PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW RESPECT YOUR ELDERS: Mary Robinson, the chair of the Elders group and a former U.N. special envoy for climate change who famously got on the wrong side of last year’s COP host Sultan Al Jaber after confronting him with the facts around climate change, is in Baku this week. And her views on petro-states’ role in the U.N. climate process haven’t changed. “It’s regrettable,” she said, about the decision to host the COP climate talks in oil-rich Azerbaijan. “It does make a difference when you have powerful members of a lobby in every room that negotiations are happening in. Of course it makes a difference. It slows things down. It weakens language, and we’re seeing that.” Gender worries: In particular, Robinson said she’s concerned about the rearguard action against language on gender that is taking place this week, as reported by POLITICO. “When I worked in the U.N. I didn’t name names, but I’m an Elder now, and I name names,” she said, calling out Russia, the Vatican and Saudi Arabia for working to backtrack on existing language (as identified in POLITICO’s reporting). Climate injustice: It’s not just a feel-good issue, she said. “It’s also about the economic benefits of a gender-responsive climate financing. The benefits are very clear. It’s the women who are mitigating, who are adapting, who are doing.” Fossil fuel worry: Amid signs that a group of oil-guzzling states (here’s looking at you, Saudi Arabia) want to revisit ground-breaking language agreed at last year’s COP to transition away from fossil fuels, Robinson said backtracking must not happen. “The most important test of this COP will be if it retains the language of transitioning out of fossil fuel. It wasn’t in the G20 communiqué. It must be in the COP agreement or COP won’t be doing its job.” Leadership lacking: Robinson called on the COP presidency to step up as the talks enter their final days. “The ingredients are there, it’s the leadership here that I’m slightly worried about,” she said. “It’s hard when the presidency doesn’t seem to be intentionally leading,” she said, before adding that she’s reassured by the involvement of the U.K. and Brazil in the process. “We’re at COP29, the first time fossil fuel was mentioned was at COP28. We’re moving very slowly.” Consensus ain’t king: Robinson said she believes one of COP’s biggest problems was the decision to embrace consensus as the basis for decision-making. “It was a very big mistake in the COP system to move to complete consensus. That wasn’t in the rules, it’s not in the procedure. It wasn’t binding,” she said. “If you want to move things forward, at a certain point if one country can block, you have the lowest common denominator.” DISPATCH FROM THE BLUE ZONE THE SHOW MUST GO ON: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was forced to cancel her engagements here on Wednesday due to illness, with climate envoy Jen Morgan stepping in to deliver Germany’s national statement. But POLITICO is told Baerbock will be back in fighting form today, and is due to give a press conference this afternoon. PARIS-BAKU ROW DEEPENS: The standoff between France and Azerbaijan which led to French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher canceling her trip to Baku shows no sign of abating. France has summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador over President Ilham Aliyev’s incendiary comments last week about French colonial “crimes” in overseas territories. CHANGE OF TUNE: Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein said in an interview Tuesday that his country would not be leaving the Paris Climate Agreement, and was just evaluating its membership. It comes after Argentina pulled its negotiators from Baku, and amid a distinct absence of pale blue and white flags around the building. RIBERA GETS GREEN LIGHT: Spanish Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera, whose nomination for a senior job at the European Commission has been embroiled in increasingly bitter recriminations about the recent catastrophic floods in Valencia, finally got the green light from the European Parliament Wednesday after a tetchy hearing in the Spanish parliament. NOT JUST CHINA: It wasn’t a secret that the European Union wants China and oil-rich Gulf states to start contributing to a new climate finance target. But on Wednesday, one of the bloc’s lead negotiators mentioned other countries for the first time. Those who can, should: In an interview with my colleague Zia Weise, Hungary’s Attila Steiner, who co-leads the EU team alongside European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, name-checked South Korea and Singapore alongside China and Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Brazil should also be on the hook, he said: “I think Brazil is quite ambitious in terms of fighting climate change … I could imagine that they can also be there.” SEEN AND HEARD CENTRAL ASIA VIBES: Never been inside a yurt? Now’s your chance. The Kyrgyzstan Pavilion in the Blue Zone features a recreation of the traditional shelter, offering a perfect place to escape the throngs. Bilateral meetings have been taking place inside; you could get some honey and dried fruit if you play your cards right. CULTURAL NORMS: If you missed the Azerbaijan carpet museum, don’t fret. The corridors winding through Baku Stadium are adorned with exhibits charting the history of Azeri culture, from hand-woven carpets to traditional clothing and drinking vessels. TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING: Australia is famous for its top-notch coffee offering, but it has become a victim of its own success. Serving times at the Aussie pavilion have been curtailed to give the three overworked baristas a break. Coffee won’t be served between 11 a.m. and noon or between 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Spotted: The baristas carting in fresh supplies of milk in suitcases one day during the week. GEORGIAN FARE: Azerbaijan’s neighboring country, Georgia, is famed for having some of the best cuisine — and wine — in the region. Baku has its fair share of Georgian eateries, with at least one government minister spotted in Megobari in the center of town during the week. Make sure you make a reservation though — word is out. NIP/TUCK: It may not be the first thing that jumps to mind, but if you want to get some tailoring done or a new suit, you’re in the right place. The English Tailor, hidden away on a side street near the main 28 May train station, is a favorite with the expat crowd here in the Caucuses, offering custom-made suits and quick-fix alterations. AGENDA All times are local. Full agenda here. — Periodic Review of the Long-Term Global Goal Under the Convention and of Overall Progress Towards Achieving It; Meeting Room 26; 10 a.m. — Matters Relating to the Global Stocktake: Procedural and Logistical Elements of the Overall Global Stocktake Process; Meeting Room 26; 11 a.m. — Gender Day High-Level Event on Gender in Transparency; Caspian Room; 10 a.m. — Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice; Press Conference Room Natavan; 10:30 a.m. — Champions of Equality: Building a Gender-Transformative Climate Future in the Pacific. Speakers include Australian Ambassador for Climate Change Kristin Tilley and Niuean political climate leader Mona Ainuu; Australian Pavilion, 10:30 a.m. — Climate Education for Building Nature-Positive Urban Communities; Japanese Pavilion; 11:45 a.m. — Combatting unprecedented forest fires in Latin America: Challenges and Solutions; World Bank Pavilion; 1 p.m. — ITUC, ITF, FTQ: Labour rights as a fundament of Just Transition to be included in NCQG and NDCs; Side Event Room 1; 3 p.m. — Press conference by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock; Press Conference Room Karabakh; 3 p.m. — People’s Plenary; Caspian Room; 3:30 p.m. — Center for Biological Diversity: In Solidarity for a Decolonized World; Press Conference Natavan; 4 p.m. — ActionAid International: Climate finance: State of Play; Press Conference Natavan; 5 p.m. — Tools and Methodology for Climate Finance; Room Shirvan; 5:30 p.m. THANKS TO: Karl Mathiesen, Sara Schonhardt, Zack Colman and Zia Weise. Global Playbook couldn’t happen without Global Playbook editor Zoya Sheftalovich.
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