The Cop29 summit will be happening amidst not one but two conflicts: the Ukraine attack and the Israel-Gaza struggle
The current year’s Cop29 UN Climate Summit will be the first “Cop of peace”, zeroing in on the anticipation of future environment-fueled clashes and utilizing global participation on green issues to assist with straitening existing tensions, as per plans being drawn up by the organizers.
Countries might be approached to notice a “Cop truce”, suspending conflicts for the fortnight-long length of the gathering, shaped on the Olympic truce, which is seen by most states throughout the mid-year and winter Olympic Games.
The latest edition of Cop will be held in the capital city of Azerbaijan, Baku, in November. The summit will be happening amidst not one but two conflicts: the Ukraine attack and the Israel-Gaza struggle.
Yet, the host nation’s top national security advisor said that the climate summit, which 196 legislatures are supposed to join in, could turn into an engine for peace, by settling on something worth agreeing on among nations in the critical need to handle global warming.
Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to the president, Ilham Aliyev, in an interview with the Observer in Baku, stated “Azerbaijan continues and will exert additional efforts to make Cop yet another success story with regard to peace and to make Cop29 a Cop of peace alongside the climate action issue”. He also mentioned that they are dealing with the progression of the peace agenda.
The environment emergency is probably going to worsen food and water shortages, and could increase migration, adding to pressures on states and possibly igniting border problems, he cautioned. Hikmet Hajiyev also mentioned that security isn’t about equipment – it has numerous components, and one can’t deny environmental activity, climate change, or natural issues [are pertinent to public safety and peace].
We are affected by climate change – it’s part of national security and global security,” he said.
Hajiyev might want to see countries notice a “Cop truce”, yet mentioned that this sounds troublesome. “We are discussing with different partners about a Cop truce, like in the Olympics. But it is at an early stage of thinking. It will require additional consultations and discussion,” he said.
Until before the end of last year, Azerbaijan was involved in a 30-year struggle with adjoining Armenia over regional and ethnic contrasts. After the separation of the Soviet Union, threats between the larger part of Muslim Azerbaijanis and the Christian greater part in adjoining Armenia had been somewhat settled in a 1994 truce.
Yet, the stewing pressure erupted into violence in 2020, prompting more than 7,000 deaths and the relocation of a huge number of individuals. Each side has blamed the other for ethnic purifying. In December 2023 the nations agreed to a peace deal, which was held. However, there are still disagreements about the situation with certain detainees.
At the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai in December last year, Armenia upheld Azerbaijan’s mission to hold the current year’s environment gathering, the primary global token of help between the two long-lasting rivals.
Hajiyev said that this experience drove Azerbaijan to focus more on global peace at Cop29. “Our approach to the peace agenda is living by example.”
It is perceived that there is anxiety in certain quarters at the UN over tying the issues of climate crisis and national security closely together. The apprehension is that terrible inclination over worldwide contentions could gush out to influence the environment talks, and keeping them as discrete issues could be safer.
Putting peace on the plan at Cop29 likewise puts a focus on Azerbaijan’s manner in the conflict with Armenia, and its human rights record, which has received a lot of criticism.
The Elders group of former world political and business leaders is chaired by Mary Robinson, a former president of Ireland and UN high commissioner for human rights who has also served as a UN climate envoy twice.
She said she invited the expectation to focus in on harmony, noticing there were points of reference crafted by natural activists who connected their work with recuperating clashes. Be that as it may, she voiced worry over Azerbaijan’s position. She stated, “I believe the idea is good.” She added that on the off chance we could make a greater amount of environment and security and harmony, that would be a decent step.
However, she added: “I’m not sure the peace with Armenia is a perfect peace, to say the least. There are very big issues”, adding that there are political prisoners as well and she is a part of the campaign to get them released. “We should hold [Azerbaijan] to account for their own human rights record.”