Portrait of Mukhtar Babayev: the new face of the COP29 presidency
The appointment of Mukhtar Babayev as president of COP29 in Baku has raised serious concerns among NGOs engaged in the fight against global warming. Indeed, this Azerbaijani politician, little known to the general public, spent sixteen years of his career within the national oil industry, which raises questions about a potential conflict of interest.
Aged 56, Mukhtar Babayev followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, Sultan al-Jaber, who chaired COP28 as head of the Emirati oil company Adnoc. While the COP presidents do not have a decision-making role, they play an essential role in guiding negotiations and finding compromises. It is therefore worrying to note that for the second time in a row, a man from the oil industry is appointed to this key position.
This appointment sparked mixed reactions among those involved in the energy transition. While some are calling on Mukhtar Babayev to make financing the energy transition in developing countries a priority of COP29, others are expressing concern about the president-designate’s ability to defend bold measures to combat climate change.
Little information is available about Mukhtar Babayev outside of his professional background. Before entering the oil industry, he studied in Moscow and worked in various Azerbaijani administrations. His political career began in 2010 when he was elected deputy under the colors of the New Azerbaijan Party, led by autocratic President Ilham Aliyev. In 2018, he became his country’s Minister of Ecology.
As Azerbaijan is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons, with gas as the main source of exports to Europe, holding COP29 in Baku is reminiscent of COP28 organized in the United Arab Emirates. Critics therefore raise the risk of a potential conflict of interest for Mukhtar Babayev, who spent a large part of his career in the Azerbaijani oil industry.
While the issue of energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions occupies a central place in international negotiations, it is essential that the presidency of COP29 be exercised by a committed person independent of oil interests. The appointment of Mukhtar Babayev thus raises questions about the conference’s capacity to make ambitious decisions to fight climate change.
It is now essential to closely follow Mukhtar Babayev’s action at the head of COP29 and to continue pushing for concrete and bold measures in favor of the energy transition. NGOs and civil society will play a crucial role in monitoring this presidency and promoting ambitious and equitable climate action.