Global religious leaders in Baku endorse declaration urging immediate climate action

The Baku Declaration was adopted at the Global Summit of Religious Leaders held as part of the 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

The document emphasizes the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address global climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, drought, soil degradation, and other environmental challenges, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.

The summit, held in Baku under the initiative and patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, focused on the theme "World Religions for a Green Planet." It was organized by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Committee for Work with Religious Entities, the International Council of Muslim Elders, the Caucasus Muslims Office, and the UN Environment Programme.

As a gesture of appreciation, summit participants will send a letter of thanks to President Aliyev. The event brought together around 30 religious leaders from various world religions, including patriarchs, Vatican officials, Al-Azhar representatives, and other prominent figures from 55 countries and 30 international organizations. Journalists also attended the two-day summit.

This III Summit, held in Azerbaijan — a country that previously hosted the I and II World Summits of Religious Leaders — aimed to highlight the spiritual and moral dimensions of climate change, a critical issue for the future of the planet. The declaration of 2024 as the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World" by President Aliyev supports this global initiative for human solidarity in protecting the environment. The summit marked another international success for Azerbaijan, where world religious leaders united to offer effective, values-based solutions to combat climate change. It was during this summit that the leaders announced the establishment of an Advisory Council within COP29.

The summit also underscored Azerbaijan's model of multiculturalism, the Baku Process for Intercultural Dialogue championed by President Aliyev, and global humanistic values promoting human solidarity.

The COP29 summit, hosted for the first time in Azerbaijan, represents a historic moment to showcase the country's restored territorial integrity and sovereignty. It provided a platform to address the negative narratives against Azerbaijan and to demonstrate the ecological and cultural restoration efforts in the recently liberated territories. Following the summit, participants are scheduled to visit the liberated areas on November 7 to witness the realities on the ground.

By Tamilla Hasanova