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CANBERRA: Former COP28 Participant and Senator for New South Wales, Maria Kovacic delivered a powerful speech in the Federal Parliament, calling upon the Australian government to boycott the upcoming COP29 climate change conference, set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Senator Kovacic, a previous attendee at last year’s COP28 conference in Dubai, raised grave concerns about Azerbaijan’s suitability as the host of this year's conference. 

Referencing the Azerbaijani regime's abysmal environmental and human rights record, Kovacic said: "Azerbaijan's environmental record is one of pollution and degradation, with vast areas of the country marred by oil spills and unchecked pollution, making it one of the most ecologically devastated regions on our planet.”

Watch the full speech below or by clicking here.



Senator Kovacic further raised alarms over Azerbaijan's manipulation of climate rhetoric to obscure and whitewash its serious human rights abuses, referring to the blockade of the Lachin corridor, which preceded the ethnic cleansing of 120,000 ethnic Armenians from the Artsakh region. 

"The world has watched in horror as vital humanitarian supplies have been blocked by Azerbaijan, including food, medical supplies and vital utilities," she noted. "This act, falsely presented as an environmental protest, has been condemned by leading international voices as an attempt to cleanse the region of ethnic Armenians." The International Court of Justice (ICJ) had previously ordered Azerbaijan to allow the free flow of food and supplies to civilians in Artsakh, which Azerbaijan ignored. 

In her closing remarks, the New South Wales Senator urged the Australian government to take a principled stance and for government members to boycott the event stating: "By granting Azerbaijan the privilege of hosting COP 29, the international community sends a dangerous message. I urge this government to take a principled stand and boycott COP 29 in Azerbaijan."

Kovacic’s call for a boycott aligns with a growing number of journalists, world leaders, and activists who believe Azerbaijan to be an unsuitable host country for COP29 and who have announced their abstention from the event.