Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday to protest against Azerbaijan hosting the United Nations climate talks, COP29, which began in Baku. Thunberg and fellow activists criticized Azerbaijan for its authoritarian policies, contending that it was not a suitable host. She denounced the country as "a repressive, occupying state" exploiting the summit to "greenwash their crimes and human rights abuses."
Azerbaijan, known for its significant oil production, has been accused of using clean energy projects to further its oil and gas exports. President Ilham Aliyev, in power since 2003, is frequently criticized for suppressing dissent. Recently, Azerbaijan regained the Karabakh region from Armenian control, prompting most Armenian residents to flee, although the government promised protection of human rights for those remaining.
Thunberg, a prominent figure in the global youth climate movement, argued that holding the conference in Azerbaijan was "beyond absurd" given its authoritarian backdrop. As the world faces unprecedented warming, with predictions of 1.5 degrees of rise this year, Thunberg emphasized the urgent need for genuine climate action. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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