and the European Union commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen is preparing for her second term.<\/p>\n

COP29 comes at a time when EU involvement matters more than ever, as the summit is supposed to agree on a major new climate fund<\/strong> for developing countries, and wealthy European countries are collectively the biggest donors.<\/p>\n

“Of course high-level political engagement is important,” Mr Rafiyev said. But he stressed they will be represented by their teams anyway.<\/p>\n

“Everybody understands the significance of [getting a] deal,” he added.<\/p>\n

‘Customer commitments’ to blame for gas production<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of these same European countries are keeping Azerbaijan hooked on gas, Mr Rafiyev also implied.<\/p>\n

Asked if his country’s plans to increase gas production by 30% were compatible with its climate leadership role, he said it was obliged by “commitments towards our customers” and the “geopolitical context surrounding us”.<\/p>\n

After the EU decided to ditch Russian fossil fuels in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine, it came looking to gas-rich Azerbaijan to fill the gap<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But no new fossil fuel projects can go ahead if the world is to limit warming to 1.5C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, scientists have said.<\/p>\n

The planet is now hurtling towards at least 2.6C of heat<\/strong> above pre-industrial levels.<\/p>\n

More on COP29:
Oil state claims to be ‘perfect’ for climate talks
Will other countries follow Trump’s energy policies?
Almighty fight to come over climate cash<\/strong><\/p>\n

Azerbaijan defends its own climate plans<\/strong><\/p>\n

As it prepares to lead 200 countries through two weeks of rocky negotiations, Azerbaijan has seen its own climate credentials scrutinised.<\/p>\n

The country gets just 1.5% of its energy from clean sources – though it is aiming to get to 30% – and its climate plan was given the lowest possible rating of “critically insufficient” by independent science project Climate Action Tracker.<\/p>\n

Mr Rafiyev pushed back against criticisms that Azerbaijan is not doing enough as a COP host.<\/p>\n

“I would respectfully disagree with the point that this is insufficient,” he said, promising a new climate plan soon.<\/p>\n

But he would not commit to publishing one during COP29.<\/p>\n

Summit scandal played down<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Rafiyev also broke the COP29 team’s silence on a scandal this week. Elnur Soltanov, the summit’s chief executive, was caught in undercover filming apparently using his role to tout gas deals, as well as green projects.<\/p>\n

“I wouldn’t comment on any media report. We are here to discuss an important climate meeting,” he said.<\/p>\n

But will it make his life in negotiations even harder? Mr Rafiyev insisted not.<\/p>\n

“No,” he said. “We continue our negotiation process in the same way. I’m meeting with everyone.”<\/p>\n

As for that missing peace deal with Armenia, Mr Rafiyev, who is also the deputy foreign minister, said it was “very close”.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This post appeared first on sky.com<\/div>\n

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