illuminum summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The New York Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Azerbaijan, heavily reliant on fossil fuels, will host COP29, the global climate summit
• The nation is under authoritarian rule and is a significant oil and gas exporter
Mukhtar Babayev, a midlevel bureaucrat, is unexpectedly leading the talks amid internal and external pressures

🔭 The context: Azerbaijan’s choice as host resulted from a UN selection process, with Russia vetoing other candidates
• The country’s economy is deeply tied to fossil fuels, and officials fear the impact of a global energy transition
• The summit will highlight the stark realities of climate change and the trade-offs involved in combating it

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Hosting COP29 puts Azerbaijan at the center of critical climate discussions, despite its dependency on fossil fuels
• This situation underscores the global challenge of balancing economic interests with urgent climate action
• The event will focus on the transition from fossil fuels and the financial support needed for less developed nations

⏭️ What's next: Azerbaijan's officials, inexperienced in global climate politics, face high expectations at the November summit
• The outcome could influence future climate policies and the role of natural gas as a transitional fuel
• The global community will be watching how Azerbaijan navigates its commitments and the summit’s demands

💬 One quote: "It's easy for Azerbaijan today to stay a fossil-fuel-producing country," said Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 president. "Why do you need to involve this pressure from all sides?"

📈 One stat: Fossil fuels account for over 90% of Azerbaijan's total exports

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