Baku's call for climate action, peace initiative reaffirms global commitments at COP29

At the COP29 High-Level Panel on Climate and Peace, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov presented Baku’s call for climate action focused on peace, relief, and recovery.

The initiative reaffirms global commitments to addressing urgent climate issues and offers a set of actionable recommendations on critical challenges such as water scarcity, food security risks, land degradation, and population displacement exacerbated by climate change, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Bayramov emphasized that the appeal advocates for adequate financing to support the most vulnerable populations, as well as for sustainable land and water management, resilient food systems, and strategies for conflict adaptation. “Baku’s appeal serves as a framework for action that unites various stakeholders in their common vision,” he stated.

A key aspect of the initiative is the establishment of the Baku Climate and Peace Action Center, a groundbreaking cooperation platform designed to enhance synergies and pool efforts from previous climate response initiatives, such as the COP27 Climate Responses for Sustaining Peace. Bayramov explained that the centre aims to translate pledges into concrete actions, facilitating the mobilization of both financial and technical resources to support climate change adaptation and resilience, particularly in vulnerable regions, small island developing states, and least developed countries.

COP29, being held from November 11 to 22 at Baku Stadium, represents Azerbaijan's largest and most significant international event to date, marking the first time the country has hosted a COP summit. The event began with the signing of a Host Country Agreement and other important documents between the Azerbaijani government and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.

A central focus of COP29 is the establishment of a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. In line with this, the presidency of COP29 has introduced 14 key initiatives that link climate action to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These initiatives cover areas such as green energy corridors, energy storage, climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction from organic waste, and the development of green digital technologies. One of the flagship proposals is the creation of a Climate Finance Action Fund, aimed at supporting the critical goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

Throughout COP29, Azerbaijan has demonstrated its commitment to climate action and environmental protection. The unanimous decision to elect Azerbaijan as the host for this summit underscores the global community’s trust in the country’s leadership on climate issues. In his opening remarks, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s pivotal role in global climate efforts, underscoring the country’s dedication to mitigating climate change and advancing sustainable development.

By Vafa Guliyeva