The Irony of Baku: Literature Reflects Climate Conflict at the U.N. Summit

In a year where the United Nations climate change summit is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan—historically known as the cradle of the oil industry—the irony is palpable. This year’s conference arrives in the wake of Donald J. Trump’s election victory, which was heavily lobbied on promises to boost fossil fuel production and retreat from international climate commitments. Against this backdrop, Lydia Kiesling's 2023 novel "Mobility" serves as a poignant literary reflection, interweaving humor and critique of climate dynamics in its narrative.The protagonist, Bunny Glenn, navigates her complex life in Baku, underpinned by the legacy of a State Department child during the 1990s. As the oil boom surged in Azerbaijan, Bunny’s journey culminates in a role as a communications strategist for BP during the Trump administration, paradoxically engaged within the systems contributing to climate degradation. Bunny’s experiences resonate with the stark realities of a warming planet, colored by the environmental and social upheavals around her.In an enlightening conversation with Kiesling, she reflects on her choice of Baku as a setting, sparked by her own background as a Foreign Service child stationed in Yerevan during the late 1990s. She notes the contrasting fortunes of nearby Armenia's economic struggles, marked by migration, against Baku’s influx of foreign investments and mercenaries due to its oil and gas wealth. This disparity sheds light on the varying values assigned to nations based on their resource endowments—a theme feminist literary critics would say echoes the global movement towards fossil fuel reliance.Kiesling's novel not only encapsulates the surreal nature of climate discourse in an oil-drenched landscape but also underscores the urgency of redefining energy narratives as countries grapple with the realities of climate change. As delegates gather in Baku, the dissonance between political intentions and environmental impacts rings louder than ever, epitomized through Kiesling's story."Mobility" thus becomes more than a just narrative; it reflects a culturally rich commentary on climate reluctance amid growing global crises and reinforces the need for a shift in how we perceive our relationship with oil and the environment.