Chatham House Environment and Society

Catch up on #COP29Baku below!

What is all this #COP29 climate conference malarkey anyway? This Chatham House video explainer covers what the COP is 🤷♀️ , who goes 🤝 , what they hope to achieve 💡 , and prospects for this year's summit 💯 . Sort your NDCs from your NCQG from your UNFCCC here: https://lnkd.in/eSCGcGEg

2/6 on #Azerbaijan as #COP29 host. Oil and gas have "served as a kind of ‘Swiss army knife’ for the government in tackling domestic and foreign policy challenges" write Lubica Pollakova and Ruth Townend in our latest report. But what's the role of #oil in the country's identity? "The importance of oil and gas in Azerbaijan and their presence in spiritual and economic life in the region go back millennia. Historical texts mention ground flares created by gas emissions, while close-to-the-surface oil was being used for energy as early as in the 4th century BC. The world’s first industrial oil well was drilled in Baku in 1847, and by the beginning of the 20th century Azerbaijan was producing half of the world’s oil. In the 1870s and 1880s, the Nobel and the Rothschild families got into the oil business in Baku under the Russian Empire, exporting oil into a growing European market before selling their operations to Anglo-Dutch Shell and US Standard Oil (a forerunner of ExxonMobil) in the political unrest prior to and during the First World War and the Russian Revolution." To find out how oil and gas feature in Azerbaijan's #internationalrelations today, see our chapter on transition and climate risks

Great to see Greta Thunberg referencing our paper on Azerbaijan's climate leadership challenge in this article for The Guardian 👉 https://lnkd.in/gK-xTamj 📄 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gBYnDFVd

📺 Watch our very own Ruth Townend on CNN discussing #COP29

📣 COP29 begins today in Baku, Azerbaijan With the future of climate action hanging on a new global climate finance goal, our report highlights the crucial steps Azerbaijan and the international community must take to achieve meaningful outcomes over the course of the summit. 👉 Read now to get ahead of the conversation: https://lnkd.in/eYujgUCK

🗓 With COP29 set to begin tomorrow, the central question is: Can an oil-dependent state with limited experience in environmental leadership pave the way for a pivotal climate finance agreement? 📝 Our report explores Azerbaijan’s unprecedented role as the host of COP29, the complex challenges it must navigate, and what true leadership might look like. ⌛ Stay ahead of tomorrow’s discussions with our comprehensive analysis: https://lnkd.in/eYujgUCK #COP29 #Azerbaijan

📰 Each month in the Sustainability Accelerator, we are interviewing leaders in their respective fields of the climate and nature transition. 🔬 Through this, we want to highlight innovative and exciting ways of approaching the transition and to spotlight the people who are at the forefront of these changes. 🔧 This month, we sat down with Bill Sharpe. Bill is a pioneer of new approaches linking futures techniques and systems thinking. 📈 His Three Horizons approach to futures has become an internationally recognized framework to explore systems change. Read about his work here: https://lnkd.in/ermgjc49

What makes a good COP President? Should there be requirements for taking on the role? As we approach COP29, the spotlight is on Azerbaijan and its potential to emerge as a credible climate leader. But what does it truly take to lead such a crucial global conversation? 🤔 Key qualities of an effective COP President: 👓 Transparency: A genuine commitment to openness and accountability. 🤝 Civil Society Engagement: The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives from civil society. 🌐 Collaboration: The ability to work across political divides and unite stakeholders. 🎯 Vision: A forward-thinking approach with clear, ambitious goals. These qualities are just a glimpse into our comprehensive analysis. As we gear up for COP29, it’s worth asking: should there be specific requirements for the COP President? Don't miss out! Explore these insights further in our paper: https://lnkd.in/eQTuaneW #COP29 #Azerbaijan

🌍 In light of the recent discussions following COP16, it's essential to rethink our approach to climate and nature policy. Our paper, "Aligning Food Systems with Climate and Biodiversity Targets," explores the critical nexus of food systems, climate change, and biodiversity loss. 📈 With global food systems contributing to one-third of greenhouse gas emissions and being a leading cause of biodiversity decline, a transformation in our agricultural practices is paramount. We argue that G7 nations must leverage their resources and influence to lead the way in aligning domestic policies with international climate and biodiversity goals. 🔍 Dive into our findings and actionable recommendations for a sustainable future where food systems play a pivotal role in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. 👇 Click to read the full paper #COP16 #Biodiversity #FoodSystems #G7