The 29th UN Climate Change Conference, COP29, is set to begin on November 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a notable drop in participation compared to last year’s record attendance. Organized expectations suggest 40,000 to 50,000 attendees, in stark contrast to the 80,000 participants at COP28 in Dubai. Key world leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden are absent, prompting discussions on the conference’s significance. Azerbaijan’s controversial human rights record raises concerns about the inclusion of civil society voices, which may impact the effectiveness of the summit’s outcomes.