Jenny Cooper’s Blogs from the COP in Azerbaijan

A Crystal rain falls…

Walking miles and miles around the COP today and passing repeated slogans adorning the walls, seen at every COP for twenty years, I know I was not alone in occasionally thinking “What’s the point?!” …particularly knowing the times we are living through and the current political context. 

But we must press on; trade unionism is about the struggle after all!!…

If you want to go far, go together

Today had a theme of union solidarity and just transition through workers’ rights…well, that’s what we’re here for so why not?

Trillions not Billions

Trillions are needed to facilitate the green transition in low and middle income countries; more details on this later, but this was also the day that protests began at COP 29 (they aren’t allowed while the VIPs are around).

Collapsing COP

After last night’s BBC headline about human rights organisations sending an open letter questioning the continued existence of, and corruption of, COP, it looked this morning as though it had actually collapsed!

Action not words

Actions were the order of the day in Baku; anti-war, pro-finance, pro-just transition, anti-nuclear (although I also spotted a pro-nuclear protest…but there were very few in attendance at this one)…

Legacy

Today was the “rest day” at COP; the venue is always closed during the middle day. So this morning we took a trip to the “old city” of Baku by metro, free for anyone with a COP pass!

Interesting point to note: the same “see it, say it, sorted” message as the UK (more or less) is used on the trains here too! There are not many lines or stations but what there is is good; let’s hope the legacy of COP does something to improve public transport here; this is very much a city where car rules. Crossing the road is hair-raising and walking along a main road is like strolling along the M25 and you can smell the pollution….

And a day by day account from Tony Wright (UNISON) at sustonybility