UN climate chief urges action on COP29 promises at Baku forum

The commitments made at COP29 in Baku must be turned into real action, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said in a video address to the Climate Action Week taking place in the Azerbaijani capital.

He recalled that last year’s experience, when countries reached agreement on a new global policy at COP29, showed that “progress is possible when governments, businesses, and civil society act together and decisively," Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

Stiell stressed that the priority now is to turn national climate pledges into tangible initiatives.

“The priority must be to transform national climate plans into actionable projects capable of attracting both public and private financing. This requires policy and business strategy alignment, which will create a predictable environment and ensure the scalability of climate solutions,” he said.

According to him, two conditions are essential for success: creating project portfolios that reflect both national priorities and business interests, and building partnerships that bring together public and private capital with innovation and technology.

“We must strengthen trust and cooperation. Governments must create transparent and predictable conditions that reduce risks for investors, and businesses must not only invest capital but also provide technology and expertise to accelerate solutions,” Stiell emphasised.

He underlined that the Climate Action Week in Baku is designed to advance precisely this agenda.

“The world is moving from promises to projects and actions. It's about demonstrating that climate action is not a cost, but a path to stronger economies, more resilient societies, and a safer world,” the UN climate chief noted.

By Sabina Mammadli