UN-Habitat executive director: Enough talk, time for action

Executive Director of the UN-Habitat Programme and Mayor of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Maimunah Mohd Sharif has said that in challenging periods, it is crucial to find opportunities to address pressing issues.

She made these remarks at the Summit of World Leaders within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on November 12, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The executive director emphasised the importance of identifying opportunities to tackle complex problems during this period.

"We need to invest in our cities and reduce carbon emissions in urban areas. I propose conceptual solutions to address these challenges. Initiatives for creating biodiversity-rich cities are being put forward. By 2040, there will be 1.3 billion tons of plastic waste in nature. During such challenges, we must find opportunities to solve these problems. We must live in harmony with nature, and it is important to support the UN in these efforts. There has been enough talk on this issue; now it is time for concrete action," she added.

The Summit of World Leaders within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) has started in Baku. On November 11, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) officially kicked off in Baku, marking one of the most significant and prestigious global events.

COP29, which is being held at the Baku Stadium from November 11 to 22, is Azerbaijan's largest event to date and the first of its kind in the region. A "Host Country Agreement" and other key documents were signed between the Azerbaijani government and the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) related to climate finance.

The COP29 presidency has put forward 14 initiatives that encompass the interlinkage between climate action and sustainable development goals. These include green energy corridors, green energy storage, climate resilience harmony, clean hydrogen, methane reduction from organic waste, and actions in the field of green digital technologies, among other topics. One of the proposed initiatives is the establishment of a Climate Finance Action Fund. 

Beyond prioritising climate finance, which brings everyone together, this initiative will also contribute to meeting the 1.5°C commitment. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to environmental protection and addressing the impacts of climate change, actively working in this direction. The country’s unanimous election as the host of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties is a clear testament to this. As noted by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, this is a sign of great respect and trust from the international community towards Azerbaijan.

By Naila Huseynova