World leaders send mixed messages about the climate crisis on Day 2 of COP29
If there was a theme for the second day of COP29, the U.N. climate conference in Azerbaijan, it would be mixed messaging from world leaders. As some nations announced ambitious new climate goals, others justified their continued reliance on fossil fuels. The developments come when the world is questioning the United States' future commitment to climate progress in light of President-elect Donald Trump's previous comments about climate change and his selection for EPA administrator.
During his remarks, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, whose country is hosting the event, defended the use of fossil fuels, calling oil a "a gift of the God" and saying that it is just like any other natural resource. He added that countries "should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market."
"To accuse us that we have oil is the same like to accuse us that we have more than 250 sunny days in Baku," said Aliyev.
Aliyev also called Western countries hypocrites for decrying oil production and calling for an end to fossil fuel use while still buying oil from countries like Azerbaijan. The European Commission signed an agreement with Azerbaijan in 2022 to receive oil from them when they stopped getting it from Russia. He said double standards are the "modus operandi" for climate talks.
Aliyev's pro-oil statements aren't expected to sidetrack the negotiations. David Waskow, director of international climate action at World Resources Institute, said statements from world leaders "in a sense float above the COP."
But Aliyev's comments added fuel to the criticism that oil-producing states shouldn't be hosting a global climate conference. The United Arab Emirates, another country with significant oil production, hosted last year's event.
Baku is also not an easy place to get to. Conference-goers had to travel by plane because all land routes are closed. A recent study identified that 291 private plane flights to COP28 in Dubai generated 3.8 kilotons of CO2.
How does a nation that touts the excellence of oil and gas end up as the host of an incredibly consequential climate conference?
The answer is entirely procedural. Each year, one of the five U.N. regional groups is selected on a rotational basis to host next year's conference. Group members choose which country will host based on logistics and ability. As a result, champions of climate progress and oil-rich countries are equally likely to host the global climate conference.
Unlike the Azerbaijani president's call to maintain the status quo, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the urgency and stakes of controlling global emissions.
"We are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and time is not on our side," the Secretary-General said, urging countries to commit legislatively and financially to the climate response.
He called 2024 "a masterclass in climate destruction," pointing out all of the climate records broken during the year, including the hottest day and months on record, adding that "this is almost certain to be the hottest year on record."
-ABC News' Charlotte Slovin and ABC News Climate Unit's Matthew Glasser