A lot of the opposition events on Parliament Hill are ditching the high-profile annual United Nations convention on local weather change this 12 months, citing human rights issues within the host nation Azerbaijan little greater than a 12 months after the mass exodus of almost 120,000 ethnic Armenians from their properties within the once-disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.Â
“It is the primary time that no Inexperienced MPs will likely be attending deliberately, as the results of the selection of the host nation,” stated Kitchener-Centre Inexperienced Celebration MP Mike Morrice.
Morrice stated Azerbaijan’s credibility as host of COP29 is questionable, on condition that it is a significant oil producer. However he stated “it is the truth of the ethnic cleaning of Armenians that makes this alternative all of the extra appalling.”
He referred to as on the federal authorities to restrict its participation to a small variety of representatives, with no elected officers apart from Atmosphere Minister Steven Guilbeault.
A Canadian-Armenian political advocacy group, the Armenian Nationwide Committee of Canada, says solely Canadian public servants ought to attend and elected officers ought to keep away.
“International locations with the report that Azerbaijan has, by itself standing, shouldn’t be the host,” Morrice stated.
In statements despatched to CBC Information, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois additionally stated they aren’t sending any representatives to the convention.
“There are important human rights issues in Azerbaijan the place COP29 is being hosted. The NDP will not be attending,” the NDP stated.
The Bloc Québécois stated its setting and local weather change critics should not out there to journey.
The Bloc’s climate-change critic, MP Kristina Michaud, advised CBC Information she’s not attending as a result of she does not need to journey lengthy distances whereas pregnant, and additionally due to the Armenian exodus.
“I contemplate myself an ally of Armenia,” she stated, “and subsequently I’ve a deep discomfort going to Azerbaijan.”Â
She stated it is awkward for the UN to carry climate-change conferences in fossil fuel-producing nations two years in a row, after the United Arab Emirates hosted in 2023.
“The unease was current in Dubai final 12 months, and I dare consider it will likely be the identical in Baku this 12 months,” she stated. “Regardless of this, I proceed to consider our presence at this worldwide discussion board is important, however it will likely be with out me this 12 months.”
Cupboard attendance unclear
In a press release issued final week, Guilbeault’s workplace advised CBC Information no choice has been made but “however it’s most definitely the minister will be capable to attend.”
Guilbeault has criticized Azerbaijan’s fossil gasoline report up to now.
“We count on from nations that host worldwide conferences like local weather change conferences or biodiversity conferences like we did to be sure that they do not put their very own pursuits forward of worldwide pursuits,” he advised journalists earlier than a cupboard assembly in June.
“We’re not going to Azerbaijan to advertise Azerbaijan’s personal curiosity. We’re going there to work collectively, to be sure that we come to a mutual resolution to struggle local weather change and to cut back our dependencies on fossil fuels.”
Final 12 months, the Canadian Area Company prevented sending representatives to a global convention hosted by Azerbaijan, citing human rights issues.
In September, International Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly issued a press release to mark final 12 months’s occasions in Nagorno-Karabakh, stating that “greater than 100,000 civilians, together with 30,000 youngsters, have been forcibly displaced to Armenia” because of Azerbaijan’s army operation, which she referred to as “unjustified.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two main wars within the final three and a half many years over the enclave, which had a majority Armenian inhabitants however is a part of Azerbaijan below worldwide regulation. A self-declared Armenian republic on the territory, unrecognized by the UN, dissolved final 12 months after the exodus.
The 2 nations have been locked in a gradual peace course of since. Baku has stated Armenians who escaped final 12 months are welcome to return to Azerbaijan below its rule, although there even have been a number of studies of Azerbaijani forces razing Armenian properties and cultural websites. Nobody has reportedly taken up the Azerbaijani authorities’s provide of return.
“Canada should make it clear that it stands towards the exploitation of world platforms comparable to COP29 by autocratic regimes searching for to cleanse their picture,” Sevag Belian of the Armenian Nationwide Committee of Canada advised a information convention Tuesday.
The Armenian authorities itself supported Azerbaijan internet hosting COP29.
Armenia will host COP17, the UN’s biodiversity convention, subsequent 12 months.
