Baku's climate summit gets out-of-this-world endorsement from NASA astronauts

NASA astronauts Sonny Williams and Nick Hague delivered an extraordinary message from space to the participants of COP29, the UN climate conference taking place in Baku.

Beaming in from the International Space Station, they shared their unique perspective on Earth’s ongoing environmental challenges, emphasizing the profound and constant changes observable from orbit, Caliber.Az reports citing local media sources.

"Every second, the planet is changing, and we see it by observing from space," the astronauts remarked, referencing the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes as evidence of our transforming world.

Expressing gratitude to the COP29 attendees and host nation Azerbaijan, the astronauts acknowledged the importance of collective climate action. "We thank you for your efforts to preserve the beauty of the planet," they said. "Our mission is to observe sea level rise, gas emissions, and other environmental issues from space, and to relay this critical data back to Earth. Our partners and collaborators are eager to share information with you."

COP29, held from November 11 to 22 at the Baku Stadium, stands as Azerbaijan’s largest international event to date and a significant milestone for the region. The conference features a high-profile World Leaders’ Summit on Climate Action from November 12 to 13, alongside numerous discussions aimed at securing ambitious climate agreements.

The primary goal of COP29 is to finalize an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) related to climate finance, crucial for advancing global climate initiatives. The COP29 presidency has introduced 14 strategic initiatives that align climate action with the Sustainable Development Goals. These cover a wide range of areas, including the creation of green energy corridors, advancements in clean hydrogen, methane emission reduction, green digital technology applications, and plans for a Climate Finance Action Fund aimed at achieving the pivotal 1.5°C temperature goal.

Azerbaijan's dedication to environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation is well recognized. The unanimous selection of Baku as the host city underscores the nation’s commitment and the trust placed in it by the international community. President Ilham Aliyev has described this honour as a symbol of global respect and acknowledgement of Azerbaijan’s proactive environmental initiatives.

By Tamilla Hasanova