The annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP) serves as a crucial platform to accelerate global efforts to combat climate change. Civil society’s participation at COP is indispensable, amplifying grassroots voices and increasing pressure on governments to commit to ambitious climate action. Despite this, restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly have been documented around previous summits in Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.

With COP29 set to take place in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from 11 to 22 November 2024, it is vital for climate activists and advocates to understand the restrictions on civic space and fundamental rights surrounding the conference. There is also the risk of surveillance or reprisals from corporations or other governments opposed to the work of activists at COP or upon their return home.

In its ranking of global freedom, Freedom House rates the country’s authoritarian regime 0/40 for political rights and only 7/60 for civil liberties. The organisation concludes that Azerbaijan is “among the least free countries in the world.” There are recorded violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including the disproportionate use of force to crack down on environmental protests.

Civil society organisations in the country are tightly controlled, and there are widespread reports of social media monitoring, surveillance across internet and telecommunications networks, the use of CCTV and facial recognition technology to identify protestors, and the targeting of high-profile individuals with spyware.

Disrupting attacks and reprisals against climate activists is a core part of Open Briefing’s mission. Ahead of COP29, we are collaborating with specialist partners to provide resources and support services to help COP participants stay safe.

Guide to Azerbaijan and holistic security for participants

Open Briefing’s international team strengthens physical security, digital resilience, and collective wellbeing among those protecting our environment, protesting climate chaos, and defending their communities, land, and water. While we support many high-profile activists and organisations, much of our work is behind the scenes with land, indigenous, and environmental defenders who face significant risks.

Once again, we have collaborated with Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef) on a guide for climate advocates and activists attending COP. In the first part of the Guide to Azerbaijan and Holistic Security for Participants, CliDef provides an overview of the legal framework‭ ‬and resources available to navigate the local legal landscape in Azerbaijan. In the second part, we outline potential risks and comprehensive strategies for protecting both your physical and digital security before, during, and after the event.

Protecting your information and staying safe

The full guide includes detailed recommendations. But an overview of the critical steps to consider is:

1. Set your holistic security foundation. Understand your baseline security risk by considering what could go wrong and thinking about how exposed you are to potential threats, and which adversaries may wish to disrupt or monitor your work.
2. Plan your security measures in advance. You have most control over your environment before you travel. So, take steps in advance to minimise your risks.
   1. Reduce your digital footprint by understanding and limiting the amount of personal data and sensitive information stored on your devices.
   2. Ensure your devices are up-to-date, still supported by the manufacturer, and consider whether a blank or ‘burner’ device is the right option for you.
   3. Protect your information and accounts by using encryption, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication via an authenticator app, passkey or security key.
   4. Risk assess your use of social media and double-check your privacy settings – bearing in mind the likelihood that public posts and engagement may be seen (or disrupted) before, during, or after the event by actors using monitoring software, or attempting to shape narratives or undermine civic engagement.
   5. Ensure your personal documentation is in order (such as visas, travel permits, and identification).
   6. Purchase travel medical insurance and consider joining a security assistance provider.
   7. Carefully plan what to bring with you, including clothing, and take only what is necessary.
   8. Establish a support network of trusted individuals among COP29 attendees and ​​allies outside Azerbaijan.
   9. Prepare for identity-based questions and consider how to address cultural sensitivities.
3. Be prepared at border control. Upon arrival, have all relevant documents easily accessible and ensure all devices are powered off before leaving the plane and when passing through security checkpoints. If you are travelling with a burner device, avoid signing into accounts until at your destination.
4. Stay safe during the conference. Maintaining vigilance and situational awareness in Azerbaijan will help reduce your risks.
   1. Follow basic digital hygiene practices. This includes avoiding public wifi networks unless in an emergency and where confident in your use of end-to-end encryption, firewalls, and VPNs. Be mindful of the high likelihood of surveillance across all in-country internet and telecommunications networks.
   2. Consider the sensitivity and confidentiality of conversations, meetings, and other activities both within the Blue Zone and outside the venue and event space. The possibility of your activities being surveilled should inform your plans for meetings and other interactions with partners and networks.
   3. Be mindful of your personal safety and security, particularly if attending protests around the conference. Avoid being alone if possible, especially when outside of the Blue Zone. Exercise situational awareness, be cautious against fraud and theft, and be mindful of cultural norms.
   4. Consider the security of your accommodation and transport. Choose reputable and secure hotels and consider proximity to the venue. Do not tell others your hotel room number and secure your room every time you leave by checking windows and doors, and do not leave devices or sensitive information unattended. Avoid using transportation that has not been recommended or arranged by your delegation, your hotel, or the event organisers.
5. Reassess your baseline security risks upon returning home. Reflect on how your participation at COP may have increased your risk. If necessary, review your security measures and consider additional steps, such as temporarily limiting public activities. If you believe a credible threat exists, contact a protection organisation, such as Open Briefing.

The full guide also provides practical advice on worst-case scenarios, including what to do if your devices are confiscated, if you experience smear campaigns or attempts to access your social media, or if you are detained.

Fostering wellbeing around COP29

The threat of physical and digital harm also places climate activists and advocates at risk of burnout, stress, and trauma. This can impair decision-making and lead to activists becoming increasingly isolated and desensitised to risk. Poor wellbeing can undermine the individual and collective effectiveness and sustainability of their work.

High-quality psychosocial support or specialist mental health care can help address these challenges. Open Briefing’s team of counsellors and psychologists can provide rapid responses, such as Psychological First Aid, or a range of counselling and psychotherapy services, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), art therapy, and psychoeducation. We deliver support in multiple languages and embrace culturally-sensitive approaches that recognise the collective nature of wellbeing in many communities.

As COP29 approaches, understanding and preparing for the physical, digital, and psychological risks that climate activists may face around the conference is crucial. By planning security measures in advance, staying vigilant throughout the event, and reassessing risks when you return home, participants can better protect themselves from harm. Equally important is knowing that there are resources and support services available from allies across the globe to help COP29 participants safely and effectively continue their vital work.