ICESCO to actively engage in COP29

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) plans to actively participate in the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku from November 11 to 22.

ICESCO will be involved not only in the main programme of the event but also through its pavilion in the "blue zone", Caliber.Az reports, citing ICESCO.

Thus, ICESCO's pavilion will host approximately 50 different events focused on the impact of climate change on education, science, culture, and related fields. The ICESCO delegation at COP29 will be led by Director General Salim M. AlMalik, accompanied by sector leaders, department heads, and experts. 

“ICESCO’s participation in COP29 aligns with the organisation’s strategic priorities and new vision, highlighting its commitment to supporting global efforts in environmental protection and mitigating the negative impacts of climate change. The ICESCO agenda includes a ministerial meeting on ‘Heritage and Cultural Resilience in the Face of Climate Change,’ organised in partnership with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Moreover, there will be a panel discussion focused on promoting water security, biodiversity, and peace through innovation and Earth observation, as well as the launch of the ‘Mediathon’ initiative to strengthen media engagement,” the organisation said.  

Key discussion topics will include food and water security, the development of smart agriculture, disaster management, the promotion of education, the enhancement of human capital, youth engagement, and showcasing ICESCO's efforts and initiatives in these critical areas. 

“COP29 in Azerbaijan is poised to be a landmark event in the fight against climate change, where ICESCO will demonstrate its commitment and proactive stance in addressing global environmental challenges,” the statement reads.

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is set to take place in Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22. This location was chosen during the COP28 plenary session in Dubai on December 11, 2023.

Over the two-week period, Baku is expected to host approximately 70,000 to 80,000 international attendees. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an agreement that was established at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, with the goal of preventing harmful human impacts on the climate system. 

The term COP stands for "Conference of the Parties", which is the primary decision-making body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the UNFCCC. The Convention comprises 198 member states and is typically held annually unless the parties decide otherwise. The inaugural COP event took place in Berlin in March 1995, with its secretariat located in Bonn.

By Naila Huseynova