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Nazrin Abdul

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Azerbaijan is committed to combating climate change, a global challenge that affects us all. While the country is known for its oil and gas resources, its efforts in renewable energy and large-scale projects demonstrate a strong commitment to "green energy."

With just one month to go until the 29th session of the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change in Baku, various preparatory events are underway, including today’s Pre-COP event. President Ilham Aliyev delivered the opening remarks at this two-day gathering, addressing participants on multiple key issues.

The President began his speech by highlighting the need for increased sensitivity towards small island states in the fight against climate change.

"Climate change affects countries across all continents, but small island developing states are particularly vulnerable. This impacts livelihoods globally and hinders progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals," the President said.

He acknowledged that Azerbaijan is not immune to these challenges, citing water issues in the country: "Each year, we observe a decline in river water levels and a decrease in the Caspian Sea's level. Azerbaijan is facing a water shortage."

President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that Azerbaijan is taking bold steps to address these challenges.

"We are successfully implementing our socio-economic priority of 'clean environment and green development' at the national level. Azerbaijan has declared 2024 the 'Year of Solidarity for the Green World.' Our abundant wind and solar energy potential allows us to advance our renewable energy agenda. The regions of Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, now freed from occupation and designated as 'green energy' zones, have ample renewable resources."

The President also noted that Azerbaijan invests its oil and gas revenues in "green energy": "This demonstrates that our wealth in fossil fuels does not hinder our commitment to promoting the green agenda."

Although Azerbaijan contributes only 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the President stated that the country exemplifies how nations with smaller emissions can make significant contributions to climate action. He added that Azerbaijan's determination to support global climate efforts led to its nomination as the host for COP29.

Azerbaijan's candidacy for COP29 was unanimously accepted by the global community. The President remarked, "I view this unanimous support as a testament to the international community's trust in our country. We take pride in hosting the first COP in the South Caucasus and the entire region."

The head of state emphasised that despite having less than a year to prepare, significant progress has been made through a commitment to full responsibility: "The inclusive COP29 Organising Committee, comprising women, parliament members, and civil society representatives, is ensuring comprehensive preparations for the Baku COP event."

He provided an overview of the work accomplished and noted that the "Climate Troika" was established by the UAE, Azerbaijan, and Brazil, who chair COP28, COP29, and COP30, respectively, to sustain these efforts. Azerbaijan has prepared an ambitious Action Agenda consisting of 14 initiatives addressing various issues, including peace, finance, human capital, and water. In light of ongoing geopolitical tensions, the "COP ceasefire call" has become even more relevant.

President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted the progress made on the Loss and Damage Response Fund: "In September of this year, significant advancements were achieved towards the practical operation of the Fund in Baku."

He pointed out that the main objective before COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) that addresses the needs of developing and underdeveloped countries, particularly small island states. He emphasised that the new funding goal requires a substantial increase.

The President stated that the Baku COP event will be a crucial test for multilateralism and expressed his hope for the "Baku Agreement": "The international community cannot afford to fail; an agreement on the New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) must be reached. I look forward to achieving a historic agreement at COP29 that will be recognised as our collective success—the 'Baku Agreement.'"

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Nazrin Abdul is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: Nazrin

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