In an explosive revelation, the CEO of Cop29 has been caught on film apparently agreeing to facilitate deals for the fossil fuel industry at the upcoming climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. This shocking development has intensified calls from environmental activists for a complete ban on the fossil fuel sector and its lobbyists from participating in future Conference of the Parties (Cop) discussions.

Campaign group Global Witness, posing as a fictitious oil and gas entity, managed to record conversations where Elnur Soltanov, Azerbaijan’s deputy energy minister and current head of Cop29, expressed willingness to broker deals in exchange for event sponsorship. During these discussions, Soltanov hinted at a future involvement with fossil fuels that could extend "perhaps forever," starkly contradicting commitments made by countries at Cop28 to transition away from fossil fuels.

The scandal deepens as Soltanov expressed his eagerness to connect this faux investment group with high-ranking officials from Socar, Azerbaijan's national oil and gas company, implying a readiness to initiate serious talks about investment opportunities. “I would be happy to create a contact between your team and their team [Socar] so that they can start discussions,” he stated. Shortly thereafter, an email from Socar affirmed the connection, raising eyebrows about the integrity of the summit's intentions.

Such actions draw attention to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which clearly states that its officials must not pursue personal gain through their positions. The messages being communicated by Soltanov suggest a troubling departure from these expectations. The CEO remarked on the potential for various joint ventures with Socar and labeled natural gas as a “transitional fuel,” downplaying the severity of climate commitments made in the Paris Agreement.

To add fuel to the fire, there are alarming indications that the Cop29 organizers may have compromised essential climate commitments to accommodate sponsors, potentially exempting them from crucial emission-cutting obligations. This raises serious ethical questions, especially when taking into account the history of scandals tied to fossil fuel interests at previous Cop events.

Just last year at Cop28, similar controversies erupted when leaked documents revealed that the chair of the talks aimed to leverage the summit to promote major deals for national oil and gas companies. The chairing figure? Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’s climate envoy who also leads its national oil company, ADNOC.

Global Witness has issued urgent calls for the UNFCCC to take decisive action to cleanse the Cop climate talks of fossil fuel influence by banning sponsors from the industry and their lobbyists entirely. “After 29 conferences of ever-growing numbers of polluters and their dubious representatives, it’s high time we moved forward without them,” said a spokesperson for the group.

In response to these claims, the UNFCCC assured the media that it maintains rigorous standards for all officials involved with the summit, emphasizing their commitment to achieving ambitious outcomes amidst a backdrop of escalating global climate challenges.

As the world looks on, all eyes will be on Cop29 as it kicks off on Monday in Baku, with heightened scrutiny on how this affair will unfold in the shadow of these shocking revelations. What will this mean for the future of global climate agreements and the integrity of international climate diplomacy? Stay tuned for updates!