By Alice C. Hill and Priyanka Mahat

Was COP29 in Azerbaijan a failure?

COP29 traversed a rocky path from the moment UN officials selected petrostate Azerbaijan as the host nation. The conference ended in overtime on November 24 with only modest climate finance goals, failed to deliver on an expected announcement of a new commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and displayed unusually high tensions among nations, spurred in part by statements from the host, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, that oil and gas was a “gift from God.” The result was deep concern among climate policy activists for the future of climate diplomacy.