A Land Of Mystery, Azerbaijan

Oil, Conflict, and the Green Future: Azerbaijan at a Crossroads

In the aftermath of the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan hosted COP29—an oil-rich nation presenting a vision of sustainability while bearing the deep scars of its fossil-fuel economy. The contrasts between Baku’s gleaming skyline, remote Caucasus villages, and the autonomous exclave of Nakhchivan, capturing a country balancing its oil-driven prosperity, post-conflict reality, and uncertain path toward a greener future.

Baku stood as both a symbol of wealth and a testament to environmental cost, its skyline fueled by oil even as it welcomed world leaders to a climate summit. The contradiction was clear—Azerbaijan, a major fossil fuel exporter, positioning itself as a voice in global climate discourse.

Beyond the capital, the isolated villages of the Caucasus reveal a different Azerbaijan, where life remains largely untouched by both the recent conflict and Baku’s rapid modernization. Meanwhile, Nakhchivan, though semi-autonomous, remains economically tethered to Baku, navigating its own environmental and economic challenges.

The project examines how Azerbaijan reconciles its past and present as it faces the realities of a world demanding change.