Baku, November 18, AZERTAC

A side event titled "Two Crises - One Solution: Biodiversity and Climate Nexus in the Caucasus Region" was held as part of COP29.

The event, organized at the pavilion of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), focused on projects and programs related to biodiversity conservation in the South Caucasus region, as well as scientific research in this field.

Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, expressed his country's interest in supporting nature conservation and biodiversity efforts in the South Caucasus. He emphasized the significance of biodiversity protection, citing the recent UN biodiversity conference in Colombia and the potential contributions of COP29 to addressing climate change.

Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Vugar Karimov highlighted the richness of the Caucasus' biodiversity, noting that Azerbaijan plays a key role, with 80% of the region's flora found within its territory.

Vugar Karimov discussed the impact of climate change on biodiversity, stressing that it disrupts the balance of ecosystems. He pointed out that mitigating climate change can contribute to biodiversity conservation and nature protection.

Giorgi Sanadiradze, Regional Director of the WWF Caucasus Program Office, presented the "Eco-Regional Conservation Plan for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation," detailing its phases and efforts to protect species, forest ecosystems, and biological resources.

The event also featured a presentation by Jernej Stritih, Chief Technical Advisor at the Ecological Corridors Fund, who discussed sustainable communities and ecological corridors. A project from 2015 to 2034 aims to conserve tens of thousands of hectares through collaboration with over 20 communities.

The session concluded with a discussion on the importance of research, investments, and the role of the private sector in supporting biodiversity, decarbonization, and ecosystem conservation in the South Caucasus.