Youth activists lead the Equitable Fossil Fuel Phase Out (EFFPO) activity at the Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai, 2023. Photo: Marie Jacquemin / Greenpeace
The Pacific head of the environmental campaign organisation Greenpeace has described the comments by Azerbaijan's president that oil and gas are a "gift of God" as "disappointing".
President Ilham Aliyev praised the use of fossil fuels and criticised "Western fake news media, so called independent NGOs, and some politicians" for "spreading disinformation" about his country at the opening ceremony of the United Nations climate change summit COP29 this week.
"Azerbaijan's share in global gas emissions is only 0.1 percent," he said.
He said all the "international media who want to attack me can quote me that I said that [natural resources] are a gift of God."
"Oil, gas, wind, sun, gold, silver, copper, all that are natural resources and countries should not be blamed for having them, and should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market, because the market needs them."
"This is my message for COP29. WE will be strong advocate for green [energy] transition but at the same time we must be realistic."
UN secretary-general António Guterres said at World Leaders Climate Action Summit at COP29 earlier that "doubling down on fossil fuels is absurd".
"The clean energy revolution is here. No group, no business, and no government can stop it." he said.
Shiva Gounden from Greenpeace Australia Pacific at a news conference on the state of play at COP28 in Dubai last year. Photo: Marie Jacquemin / Greenpeace
Greenpeace's head of Pacific Shiva Gounden said "the reality is that for Pacific and Global South communities dealing with the escalating impacts of the climate crisis, fossil fuels are a curse."
He said COP29 is set against the backdrop of extreme weather disasters unfolding around the world.
"Who should pay for this climate destruction, and for the loss and damage to livelihoods, lands and cultures that has already occurred?
"That is what leaders must agree on here in Baku. Now that the opening statements have been made, the stage is set for the most critical COP29 dialogue - for countries to set and agree on a new climate finance deal, the New Collective Quantified Goal.
The campaigner said countries must seize the opportunity.
"In this spirit of resistance, Pacific and Global South negotiators will be fighting tooth and nail to secure the most ambitious and fit-for-purpose deal that is in the trillions, not billions - which is realistically what is needed to address the scale of climate catastrophe our communities are facing."