Why Is Azerbaijan Hosting the World’s Most Important Climate Change Conference?

Oil rigs just off the coast of Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, are a constant reminder of what drives this Caspian Sea nation’s economy. Later this year, though, the country’s reliance on fossil-fuel exports will come up against global-warming concerns as Baku plays host to the 29th iteration of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29. The announcement that Azerbaijan will host COP29 has roiled many climate and human rights activists, who question the nation’s commitments to climate-friendly policies at a time when…