What other items still need to be funded?
The second essential point is adaptation to climate change. And here again, the means are not up to par. We had promised 100 billion per year (in 2009, to developing countries, Editor's note) but we are not there yet. Finally, the third major point is the question of financing the energy transition of the countries of the South, for which the amounts planned are completely paltry. Currently, most of the funds are invested in industrialized countries and China. However, if we do not finance the transition in the countries of the South, there is a real risk that these countries will resort to their fossil fuels to meet their growing needs for electricity and development. The good news is that investments in the transition are mainly private investments. The bad news is that the political and economic contexts in Southern countries are often considered too unstable for investors. One of the fundamental challenges is therefore to make these investments less risky. This is fundamental because if the energy transition does not take place in the countries of the South, we risk reducing to nothing the real efforts to reduce emissions that are being undertaken in industrialized countries.
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Does the fact that the COP is taking place in Azerbaijan, a country which is not really known for its respect for human rights, risk constituting an obstacle to achieving progress?
In my opinion, the main obstacle is the fact that Azerbaijan had little preparation time. The country was designated very late and preparation is a key element in the success of a COP. In addition, no one knows Azerbaijani diplomats unlike diplomats from the United Arab Emirates. The fact that Azerbaijan is an authoritarian regime with little respect for human rights will not really affect the conduct of the negotiation itself.
What about civil society, which will be fewer this year?
It is a very expensive Cop for the participants. Hotels are rare and very expensive, flights are very complicated. This means that the size of delegations will be considerably reduced and that the representation of Southern countries will be less significant. However, civil society can influence the negotiations. You know, they say not to overestimate the political weight of the host country. It's like the referee of a football match: he can have an influence on the course of the game but he is not the one who scores the goals.
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Do the ties that unite COP 29 President Mukhtar Babayev and the oil industry not risk harming possible progress?
In many countries, the Minister of the Environment is also the Minister of Natural Resources; and therefore the Minister of the Environment often has links with the oil industry in oil-producing countries. It's almost inevitable in these countries. It is not because you are Minister of Oil that you are necessarily a lobbyist for the oil sector. When we look at Sultan al Jaber (the president of COP 28 which took place in Dubai, Editor's note), who had links with the oil sector, we see that these links were not really a hindrance in the negotiations. It's possible they will be this year, but it's hard to say at this point.
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