Four journalists investigated the environmental and human rights costs of Azerbaijan's oil and gas industries, revealing significant issues such as pollution, workers' rights violations, and over 300 political prisoners in the country. As Baku prepares to host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), many experts view its green transition efforts as greenwashing. Despite widespread pollution and hazardous working conditions, Europe appears to overlook these violations in favor of economic gains from the Southern Gas Corridor, which supplies gas to Europe via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. In Italy, where the pipeline lands, the government is pushing new gas projects despite environmental concerns and local communities being excluded from decision-making.
Photo: Cecilia Fasciani - Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery at night, outskirts of Baku, Azerbaijan, June 2024
