Baku, October 10, 2024 – The Europe Today: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed participants at the UN Climate Change Preliminary Conference (Pre-COP29) held in Baku, highlighting Azerbaijan’s commitment to tackling global climate challenges.
In his address, President Aliyev emphasized that climate change affects countries worldwide, particularly vulnerable small island developing nations, which hinders progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He noted that Azerbaijan, too, faces the negative impacts of climate change, including shrinking water resources and the Caspian Sea.
To address these challenges, Azerbaijan has been implementing its national priority of fostering a “clean environment and green growth,” with 2024 declared as the “Green World Solidarity Year.” Aliyev underscored the country’s potential in renewable energy, particularly through wind and solar power, with the liberated regions of Karabakh and East Zangezur designated as green energy zones.
While Azerbaijan is rich in oil and gas, the president stressed that the nation is reinvesting fossil fuel revenues in green energy projects. Despite contributing only 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Azerbaijan is committed to making significant contributions to combating climate change.
Aliyev also highlighted Azerbaijan’s successful bid to host COP29, the first of its kind in the South Caucasus. He credited the country’s thorough preparations, which include an inclusive COP29 Organizing Committee and close engagement with all stakeholders.
In his address, Aliyev stressed the importance of global cooperation, calling on nations to work together and set aside blame to agree on a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance that meets the needs of developing countries and small island nations. He also mentioned Azerbaijan’s leadership in launching the Climate Troika in collaboration with the UAE and Brazil, in preparation for COP28, COP29, and COP30.
President Aliyev concluded his address by inviting world leaders to the upcoming World Leaders Climate Action Summit, set to take place in Baku from November 12 to 13, where further progress is expected on the global climate agenda. The president’s remarks were delivered by Mukhtar Babayev, the designated president of COP29.
