Russia wants to block EU countries from hosting next year’s COP29.
Brussels:
Russia intends to block EU countries from hosting next year’s UN international climate talks, according to internal emails seen by Reuters, with EU members Bulgaria’s bid to attract the giant summit with Azerbaijan and Armenia Potential blow to.
Moscow’s intervention shows how geopolitical disputes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year are complicating global efforts to tackle climate change. It also risks delaying the final selection on the host of COP29, which could reduce preparation time for the event.
Bulgaria and the non-EU country Armenia had put themselves forward to host the summit, a role that could bring international prestige and the opportunity to boost domestic efforts to combat climate change – as well as cost, Intense media scrutiny and heavy logistical demands.
Azerbaijan added its name to this week’s race.
“Azerbaijan is ready to be the host country for such an important event,” Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Umayra Taghiyeva told Reuters on Wednesday, in the country’s first public confirmation of its long-anticipated bid.
The hosting rights of the gatherings rotate among the five global regions of the United Nations, with Eastern Europe hosting in 2024. The 23 countries in that region must unanimously select their host candidate. If Russia vetoes all EU countries, Armenia or Azerbaijan could still be in the running.
EU member Czech Republic is no longer interested in hosting, a Czech official said on Wednesday, but will bid to host an initial “pre-COP” event if Bulgaria attends the main summit. Considering installing.
Russia’s delegation to the UN climate body (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC) sent an email to representatives of other Eastern European countries in April saying it would not support EU hosting.
In the email, which was not previously reported, Russia’s delegation said EU countries had taken a “political” approach to deciding the host country, resulting in Russian-backed candidates being blocked.
“It is reasonable to assume that EU countries, driven by the politics of Brussels, lack the capacity to serve as honest and effective brokers of the global climate negotiations under the UNFCCC,” it said.
Russia’s special presidential representative on climate, Ruslan Adelgeriev, declined to confirm whether Russia would oppose Bulgaria’s candidacy.
“Bulgaria is not the only candidate to host COP29 in 2024. This issue will be decided strictly in accordance with the procedures provided by the Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC,” Adelgeriev said in a written response to questions.
The 27-nation European Union, along with Western allies including Britain and the United States, have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow over the war.
The Eastern European Countries Group is discussing the issue at a UN meeting this week in Bonn, Germany. All countries would ratify the group’s decision at this year’s COP28 summit, usually starting in November.
If the group cannot agree, a fallback option could be to host the event at the UN climate change body’s permanent offices in Bonn – although this would require support from the German government.
three way race
During a UN climate conference last year, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev indicated the country would be willing to host the event, and Bulgaria went ahead with its bid in late May with the support of other EU countries. Had been.
This week, Bulgaria formed a new government, however, which has yet to confirm it still wants to host. Bulgaria’s environment ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Azerbaijan and Armenia – neighboring countries that have been in a decades-long dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh – have both confirmed they are also in the running.
“At the moment, we have not been blocked by any country in the Eastern European region,” Emin Garbaghali, head of the International Cooperation Division at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology, told Reuters.
The annual United Nations climate summit is attended by thousands of delegates from nearly 200 countries, as well as companies, investors and industry lobbyists.
The United Arab Emirates will host this year’s COP28 on behalf of the Asia Pacific grouping.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)