Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency prioritises children's wellbeing in climate crisis

Nearly half of the world's children reside in nations facing extreme climate change risks and 88% of climate-related diseases primarily impact those under five years old, said COP29 President-Designate, Mukhtar Babayev.

Babayev made the remarks during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York at the event "Putting Children at the Heart of Climate Action" presided over by COP29 at UNICEF headquarters, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Babayev highlighted the importance of discussions on children and climate change, noting that children are among the most affected groups by the climate crisis.

"Approximately half of the world’s children live in countries with an extremely high risk of climate change. According to the World Health Organisation, 88% of climate-related diseases affect children under five years old," he stated.

Babayev also emphasised that funding climate initiatives for children and building resilient social infrastructure to protect against climate impacts are top priorities for Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29. He added that ensuring the full implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is a key priority for COP29.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Deputy Director Kitty Van Der Heijden stressed that, for the first time in the organisation's 30-year history, the disproportionate impact of climate change on children is being considered within a critical process and has been included in the COP29 agenda. She expressed confidence that Azerbaijan would successfully host this significant event.

In addition, youth ambassadors from various countries, including Azerbaijan, also shared their thoughts and perspectives on the climate crises affecting children in their respective regions.

Special event saw the participation of COP29 Youth Climate Champion, Leyla Hasanova; UNICEF Deputy Director, Kitty Van Der Heijden; Chief Financial Officer of the UNFCCC Secretariat, Danielle Violette; and representatives from member states alongside UNICEF youth ambassadors.

Note that, Baku will host the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). A group of Eastern European countries has chosen Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to host COP29 climate talks next year.

Earlier, Bulgaria withdrew its candidacy to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in favour of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, Baku and Yerevan agreed to support each other at some international venues. In a joint statement, Armenia said it would support Azerbaijan's bid to host the COP29 summit. The conference is being held in rotation by five UN regional groups, and Eastern Europe will take part next year.

By Khagan Isayev