Baku, November 5 (AZERTAC). "Global view on environment issues in the oil industry" international conference continued with sessions in Azerbaijan's capital.

Speaking at the event's first session, titled Development of Oil and Gas Industry and Atmosphere Emissions, Deputy Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament and chairman of the Parliamentarian Committee on natural resources, energy and ecology Valeh Alasgarov said that political will is important for implementation of gas transportation projects in time, including delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe.

The political will, according to him, will lead to the implementation of the Trans Anatolian and Trans Adriatic gas pipeline projects in time.

"The conditions for possible delivery of gas from Central Asia to Europe will be created by implementing infrastructure projects with participation of Azerbaijan," Alasgarov said.

Speaking at the second session, titled The Effect of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations on Water Basins, World Bank's Baku Office head Larisa Leshchenko said that the efforts within Azerbaijan's cooperation with GGFR (Global Gas Flaring Reduction) and other ecological projects will contribute to building energy sector of the country, considering the interest balance of future generations and protection of environment.

According to her, SOCAR's active efforts since 2008 within GGFR allowed achieving significant results in the country in the field of reducing emissions and flaring associated gas.

Leshchenko also said that the world volumes of emissions and flaring associated gas amounts to 25 percent of the total volume of gas demand in the U.S., 30 percent in Europe and about 70 percent of Russia's gas export.

"Accordingly, reduction of these indicators would not only improve the ecological situation, but also bring economic practicability," she said.

Leshchenko noted that natural gas plays the role of a bridge between the renewable and traditional energy resources.

The two-day international conference organized with the support of SOCAR and IDEA is attended by 250 delegates, including representatives of government agencies from different countries and global oil and gas companies, as well as scientists and leading experts in field of ecology.

The conference is an international meeting platform for scientists, public figures and company representatives concerned with finding answers to the global challenges posed by environmental issues today.

The conference aims to give a comprehensive analysis of the current environmental situation for the sustainable development of the region, to share experience in the use of new methods and techniques for the study of various environmental issues, to develop environmental protection proposals and to forecast the dynamics of progress in the field of environmental protection in the forthcoming decades.