By William James and Kate Abnett BAKU (Reuters) -Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev used a keynote speech at the COP29 climate summit to lash out at Western critics of his country's oil and gas industry,

It’s been a day of stark contrasts at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan where 80 world leaders had gathered. Sir Keir Starmer set a more ambitious climate goal for the UK by promising to slash its greenhouse emissions to the tune of 81% against 1990 levels by the year 2035.

The president of COP29’s host country has told the UN climate conference that oil and gas are a "gift of god". Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev criticised "Western fake news" about the country's emissions and said nations "should not be blamed" for having fossil fuel reserves.

He singled out the US, the world’s largest historic carbon emitter, and the EU for particular criticism, accusing them of double standards.

Keir Starmer committed the UK to a massive cut in carbon emissions at the COP29 summit today - despite the host hailing oil and gas as a 'gift from God'. Sir Keir is one of the only premiers from the wealthiest nations for the annual gathering.