As COP29 in Azerbaijan draws to an all-too-familiar underwhelming close, Ukrainian climate and clean energy campaign group Razom We Stand has criticised the summit’s anticipated weak final statement. As reflected in draft documents, the statement will likely fail to address the urgent need for robust fossil fuel reductions or implement sanctions on Russian fossil fuel exports. These shortcomings undermine global efforts to combat climate change and ensure international security as Russia continues to weaponise energy revenues to fund its war in Ukraine.
Since February 2022, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused over 1 million casualties and $500 billion in damages. At the same time, Russia has earned over $800 billion from fossil fuel exports, using this income to fund its missiles dropped on Ukrainian cities and deepen its grip on global energy markets. Despite this, COP29 negotiations have done little to dismantle the world’s addiction to fossil fuels, allowing countries like Russia to maintain their destructive influence.
Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, stated: “The needs of today demand an uncompromising, rapid replacement of costly fossil fuel imports with domestic clean energy and immediate sanctions on Russian oil and gas. Yet another COP disappoints, leaving humanity and the planet to suffer the consequences of inaction.
Russia’s fossil fuel revenues fund bombs, bullets, and unimaginable suffering in Ukraine, with over a million casualties and relentless attacks on civilian infrastructure. This is not just a Ukrainian crisis—it’s a global one. Every barrel of oil or cubic meter of gas bought from Russia fuels horrific atrocities, perpetuates authoritarian power, and undermines global climate efforts. By failing to address these realities, COP29 has ignored the voices of those most affected and missed a critical opportunity to forge a better, more prosperous path forward.”
Razom We Stand urges world leaders to take decisive action beyond empty rhetoric and implement robust sanctions on Russian fossil fuels. These revenues directly finance missiles used in the relentless bombings of Ukraine. Strong sanctions can disrupt this funding and diminish Russia’s war capabilities.
COP 29 should have focused on accelerating the renewable energy transition, such as investing in decentralised, cheaper renewable energy systems that strengthen energy security and create significant economic opportunities. A renewable energy recovery in Ukraine could create up to 4.2 million green jobs while protecting the nation’s independence.
Renewable energy infrastructure offers economic and security advantages, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and shielding communities from further climate disasters and wars. Decentralised systems are also considerably harder to disable than traditional energy grids, which can benefit countries like Ukraine in defending against air attacks on energy infrastructure.
The choice of Azerbaijan—a nation widely criticised for its entrenched fossil fuel interests and murky energy deals with Russia—as the host country for COP29 was a telling indicator of the summit’s priorities and set the tone for its likely shortcomings. The fact that up to 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists travelled to Baku meant the summit was always destined to come up short of any meaningful conclusion.
As COP29 concludes in a host country deeply tied to fossil fuel interests, Razom We Stand calls for genuine climate leadership going forward. The path to peace and climate justice must prioritise cutting fossil fuel dependencies and standing firmly against authoritarian regimes that exploit energy revenues to sow destruction. We cannot afford future COPs to be another fairground for fossil fuel lobbyists; we need real climate action now.
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Notes:
Razom We Stand is an international campaign group based in Ukraine. We are dedicated to ending Russian fossil fuel funded conflicts and climate chaos while driving a clean energy revolution in Ukraine and around the globe.
