TOBECHUKWU DIOLU's post

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TOBECHUKWU DIOLU

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While I hold no personal grievances against the President and administration of Azerbaijan, I find it troubling that the tone from leadership often lacks the empathy and urgency needed when addressing climate action and human rights. Numerous journalists, activists, and advocates have voiced genuine concerns about how governance in Azerbaijan handles human rights, particularly freedom of speech. When those raising awareness or questioning policy face repression, the core mission of global initiatives like COP and the Paris Agreement risks being undermined. Our collective climate goals rely on inclusive, transparent, and human-centered approaches, and they simply cannot be achieved if basic rights are sacrificed or ignored.

What is often overlooked is the urgency embedded in the very need for COP itself. The fact that such a gathering exists is a stark reminder that we don’t have time to delay. We’re now living in an era where climate impacts are both immediate and severe, affecting millions every year. Extreme weather events—floods, wildfires, hurricanes—are causing millions of deaths and displacing countless families. The world has already warmed by about 1.1°C since pre-industrial levels, and with every fraction of a degree, the risks multiply. Action must happen quickly, yet year after year, we see precious time slip by. In the face of these statistics, COP is not an accolade or a badge of honor, not akin to the World Cup or the Olympics. And yet, there is a tendency to showcase COP in a celebratory fashion, as if it were a moment of triumph rather than a somber acknowledgment of the ongoing global emergency.

My concern lies in how COP is sometimes paraded and politicized. There are no rivals to best, no nations to defeat, and the only true enemy is climate change itself. Perhaps a shift in perspective will come when decision-makers truly grasp the toll this crisis takes, witnessing firsthand the destruction of life and property each year. When we hear the voices of climate refugees, the families left without homes, and the parents grieving for children lost to disasters, only then, perhaps, will we abandon the politicking and empty gestures. We must approach COP with humility, with a willingness to genuinely listen, empathize, and focus on solutions that will protect humanity.

COP must not become a spectacle of power or influence, nor a stage for false impressions. This is not the place for witch-hunts or the pursuit of ego-driven agendas. It is, instead, a call to serve humanity, to protect those who are most vulnerable, and to act with a spirit of collaboration. Every COP summit should remind us that climate action is a responsibility we all share, demanding that we prioritize human dignity and safety above all else.

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