Excitement in Baku

Aliyev: Gas reserves “are a gift from God”

Azerbaijan's head of state Ilham Aliyev has described oil and gas reserves as a "gift from God".(Bild: AP/Rafiq Maqbool)

The Azerbaijani head of state Ilham Aliyev has caused a stir with his speech at the UN Climate Change Conference. He said that the oil and gas reserves in his country were a "gift from God" that should not be held against anyone. "Because the market needs them, the people need them."

Oil and gas are just as much natural resources as gold, copper, wind or the sun. "Accusing us of having oil is like accusing us of Baku having more than 250 days of sunshine a year." The Azerbaijani head of state also used his speech at the UN Climate Change Conference to accuse Western environmental organizations of targeted smear campaigns against his country. Their political knowledge and culture are inadequate.

The 62-year-old has ruled the former Soviet republic with an iron hand for almost 20 years. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil and gas account for around 90 percent of the country's exports.

Azerbaijan's head of state Ilham Aliyev(Bild: AP/Rafiq Maqbool)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres(Bild: AFP/APA/Alexander Nemenov)

There had been criticism of Azerbaijan's lack of climate policy ambitions in the run-up to the event. Politicians have also accused the authoritarian leadership of failing to respect human rights.

Guterres: "The rich are causing the problem"
 UN Secretary-General António Guterres, among others, was probably less than enthusiastic about the speech. At the very least, he himself spoke of "avoidable injustice", saying that the rich were causing the problem and the poorest were paying the highest price. Guterres called on the heads of state and government to keep their promises and phase out climate-damaging fossil fuels.

They would also have to find the money to cushion the losses and damage caused. The financing of climate protection and adaptation in poorer countries is now being negotiated in Baku at the two-week UN World Climate Conference. "Climate funds are not a handout, they are an investment. Climate protection is not an option, it is an obligation. The clock is ticking," emphasized Guterres.