Ahead of the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan next week, a senior official, Elnur Soltanov, who also serves as the country’s Deputy Energy Minister, has allegedly leveraged his position to facilitate fossil fuel investment discussions. Undercover footage from Global Witness shows him agreeing to help oil and gas investors in exchange for sponsorships. This situation raises concerns regarding potential conflicts with the UNFCCC’s mandate that prohibits officials from pursuing personal financial gain in their roles, particularly after past agreements to phase out fossil fuels.