An investigation by Global Witness has uncovered a network of seemingly fake social media accounts promoting Azerbaijan’s hosting of the COP29 climate summit.
This scrutiny highlights the troubling tactics being employed to manage public perception ahead of the crucial event, set to commence on November 11.
The analysis indicates that many of these accounts were created post-July, coinciding with a period when seven of the top ten most engaged posts related to COP29 criticized Azerbaijan’s role in its ongoing conflict with Armenia, utilizing hashtags such as #stopgreenwashgenocide.
By September, however, this narrative shifted dramatically, with all top ten posts emerging from the official COP29 Azerbaijan account.
Global Witness has raised alarms about how these artificially inflated engagements are suppressing independent voices and critical discourse regarding Azerbaijan’s environmental record and human rights issues.
Global Witness reveals coordinated efforts to boost Azerbaijan’s image for the climate summit.As a nation rich in fossil fuel resources, Azerbaijan plans to increase gas production by 50% over the next decade, a decision that has drawn scrutiny amid calls for urgent global action to combat climate change.
Ava Lee of Global Witness expressed concern over the influence of inauthentic accounts in the lead-up to COP29.
“It’s vital that space exists for genuine discussions about addressing the climate emergency,” she stated, emphasizing that the proliferation of these accounts risks overshadowing legitimate criticism.
Lee also pointed to the reduced capacity of X’s trust and safety teams as a factor enabling this misleading campaign.
The investigation identified 71 suspicious accounts, predominantly created since May, many sharing identical nature-themed imagery. Some accounts were even linked to one another, suggesting coordinated activity.
Despite some accounts being suspended by X for violating platform rules, the practice of using fake accounts to manipulate online discourse remains a pressing issue, reflecting a broader strategy observed previously in Azerbaijan’s online engagement efforts.