Founder of Azerbaijani environmental NGO: Nature needs action, not words Interview with Euronews / Video

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder of the public association IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action), has urged immediate action to tackle pressing environmental challenges in Azerbaijan and globally.

“The IDEA was created with a clear purpose to respond to environmental challenges in Azerbaijan and around the world,” Aliyeva told Euronews.

“From the very beginning, we understood that ecology is much more than saving species or addressing climate issues. It's about the way we live, our lifestyle, our culture, and the impact each of us has on the environment.”

Highlighting Azerbaijan’s achievements, she noted that while many countries are losing their natural reserves, Azerbaijan is expanding them. “Two new national parks have opened in recent years, and others have been expanded. Next year, we are expecting to open the Garabag National Park, which will bring the country's protected areas to around 30% of its territory,” Aliyeva said.

Turning to urgent environmental threats, she stressed the challenges facing the Caspian Sea. “Declining water levels, pollution, and growing threats to marine life, including the Caspian Seal, are a crisis no single country can solve alone. We must work together and value the Caspian Sea as a shared national treasure,” she said.

Aliyeva also delivered a clear call to action. “At the moment, we have reached the stage where the environment is much more about action. We have spoken about it enough. Of course, it’s important, but nature doesn’t need us speaking anymore. It needs us to act.”

She concluded on an optimistic note, urging individuals to recognise their own impact: “The most important thing is to stay positive, understand that you by yourself can make a huge difference, and together we can achieve miracles.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev