The Azerbaijani government is using COP29 to crack down on environmental activists and other political opponents, according to human rights groups. This is the third year in a row a country hosting the climate summit has been accused of oppression and curtailing the legal right to protest.

Javid Gara is a 32-year-old, self-employed electrician who moved from Baku to England’s Manchester three years ago. He also runs Azerbaijan’s only independent climate group, campaigning to clean up the environment and cut emissions.

The 2024 summit in Azerbaijan comes amid fresh reports showing that global warming levels are accelerating, bringing more intense climate-related disasters and an increased demand for funding to mitigate and protect communities from the effects of climate change.