UN chief calls for major push to finalise COP29 talks in Baku

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that nations need a major push to get discussions at the climate conference in Baku over the finishing line.

“We need COP29 to deliver an ambitious and balanced package on all pending issues, with a new finance goal at its heart. ‌ A surge in climate finance is essential,” he stated on his X page, Caliber.Az reports.

To recap, COP29, taking place at Baku Stadium from November 11 to 22, marks a significant milestone for Azerbaijan as the country hosts a Conference of the Parties (COP) for the first time. The summit, considered Azerbaijan’s most prominent international event to date, began with the signing of the Host Country Agreement and other key documents between the Azerbaijani government and the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

One of the central themes of COP29 is the formulation of a New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. To drive progress in this area, the COP29 presidency has unveiled 14 strategic initiatives designed to align climate action with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The initiatives span a wide range of priorities, from creating green energy corridors and advancing energy storage technologies to implementing climate resilience measures and developing clean hydrogen solutions. Other focal points include reducing methane emissions from organic waste and fostering the adoption of green digital technologies.

Among the highlights of COP29 is the proposal for a Climate Finance Action Fund, intended to support global efforts to keep temperature rises within the 1.5°C target. This ambitious plan underscores the summit’s commitment to integrating innovation with sustainable development, aiming to deliver transformative results in the fight against climate change.

By Aghakazim Guliyev