#27: COP29 - Climate Change Contradictions.
Pointing out the glaring hypocrisy in the UNs climate change "fight".
Intro
In a world where we are constantly bombarded by things that have the ability to frustrate us immensely, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, irks me more than the idiots running the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). You’ve probably heard of the COP(insert number here) conferences that attract tens of thousands of delegates to discuss new ideas and frameworks on how to combat the dangers of climate change. Over the last few years the conferences have attracted more and more attention. Unfortunately, for the wrong reasons.
I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while and whilst reading the news this morning, my body compelled me to finally get this out.
COP(E)
When it comes to climate change, the debate over whether it’s real or not or whether it is accelerated by human activity or not, is talked about it intensely in news outlets and social media. I’m not here to discuss that. Frankly, I am in no position to do so.
Instead, I’m writing about something equally important: the messaging from the global leaders and the blatant hypocrisy and downright shady activities. The annual conferences dubbed COP, are supposed to be rallying the world toward climate action but instead they are adding fuel to the fire of ‘climate deniers’.
Firstly, let’s take a look at the countries that have hosted the events over the past few years:
COP26 in Scotland - a country deeply invested in North Sea oil.
COP27 in Egypt - an oil-rich state expanding its exploration efforts.
COP28 in the UAE - one of the world's leading oil producers.
COP29 is set for Azerbaijan - another oil-rich nation with a poor human rights record.
And just to top it off, next year’s chosen host is:
COP30 Brazil - home to both extreme deforestation and a country with the largest oil reserves in South America.
What are they trying to tell us here?
These nations are not just actively involved in the very industries that contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, they are leaders on a global scale.
So what is the message? We're holding climate summits in places that profit from the destruction we’re supposed to be preventing.
For the outsider, this isn’t just confusing, it’s a direct contradiction to the stated goals of these conferences. When you gather the world to talk about reducing emissions, it makes little sense to give the spotlight to nations that are major players in the oil, gas, and even deforestation industries.
Once again, I’m not debating or getting riled up on the climate change debate. I’m angry at the hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy
Now that we’ve seen how the UNFFC are making terrible (they are compromised) choices to hold their conferences, let’s talk about what is happening there.
COP28 was held in Dubai last year and chaired by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Yes you read that right. The Climate Change conference was held in the oil rich United Arab Emirates and presided over by the head of the national company.
A staggering 85,000 people attended. Most of them flew in on carbon-spewing jets and were wined and dined at lavish buffets for three to four days straight. This is a pattern that repeats at every single COP. Imagine the logistics involved. Imagine the carbon footprint.
It is impossible to take climate change seriously when the very people advocating for cutting emissions are flying into these events, often by private jet, and living in luxury during these events. It’s hard not to wonder whether these summits are more about optics and a “jolly” than actual outcomes.
If anything, let’s call a spade a spade. It’s Greenwashing.
The Cartel
While we are told to cut back on fossil fuels, reduce consumption, and embrace “sustainable living”, whatever that is, the industries and nations fueling the problem continue to profit. Which begs the questions: is this hypocrisy by design, or incompetence?
I tend to lean toward the former. You see, these people are far from stupid. In fact, they are highly educated and very smart people. If I have to choose between incompetence or corruption, I will always pick the latter. You see, there is simply too much money at stake, and too many powerful players involved. These conferences present themselves as opportunities for meaningful global collaboration, but if you scratch the surface lightly, they appear to be opportunities for oil-rich nations to polish their image and expand their influence on the world stage. In return, the delegates get a fully-funded, lavish trip. And what do the organisers get? Well I won’t speculate. I’ll leave that up to you.
And here’s the reality. While the UNFFC offers grand promises of emission cuts and future net-zero goals, oil exploration and export are ramping up in these nations, not slowing down.
The Buffet of False Solutions
At the heart of the hypocrisy lies the "solutions”.
Prominent at COP28, for instance, was the push for carbon capture technology, a tool touted as a miracle solution for continued fossil fuel use. But these are band-aids, not a cure. It allows companies to keep burning fossil fuels while pretending to clean up after themselves. It’s all a sham, as the carbon credits have proven to be. These “solutions” are a perfect fit for oil nations: keep the oil flowing, slap on some green marketing, and carry on with business as usual.
And as policymakers and corporate executives enjoy their buffets and lavish hotel stays, they have the gall to peddle the idea that the public must cut back on everything from air travel to meat consumption. The hypocrisy is staggering and this is what irks me.
You see, again, I won’t go into whether the Climate Crisis is real or not. I simply do not know. But what I do know is that the people with all the experts at hand and all the information available to them are lying. They speak a lot but don’t do a lot. In fact, their actions counter their words. So here is my take on what is really happening. Either:
Climate Change Danger is real and irreversible.
Climate Change Danger is real but unlikely to effect the majority of people.
Climate Change Danger is not real.
Based on the actions of the people who are leading the “Climate Change Fight”, it is impossible to conceive anything other than those three options. Actions speak volumes louder than words, and these people are speaking a lot whilst doing the same thing they tell us not to do…rant over.
Azerbaijan
COP29 will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The hypocrisy deepens.
This isn’t just about oil. Azerbaijan has a notorious record of human rights abuses, corruption, and political repression - same as Egypt and UAE by the way. How can the international community preach about global equity, justice, and sustainability when hosting a conference in a country known for cracking down on civil liberties? Keep in mind that climate change is a far more left-leaning political message, than it is on the right. So why are the socialist, liberal, progressives going along with this?
There’s also the small issue of Azerbaijan acting as third pary of exporter of…Russian sanctioned oil.
So just to be clear:
A perfect choice to host the UN sponsored Climate Change Conference.
We’re meant to believe that these conferences are about building a better, fairer, and more sustainable world. Yet the very selection of Azerbaijan reveals just how corrupt the system is. It’s not about solutions or creating real change, it’s about who gets to profit and who gets to control the narrative.
The UN is failing.
The Next Scandal
Fast forward to 2025 and COP30 in Brazil, a country where the deforestation of the Amazon continues to this day. Brazil is home to one of the world’s most critical carbon sinks - some would say the best type of carbon capture technology, yet it’s also a nation heavily involved in both oil exploration and environmental degradation. Holding COP30 in Brazil one again feels like a huge slap in the face to the very idea of climate action.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the actions of the UNFCCC and their posse of delegates attending these conferences speak louder than their polished, scripted words. Every year, we hear the same calls for urgent action, the same promises of emission cuts and net-zero goals. Yet every year, the biggest players in the fossil fuel game rake in profits and expand their operations.
If these COP conferences were truly serious about solving the problem, we wouldn’t be holding them in nations that are actively fueling the crisis. We wouldn’t see the same leaders jetting around the world and living in luxury while telling the rest of us to cut back. And we wouldn’t be sold false solutions like carbon capture, which do nothing but maintain the status quo.
What is evident is that the climate summits are not about real change. They’re about protecting interests, controlling the narrative, and most importantly, maintaining the flow of money. They are glorified PR stunts for nations and industries that profit from environmental destruction.
If climate change is real and reversible, the UN are doing an awful job at getting people on board to support the cause. And none of that will change whilst institutions benefit from crises.
Get your jet ready lads, we’re flying thousands of miles to Baku to save the planet!