Baku, July 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: Mukhtar Babayev, Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues and President of COP29, held a high-level meeting with Musadik Malik, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, in the city of Shamakhi on Tuesday.
The two sides discussed the urgent need to strengthen global climate cooperation, with a particular focus on resilience, mitigation, and sustainable development. The meeting comes in the lead-up to the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), which Azerbaijan is set to host later this year.
In their exchange, both officials emphasized that the worsening impacts of climate change demand immediate, equitable, and coordinated international action. Malik stressed the disproportionate burden borne by developing countries, particularly those in the Global South, which suffer the most severe consequences of climate-related disasters despite contributing the least to global emissions.
Highlighting Pakistan’s vulnerability, the minister noted its geographical proximity to two of the world’s largest carbon emitters, a factor that significantly increases its exposure to climate risks such as extreme heat, floods, and environmental degradation.
“Climate change is a transboundary crisis. Its impacts—be it floods, heatwaves, or pollution—do not respect national borders,” said Minister Malik. “It is imperative that developed countries lead by example, fulfill their climate finance commitments, and support climate-vulnerable nations through technology transfer and capacity building.”
The meeting also explored prospects for bilateral cooperation in the green energy sector, including renewable energy development, climate-smart agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and adaptation strategies. Both parties expressed a shared interest in advancing sustainable practices and fostering technological exchange to build climate-resilient communities.
Minister Malik reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to multilateral climate frameworks and expressed optimism that COP29 in Baku would produce substantial outcomes for a just, inclusive, and science-based global climate agenda.
The dialogue between Azerbaijan and Pakistan reflects growing momentum among developing nations to push for stronger international commitments in the fight against climate change, particularly in the areas of climate finance, equity, and sustainable development.
