As world leaders gather in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, for the COP29 summit, the irony of the event is evident in the nation’s role — or lack thereof — in the fight against climate change, due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels, which are largely blamed for the climate crisis.

Azerbaijan, straddling Eastern Europe and Asia, is the world’s 24th largest producer of oil, with Italy, Israel, Turkey, India, and Greece being the top five markets for the country’s oil exports.