Sustaina Claus calls out COP29 no-shows: Leadership should focus on children, not politics

At the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, a surprising figure made an appearance — Philip McMaster, better known as Sustaina Claus, the “Santa Claus of Sustainable Development.”

A seasoned civil rights activist, former MBA professor, and eco-entrepreneur, McMaster stands out with his signature three-finger salute, symbolizing the balance between society, the environment, and the economy.

In an exclusive interview with Oxu.Az, McMaster reflected on his decade-long journey, championing the cause of sustainable development since the historic 2015 Paris climate summit, Caliber.Az reports.

Yet, despite the years of effort, he lamented that the world has made little progress.

"I've been at this for 10 years, ever since the Paris Summit in 2015, fighting for the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. But after a decade, it feels like we're still spinning our wheels," McMaster said, expressing his frustration. "The world is stuck in place."

Visiting Azerbaijan for the first time, McMaster was captivated by the country's beauty and spirit. A pin bearing the flag of Azerbaijan adorns his jacket, alongside a well-worn SDG badge, which has travelled with him on many adventures — even to the summit of Mount Everest, where he climbed alongside his companions, Reality Rooster and Low Carbon Panda.

“Climbing mountains is hard, dangerous work. And achieving the SDGs? That’s just as tough. But it seems like we’re abandoning the climb,” McMaster noted with visible bitterness. He believes that in abandoning the pursuit of sustainable development, the world is also turning its back on the future — particularly on childhood and the next generation.

"That's why our campaign is called 'Make Childhood Great Again." This is what we're here for at COP. We’re not here for the money that goes into our pockets. The goal is peace, and to stop killing children," he added, underscoring the urgency of his message.

The issue of leadership was also a central theme in McMaster's speech. He took aim at the absence of certain European leaders at the conference, calling their decision "unseemly and impolite."

“COP is not about politics. It shouldn’t be. I always say it should be about childhood and children because they are our future,” he emphasized.

But McMaster didn’t stop there. He also addressed the larger question of global change, pointing to recent political developments in the US and the broader implications for the world.

"Big changes are happening in the world. For example, in the US, they recently had a presidential election. Many are asking: will this event fix the world? No, it won’t. Will it make things worse? You never know. Maybe it will get better, but that’s not certain."

“The point is, we can’t let others make decisions for us, our families, and our future. We all need to wake up. That’s why I have this silly little rooster toy with me, which calls on everyone to return to reality,” McMaster said, holding up the playful symbol of his campaign.

McMaster also took the opportunity to raise awareness of the real challenges facing the planet — challenges that cannot be ignored any longer.

“The reality is that the Earth is getting hotter and hotter, droughts are raging, and clean water reserves are running low. What does this mean for us? Less and less food. We need to solve these problems,” he declared passionately.

In a heartwarming conclusion to his speech, McMaster pulled out a simple yet profound gift from his bag — a genuine smile, urging everyone to share it with the world.

“Maybe that’s where we should start,” he said. “Share a smile. It’s the little things that can begin to make the world a little better.”

Perhaps the message of Sustaina Claus is more important than ever: the future is in our hands, and it starts with the choices we make today.

By Tamilla Hasanova