No women in 28-member team: COP29 organising committee faces backlash for gender imbalance

The organising committee for the COP29 global climate change summit, scheduled for December in Azerbaijan, has drawn criticism for its composition, consisting of 28 men and no women.

Azerbaijan's President, Ilham Aliyev, announced this decision, which has been described as "regressive" by the She Changes Climate campaign group.

The lack of gender diversity is deemed concerning, especially given the global impact of climate change. In contrast, the COP28 climate summit held in the United Arab Emirates last month had 63 per centfemale representation on its organising committee.

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The COP29 committee is predominantly composed of government ministers or officials, with key roles assigned to figures such as the head of the state security service and the head of Azerbaijan's state gas distribution network. She Changes Climate expressed concern over the absence of women in decision-making positions related to a critical global issue like climate change.

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Calls for equal representation and environmental integrity

She Changes Climate called for equal representation in the governance of COP29, emphasising the need for gender parity in addressing climate challenges that affect the entire world. The organisation highlighted that climate change is a global issue and should not be addressed by only half of the world's population.

Moreover, concerns were raised about potential conflicts of interest, given the heavy reliance on fossil fuel production by Azerbaijan, the host of COP29.

For the second consecutive year, the UN's primary climate talks will be hosted by a petro-state heavily dependent on fossil fuel production. The president-designate of COP29, tasked with coordinating global climate action, is Mukhtar Babayev, the minister of ecology and natural resources. Babayev's previous extensive tenure with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar) has raised concerns, especially as Azerbaijan plans to significantly increase fossil fuel production in the coming decade.

She Changes Climate reiterated the need for a clear separation between the fossil fuel industry and the COP presidency to ensure environmental integrity. The call stems from concerns that individuals with ties to the fossil fuel industry may compromise the objective of transitioning away from fossil fuels, a pivotal step to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.

Tensions from COP28 still linger, as the president of COP28, Sultan Al Jaber, faced accusations of conflicts of interest due to his role as the chief executive of the UAE's state oil company, Adnoc. Al Jaber's remarks during an exchange with Mary Robinson at a She Changes Climate event fuelled controversy, emphasising the challenges of balancing sustainable development with fossil fuel phaseouts. Despite the agreement at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels, concerns persist over the commitment to such objectives, especially when key figures maintain ties to the fossil fuel industry.

(With inputs from agencies)