Azerbaijan has chosen Mukhtar Babayev, its minister of ecology and former state oil executive, to lead the United Nations climate talks later this year. The decision has ignited discussions about the involvement of fossil fuel industry leaders in international negotiations aimed at reducing global reliance on fossil fuels.
Babayev, who served almost 25 years with Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company SOCAR, assumed his current role as minister of ecology and natural resources in 2018. This move marks the second consecutive year that a figure with ties to the fossil fuel industry will oversee global climate negotiations, following the controversial presidency of Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber during COP28.
Al-Jaber, the head of the UAE’s state-run oil company, faced criticism for potential conflicts of interest. Despite the broad agreement at COP28 to transition away from oil, gas, and coal, the final outcome lacked language calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels due to opposition from oil- and gas-reliant countries.
Calls for an overhaul of U.N. rules to prevent oil industry influence in climate conferences have been made by experts and climate leaders. Prominent climate scientist Michael Mann emphasized in a recent op-ed that “oil industry executives should not be allowed to heavily influence, much less preside over, the summit.”
Azerbaijan’s choice reflects its status as a petrostate, highly dependent on fossil fuel production for its economy. Oil and gas contribute around 90 percent of the country’s export revenue and finance approximately 60 percent of the government budget. Azerbaijan is the third oil exporter to host the annual U.N. climate talks after Egypt and the UAE.
The appointment of a veteran oil executive as the president-designate is unusual, as typically, the minister of environment or ecology is selected for this role. Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister, Yalchin Rafiyev, will serve as the lead negotiator for the talks starting in November.
Babayev, 56, holds degrees in political science from Moscow State University and foreign economic relations from Azerbaijan State University of Economics. During a speech in Dubai, he outlined Azerbaijan’s goals to reduce climate pollution by 35 percent by 2030 and 40 percent by 2050, along with increasing renewable energy capacity to 30 percent of the national energy mix this decade.
The decision has sparked concerns about the potential conflict of interest and calls for reforms in U.N. rules to ensure a more impartial selection process for leaders in global climate negotiations.
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