Elnur Soltanov, the chief executive of the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, has been caught on secret footage discussing fossil fuel investment deals. The revelation, made by the BBC, shows Soltanov, also Azerbaijan’s deputy energy minister, meeting with a fake investor to explore opportunities within the state-run oil and gas company, Socar. Critics, including a former UN climate body head, have labeled his actions a ‘betrayal’ of COP standards, which aim to address climate change by reducing fossil fuel reliance. COP29 is set to commence in Baku amid these serious allegations.