French politician calls for boycott of COP29 in Baku
By Tural Heybatov
The President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand, has called for a boycott of the COP29 climate summit, scheduled to be held in Azerbaijan this November.
It is likely that these calls will remain confined to the radio station, just like the pro-Armenian lobby's calls for sanctions against Baku in connection with protests in France's overseas territory. France will not boycott COP29. This is not some World Cup or even Olympics; it is an event that embodies the dominant trends in modern geoeconomics and geopolitics. The fight against traditional energy is not so much a fight for ecology as it is hasty measures to slow down the rapidly developing Global South, which thrives on oil and gas. France will not forgo participation in the new division of resources and priorities. The climate issue (whatever that may imply) is now entering a very important stage, where practical steps need to be taken, and funding issues need to be resolved. This involves billions of dollars and gigantic projects, and only the most shortsighted politician would foolishly refuse to get a piece of the pie. Emmanuel Macron, despite all his eccentricities, will not do that.
Doubts about the success of the boycott idea at the official level are prompted, for example, by the 24 May visit of representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan — ambassadors, military attachés, and employees of international organizations — to Lachin as part of the Lachin dialogue on climate action. It is very symbolic that among the visitors was the French ambassador to Azerbaijan, Anne Bouillon. Given that not long ago, the diplomat was recalled to Paris for consultations, and then returned to Baku without uttering a word, there are serious doubts about whether Xavier Bertrand's initiative will receive support at the top.
As for Bertrand and his ability to influence processes, let us recall that in 2021 he ran for president and failed. Following the 2022 primaries, he was excluded from the presidential race. Now he is once again aiming to try his luck and win the 2027 elections. He has already announced his ambitions and his intention to oust the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen as the representative of "angry Frenchmen." How things will go in 2027 is still unknown, but for now, Bertrand is trying to score points with the proposal to boycott COP29. In his interview with Radio J, he stated, "What is happening in New Caledonia with Azerbaijan's involvement should make us say that France will not participate in the climate conference in Baku." This echoes recent statements by Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories Gérald Darmanin.
Nevertheless, there are doubts that Bertrand's call will be picked up and elevated to the level of an official order. This climate conference is very important, and Paris will not want to be left out. As recently noted by the British newspaper The Guardian, if Azerbaijan succeeds at COP29, which will address key climate financing issues and bring trillions of dollars to the developing world for the necessary green transition, it will be a significant achievement. COP29 will focus on what action supporters lack — finances. According to a report prepared by economists Nicholas Stern and Vera Songwe, developing countries, excluding China, will need to allocate about $2.4 trillion annually by 2030 to implement the necessary changes. The main task of COP29 is to establish a "new collective goal" for such financing.
The UN Climate Conference in Baku is expected to be decisive in terms of developing solutions to key issues. Major powers, international financial institutions, and organizations have already expressed their support for Azerbaijan. France will not allow itself to stand aside.
Moreover, methods of blackmail and speculation never yield positive results. And France knows this better than others.
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