The foreign press is critical of the holding in Baku of the next annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). The reason for this is the skepticism of some forces towards any contribution to the new energy transition, based on the fact that Azerbaijan is an oil country. The interesting thing is that these forces are the countries that maintain the leadership in oil and gas production and are gradually developing this activity. It is no secret that although these countries have sufficient financial and resource base to realize the global green agenda and focus on alternative energy sources, they have abandoned their COP28 commitments.
For example, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that occurred on the Gulf of Mexico coast on April 20, 2010 is considered an industrial disaster. As a result of the accident, thousands of living beings (birds, mammals, sea turtles) were lost, the spilled oil caused extensive damage to the ocean, including vegetation. After the incident, during the COP17 conference held in South Africa, the damage caused to the environment, the ocean and flora and fauna in oil and gas production was discussed. You can see the extent to which other countries have taken this as an example and thought of a solution in the table below:
Under the Paris Agreement, the world’s richest and most economically advanced countries must ensure the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. However, despite the fact that these countries have little economic dependence on fossil fuels, in addition to having ample opportunities (finance, qualified human resources and technology) to carry out the green transition, they currently lead the drilling processes in the world. As can be seen from the diagram, the countries belonging to this group issued 825 new licenses for drilling processes in 2023, which is a fairly large number.
The United States, Britain, Canada, Norway and Australia, which belong to the group of rich developed countries, have continued to lean towards fossil fuels despite their international obligations as leaders on climate change. It is very worrying that after the COP28 agreement, licenses to carry out exploration work on new oil and gas fields will not only be limited, but will increase even more.
According to research by the organizations “Rystad Energy” and the “International Institute for Sustainable Development”, greenhouse gas emissions released into the environment by developed countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway and Australia, and less dependent on fossil fuels. , have increased in the last ten years) is five times greater than the total volume of other oil and gas producing countries during the same period (2014-2023).
The situation is no different in Norway, which is currently the main supplier of fossil fuels to European countries. In recent years, this country has become Europe’s leading energy supplier, both in the form of gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG). More than 40% of Germany’s natural gas demand is currently supplied by Norway through three undersea gas pipelines. Although Norway signed the Paris Climate Agreement and pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, it is increasingly exporting gas. Norway is developing a gas monopoly, while countries that have declared an “energy transition” need significant financial support. It should be noted that in 2023, the German state energy company “Sefe” and the Norwegian company “Equinor” signed a long-term contract for the supply of gas. This is one of the largest gas contracts Equinor has ever signed.
Norway’s gas pipelines to Europe
As a result, rich Western countries that are less dependent on traditional energy and have financing, skilled human resources and technology for a green transition are more active in the oil and gas sector compared to countries with a medium economic level and low that depend on fossil fuels.
Unlike former US President Donald Trump, the Biden administration, which has declared from the beginning that it will pay close attention to the green agenda and climate change issues, has now signed a “new record”. In this way, the United States has strengthened its position as the largest oil and gas producer in the world. US President Joe Biden’s top climate advisor John Podesta, in a statement on the issue some time ago, linked the situation in the United States to the ongoing war in Ukraine. He said that the steady increase in American production in the field of conventional energy is a good result, as the United States took this step after the invasion of Ukraine forced Europe to rely on other sources besides Russian energy products.
During the Biden administration, the US government issued 1,453 new oil and gas licenses for operational and exploration purposes in oil and gas fields, representing half of the total licenses issued globally, as well as 83% of all licenses issued by the aforementioned rich countries. . This result is 20% higher than that of Donald Trump, who has made it clear that he will support fossil fuel projects if he returns to the White House.
Statistical results show that the United States uses the Russian-Ukrainian war as an excuse.
Thus, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway and Australia, which belong to the group of rich developed countries, continue to lean towards fossil fuels, despite the international obligations assumed by them as leading states on climate change.
These countries must first end their hypocrisy and stop investing in and licensing fossil fuels immediately. Later, even though Azerbaijan is an oil country, they will be able to make it an object of discussion to what extent it will contribute to climate change. Otherwise, the negative waves spreading in the information space related to COP29 will prevail until Azerbaijan fulfills its obligations within the framework of the conference and becomes an example for other countries that do not adhere to the climate agreement.
Information Agency “Informe”
