Envoy: COP29 to witness Türkiye’s strong presence with leading experts and officials

Türkiye will be represented at the highest level at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), set to take place from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku.

Turkish Ambassador to Baku, Jahit Bağcı, announced this, highlighting Azerbaijan’s active preparations for the conference, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

In addition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, members of the Turkish government, scientific communities, public and non-governmental organizations, and experts will also attend the event.

"Türkiye is a country that has become a party to the Paris Agreement. We are ahead of many countries in this field. Currently, more than 55% of the electricity used in our country comes from green production," said the ambassador.

Bağcı also emphasized Türkiye's achievements in waste transformation, noting that the country has extensive experience in this area and views COP29 as a platform to share this knowledge.

The delegation from Türkiye will include not only government officials but also representatives from municipalities, NGOs, and academia. "We are expecting rich presentations at COP29. While it is difficult to provide an exact number, the delegation will be large. Türkiye is also a candidate for COP31, so our participation is crucial," he added.

The ambassador expressed confidence that COP29 would be a highly productive event. "COP29 will further strengthen Azerbaijan. We can see that Azerbaijan is making rapid and professional preparations, and we wish them great success," he said.

Azerbaijan was selected as the host for COP29 during the COP28 plenary session on December 11, 2023, following unanimous support from Eastern European countries. The conference is expected to attract around 80,000 participants, including top-level officials from around the world.

In anticipation of COP29, Azerbaijan has declared 2024 as the "Green World Solidarity Year," focusing on global cooperation to address climate change. The COP29 Presidency's strategy emphasizes two key pillars: increasing ambition and enabling action, with a focus on transparent national climate plans and mobilizing finance to achieve real-world results.

Azerbaijan has also launched a $1 billion Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF), with contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies. Half of the fund will support climate projects in developing countries, focusing on clean energy, energy efficiency, and enhancing the resilience of vulnerable communities.

In a broader peace-building effort, the COP29 Presidency has introduced the "COP Truce Appeal," aiming to foster global peace, dialogue, and reconciliation in the context of climate action.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev previously highlighted the significance of hosting COP29, which will help rally both national and international efforts to combat the severe impacts of climate change. Baku has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and further cutting them by 40% by 2050, in line with its obligations under the Paris Agreement signed in 2016.

By Tamilla Hasanova