‘Bad case of déjà vu': Oil industry veteran to lead next round of UN climate talks in Azerbaijan

A former executive of a state-owned oil and gas firm has been chosen to lead upcoming U.N. climate talks, sparking criticism from some. The executive, who now serves as a country’s ecology and natural resources minister, was named as the president-designate for the talks. This decision has led to concerns due to the executive’s background in the oil and gas industry. Critics argue that having someone with ties to fossil fuel companies in charge of climate negotiations undermines the seriousness of the issue. Environmental organizations have called for the removal of representatives with conflicts of interest from climate talks. The conference is scheduled to take place in November, with the location being in the country where the executive previously worked.