WHITE LIGHTNING AI RESEARCH//IMMEDREL//11/14/24/1400PST//
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cop29 France boycott
France has decided to boycott the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, following controversial remarks made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. This marks the first time France has not sent high-level representatives to a COP since the Paris Agreement in 2015
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.Reasons for the Boycott
The boycott was triggered by President Aliyev's speech at the COP29 opening ceremony, where he:- Accused France of "brutally" suppressing climate concerns in its overseas territories15.
- Criticized France's alleged double standards and hypocrisy on international issues4.
- Linked French and Dutch "colonial" practices to climate harm, specifically mentioning environmental degradation in French Polynesia from nuclear tests and blaming Macron's government for violence in New Caledonia3.
French Response
French Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemned Aliyev's remarks as "unacceptable" and "unjustifiable"5
. She announced that neither she nor President Emmanuel Macron would attend the summit, stating, "Azerbaijan is instrumentalizing the fight against climate change for its undignified personal agenda"5
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.Implications and Reactions
- The boycott adds to existing tensions between France and Azerbaijan, particularly over French support for Armenia, Azerbaijan's regional rival3.
- There are concerns about the impact on COP29's effectiveness, as France has been a key climate leader since the 2015 Paris Agreement3.
- The EU Climate Chief, Wopke Hoekstra, has defended France and called for a collaborative atmosphere at COP29 despite bilateral disputes3.
- Azerbaijan claims the summit is still a success, with President Aliyev reporting 72,000 participants from 196 countries registered, despite France's attempted boycott4.
France has decided to boycott the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, due to controversial remarks made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The main reasons for France's boycott are:
- Accusations against France: During his opening speech at COP29, President Aliyev accused France of "brutally" suppressing climate concerns in its overseas territories17. He specifically criticized France's handling of environmental issues in its overseas possessions.
- Colonial practices criticism: Aliyev linked French and Dutch "colonial" practices to climate harm, highlighting environmental degradation in French Polynesia from nuclear tests and blaming Macron's government for violence in New Caledonia earlier in the year15.
- Double standards allegations: The Azerbaijani president accused France of hypocrisy on international issues, which was seen as an attempt to instrumentalize the climate change fight for political purposes26.
- Diplomatic tensions: The boycott adds to existing tensions between France and Azerbaijan, particularly over French support for Armenia, Azerbaijan's regional rival15.
In response to these remarks, French Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemned Aliyev's comments as "unacceptable" and "unjustifiable"
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. She announced that neither she nor President Emmanuel Macron would attend the summit, stating, "Azerbaijan is instrumentalizing the fight against climate change for its undignified personal agenda"1
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.This boycott marks the first time since the 2015 Paris Agreement that France will not send high-level representatives to a COP summit1
. The decision reflects the French government's strong disapproval of Aliyev's rhetoric and its unwillingness to participate in a conference where the host country has made such provocative statements against France.End Perplexity-AI
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WHITE LIGHTNING AI RESEARCH//IMMEDREL//11/14/24/1400PST//