Baku to host global conference on forestry and biodiversity in 2025

In June 2025, Azerbaijan will host an international conference titled "Synergy for Sustainable Forestry and Biodiversity: Cooperation Dialogue for a Green World". 

The event aims to address critical environmental issues and foster global partnerships for sustainability.

Vugar Kerimov, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, announced the conference during the event "Climate and Biodiversity Linkage: Integrated Solutions for a Sustainable Future", held at COP29 in Baku, Caliber.Az reports.

“We invite all stakeholders to participate in this conference. Together, we will endeavour to address the challenges of countries with little forest cover, promote innovative solutions that contribute to global sustainability, and strengthen partnerships,” Kerimov stated.

Kerimov highlighted the direct relationship between biodiversity loss and climate change, explaining the broader impacts of the climate crisis.

“Climate change and its impact on the living world is of concern to everyone. The decline in biodiversity is directly linked to climate change. Rising global temperatures also lead to an increase in diseases,” he noted.

Forests, in particular, are increasingly affected by the crisis. “Forest ecosystems are suffering from the effects of the climate crisis, with forest fires becoming more frequent. Protecting forests is one of the main priorities in mitigating climate change,” he added.

At a related high-level event on utilising climate finance to safeguard forests, Brazil's Minister of Climate and Environment, Marina Silva, stressed the vital role forests play in supporting ecosystems and human well-being.

“Forests have a positive impact on the ecosystem in which we live. However, their destruction exacerbates poverty, hunger, and inequality in developing countries,” she said.

Silva pointed out that forest conservation is not only an environmental imperative but also a means to enhance global equity and sustainability. “In the last two years, we have managed to reduce deforestation by 45.7%. By doing so, we have prevented about 400 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere,” she shared.

She also underlined the importance of integrating forest protection into the frameworks of the three Rio Conventions: climate, biodiversity, and desertification. “These agreements are key to global sustainability and reflect our collective commitment to protect nature so that we can create a new cycle of prosperity for the benefit of our societies,” she concluded.

The ongoing COP29 summit in Baku, running from November 11 to 22, focuses on financing climate goals, especially for developing nations. With trillions of dollars required globally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard communities from climate impacts, the conference serves as a critical juncture for action.

Countries are also using the platform to present updated national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, which are due by early 2025. These plans aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals.

By hosting the 2025 conference, Azerbaijan aims to further global dialogue and action on forestry and biodiversity, ensuring a greener and more sustainable future for all.

By Tamilla Hasanova