Pre-COP29 conference wraps up in Baku
Baku, October 12, AZERTAC
The Pre-COP29 conference, themed “Enhance Ambition and Enable Action,” wrapped up Friday in Baku at the Heydar Aliyev Center.
In his opening remarks at the Climate and Development Ministerial meeting, Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, emphasized that the adaptation to climate change is evident. “Action on mitigation saves lives tomorrow. Action on adaptation saves lives today. Even if we succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5C, we still need to deal with the severe impacts of climate change around the globe,” the minister noted.
“Earlier this year as we attended the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, where we discussed the scale of the challenge that Small Island Developing States face.
According to the data of the World Meteorological Organization, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of adaptation is estimated to be up to $50 billion per year over this decade,” Babayev added.
According to the minister, the COP29 Presidency has a plan to enhance ambition and enable action this year. “This plan will deliver critical progress across all pillars of the Paris Agreement, with climate finance as a centerpiece, the COP29 President-Designate underlined.
Mukhtar Babayev stressed the need to enhance ambition in climate plans to limit warming and manage the impacts of climate change. “We are calling on all Parties to have National Adaptation Plans in place by 2025,” he added.
In his video message, John Salong, Minister of Climate Change of Vanuatu, emphasized that the described the discussions held at Pre-COP29 as important step in accelerating adaptation for small island developing states and least developed states.
Yalchin Rafiyev, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, COP29 Lead Negotiator, underlined that the difficulties encountered in addressing climate challenges are not only technical, but also political and financial ones.
Addressing the event titled “Empowering Resilient and Sustainable Future: The Role of Human Development in Climate Action,” Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29, said that the climate change is the biggest challenge that the humanity is facing. “Not only climate change and green skills are necessary, but we also have artificial intelligence being a part of our lives," she added.
Speaking at the event, entitled “Tracking UAE Consensus - Energy Outcomes - Report Launch,” Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, noted that the report vividly showcases the need to increase our ambitions and actions against climate change, and of course, in advancing the further energy transition. “Tripling renewables capacity by 2030 and doubling the rate of energy efficiency by the same year is not just the benchmark, but is the main pillar of collective commitment to limit the global warming to 1.5C and of sustainable development efforts. In this aspect, the global renewables and energy efficiency pledge is of critical importance in achieving net zero by 2025,” the minister added.
In his remarks during the General Consultations on the “Climate and Peace Nexus at COP29,” Elshad Iskandarov, Ambassador at Large of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adviser to the COP29 Negotiating Group, underscored the importance of analysing links between climate change and interstate conflicts. According to Iskandarov, addressing those consequences is a major goal.
Speaking at the COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company’s Logistics Briefing, Narmin Jarchalova, Chair of the COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company and Chief Operating Officer for COP29, highlighted various zones of the COP29 venue in the Baku Olympic Stadium.
Noting that 49 hectares of land has been allocated for the COP29 event, Jarchalova also provide insight into the construction of the Blue Zone, where all the official sessions, meetings, side events and press conferences will take place during COP29, as well as the Green Zone, which will bring together different parties for sharing innovative climate approaches.
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