Azerbaijan, Türkiye discuss cooperation in water resources management

Azerbaijan and Türkiye have discussed prospects of cooperation in the field of water resources management.

The discussions were held at a meeting between Chairman of the State Water Resources Agency of Azerbaijan Zaur Mikayilov and Director General of the State Enterprise for Water Works and Hydraulic Structures Mehmet Akif Balta within COP29, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The meeting discussed the application of innovative technologies and exchange of experience in the water sector, measures to reduce the impact of climate change on water resources, transboundary water resources management, regional cooperation and future projects.

Let's recall that in early July, President Ilham Aliyev ratified the law approving the "Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Türkiye in the Field of Water Management".

This law ratifies the Cooperation Agreement between the countries in the field of water management, signed in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 8, 2024.

Notably, COP29, which began on November 11, will run through November 22. The decision to host COP29 in Azerbaijan, a country with extensive experience in organizing international events, was made during the plenary session of COP28 in Dubai on December 11, 2023. 

As part of the conference, Baku currently hosts 70,000 and 80,000 international guests, including leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society, all working together to find tangible solutions to the record-high global temperatures and extreme weather events that are affecting people worldwide.

One of the key objectives of COP29 is to reach an agreement on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance.

The conference also serves as a critical moment for nations to present their updated national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, which are due by early 2025. If implemented correctly, these plans will help limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, while also serving as investment strategies that support the Sustainable Development Goals.

The COP29 chairmanship has introduced 14 initiatives, which focus on connecting climate action with Sustainable Development Goals. These include projects such as green energy corridors, green energy storage, climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, and the promotion of green digital technologies, among others.

By Khagan Isayev