.png)
In recent years, Azerbaijan has been gaining international attention for its environmental initiatives and ambitious projects to transform its energy landscape. From advancing its renewable energy agenda to hosting international forums on climate change, including COP29, the country has sought to brand itself as a leader in environmental stewardship. However, behind this green façade, a darker reality is unfolding in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where Azerbaijan has been actively engaging in a campaign of greenwashing to mask their ethnic cleansing against the indigenous population of Armenian Christians.
The region of Nagorno-Karabakh is the historical home to Armenian Christians. It has been the epicenter of a territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, this ethnic and territorial dispute erupted into full-scale war in the early 1990s. Despite a fragile ceasefire, tensions simmered until Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, launched a full-scale military campaign in 2020 which shifted control of the autonomous region to Azerbaijan. Turkey had worked intimately closely with Azerbaijan to modernize the Azeri military to bring it up par to a NATO-style modern military.
As a result, Oover 120,000 Armenian Christians were forced out of their ancient homeland in the region. Armenian Christians were subjected to persecution, and destruction of their cultural heritage and religious sites, and were the victims of targeted attacks by Azerbaijani forces. In September 2023, the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh faced a complete exodus was ethnically cleansef after a blitz operation by Azerbaijani forces. What was once a vibrant Armenian enclave has been emptied, with international human rights organizations condemning the mass displacement as ethnic cleansing.
However, Azerbaijan has launched a global propaganda campaign to reframe its actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, not as a humanitarian disaster but as an environmental and developmental success story.
Azerbaijan’s government has leveraged environmental rhetoric to obscure and justify its actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. In recent statements, officials have declared that the “liberated” territories of Karabakh will undergo massive ecological restoration. Promises of reforestation, renewable energy projects, and eco-friendly urban development are frequently touted as examples of the government’s commitment to sustainability. Essentially they aim to turn this ethnically cleansed region into a green energy zone.
While the language of environmentalism may appeal to international audiences to a degree, these projects serve a more insidious purpose. Azerbaijan’s so-called "green transformation" of Karabakh aims to erase the Armenian presence, both physically, culturally, and religiously, under the guise of eco-friendly development.
One of the most glaring examples of Azerbaijan’s greenwashing is the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites under the pretext of environmental restoration. Churches, monasteries, and ancient monuments—many of them part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage—are being demolished or repurposed in the name of “infrastructure projects.” Azerbaijan has also claimed that some Armenian heritage sites were “illegally” constructed during the “occupation,” further justifying their removal as part of their "restoration" efforts.
This form of cultural erasure is a key component of ethnic cleansing. By destroying these symbols of Armenian identity and replacing them with environmental projects, Azerbaijan is attempting to erase the historical memory of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Another disturbing aspect of Azerbaijan’s environmental rhetoric is the promotion of ecological rehabilitation in territories that have been emptied of their native Armenian population. While Azerbaijan claims it is rehabilitating land damaged by conflict, the absence of the indigenous population calls into question the true purpose of these initiatives. Sustainable development cannot be built on the foundation of genocide displacement and exclusion.
By focusing on the environment, Azerbaijan is attempting to shift the narrative away from the ongoing humanitarian crisis, hoping to gain the favor of international partners and environmental organizations. This strategy exploits global concerns about climate change and sustainability, allowing the Azerbaijani government to present itself as progressive and forward-thinking while continuing its campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Azerbaijan’s greenwashing efforts have been met with enthusiasm a degree of acceptance by some international actors, eager to engage with the country on its renewable energy projects and resource development. Western countries, in particular, have been seeking alternative energy partners in light of geopolitical tensions and the push to reduce dependence on Russian energy. Azerbaijan, with its rich natural gas reserves and its newly minted renewable energy plans, has positioned itself as a strategic partner.
Only months after the final military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan was unanimously elected to be the host country for the upcoming climate conference – COP29. Only Armenia resisted the nominations until the Azeris agreed to release two prisoners in return for Armenia to remove the veto. With great regard to the many prisoners still held and tortured in Azerbaijani prisons, the Armenians agreed to lift the veto.
Aliyev has publicly stated that Azerbaijan considers their nomination as the COP29 host as to be a sign of “respect” from the international community. Activist groups and human rights organizations have expressed their disdain, calling on the international community to not respect this dictatorial petrol oligarchy and instead move the conference to a different location.
The world’s complicity is dangerous. While focusing on Azerbaijan’s environmental policies, the international community risks turning a blind eye to the ongoing human rights abuses and the irreversible damage being done to the Armenian people in Nagorno-Karabakh. Furthermore, allowing a state to cloak ethnic cleansing in environmentalist rhetoric sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that human rights can be sidelined for the sake of strategic or economic partnerships.
Azerbaijan’s greenwashing of its ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh is a deeply troubling development that underscores the power of rhetoric in shaping global perceptions. By presenting itself as an environmental champion, Azerbaijan seeks to mask its campaign of ethnic displacement and cultural erasure. It is imperative that the international community recognizes this strategy for what it is: a cynical attempt to cover up human rights abuses under the guise of sustainability and environmental justice. True environmental justice must go hand in hand with the protection of human rights and the preservation of cultural heritage, not at their expense.
