COP29: Bold Advocacy for Human Rights Amid Biden"s Legacy Challenges
- Azerbaijan will host COP29 despite its history of environmental repression and ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.
- The Biden administration faces a dilemma in balancing climate change goals with the need to address human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.
- This conference may represent a critical opportunity for the U.S. to advocate for human rights while engaging in climate diplomacy.
Azerbaijan is set to host COP29, the 29th Climate Change Conference, despite its history of environmental repression and a petroleum-based economy. The country has faced international scrutiny following its ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, where it has taken Armenian hostages in exchange for dropping Armenia's bid to host the conference. This situation raises questions about how the U.S. should engage with Azerbaijan, which seeks to improve its global image while diverting attention from its internal issues. The Biden administration is under pressure to balance its climate change agenda with human rights advocacy, as it may be one of the last opportunities to address the consequences of Azerbaijan's actions during Biden's presidency. The administration could leverage its presence at COP29 to highlight Azerbaijan's poor human rights record, potentially setting a precedent for future diplomatic engagements. However, the challenge remains to avoid legitimizing the Azerbaijani regime while pursuing environmental goals. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing imprisonment of political figures who represented the Armenian population, indicating a lack of progress towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. As the conference approaches, the Biden administration must navigate these complex dynamics to ensure that its participation does not come at the cost of endorsing human rights violations.