Azerbaijan proposes to convert consensus reached at COP28 into concrete solutions
Azerbaijan proposes to convert consensus reached at COP28 into concrete solutions
Azerbaijan is taking bold steps to overcome the challenges of climate change, President Ilham Aliyev said in his welcome message to participants of the two-day Pre-COP29 conference opening today in Baku.
‘We are successfully realizing our socio-economic priority ‘clean environment and green development’ at the national level. Azerbaijan has declared 2024 as the ‘Year of Solidarity of the Green World’. Our rich wind and solar energy potential allows us to promote our renewable energy program. Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, liberated from occupation and declared as ‘green energy’ zones, have enough renewable energy sources,’ Aliyev emphasized.
At the same time, he pointed to the ‘slanderous campaign launched in some media structures’ to ‘tarnish Azerbaijan's image’.
‘These attempts are in vain and will not keep us from fulfilling our noble mission to fight the negative consequences of climate change,’ Aliyev's address said.
At COP29 in Baku, it is important to support the consensus reached at the previous conference in the UAE, and in particular, on accumulating and using annually USD 1 trillion to address climate problems of developing and especially island states, Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-designate, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, said at the opening of Pre-COP29.
According to him, discussions within the framework of Pre-COP29 will help to make progress on such important issues as: ‘New Collective Quantitative Objective’; clarification of issues on the formation of an international Loss and Damage Response Fund; the Green Climate Fund, and others.
‘Climate finance will be among the main issues at the consultations, Pre-COP and during COP29 itself,’ Babayev said.
National plans for climate commitments, which will be submitted by February 2025, will identify real steps to reduce greenhouse and non-greenhouse gas emissions.
‘We believe that all political differences should be put aside for the sake of a bright climate future,’ Babayev said, expressing confidence that ’this will be supported by all COP29 participants.’
Financing is one of the most important elements in the fight against climate change, said Simon Steele, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
At COP29, a new collective climate finance target should provide the means to realize the consensus reached in the UAE, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said.
‘We must ensure that funds are allocated to the most vulnerable population to help them build climate resilience and recover,’ he said.
UN Under-Secretary-General Amina Jane Mohammed said there was a need to halt further temperature rises.
‘Further temperature rise could lead to global disasters. We must close the financial gap by raising the voices of developing countries and international financial institutions. COP29 must translate claims and commitments into results,’ she said.
Politics
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On Wednesday, President Ilham Aliyev met with Kerry McCarthy, the UK Minister for International Energy and Climate. During the meeting, they discussed preparations for the upcoming climate conference COP29. According to the embassy's statement, the minister offered the UK's support for hosting COP29. The parties also discussed the importance of the transition to clean energy.
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On October 9, President Ilham Aliyev met with Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, to discuss preparations for COP29. During the meeting, Mohammed stated that the main theme of the upcoming conference would be financial issues. She expressed hope that the international community would establish new financial goals. In turn, Aliyev highlighted the cooperation with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other organizations in the preparation process for the conference. He emphasized that Baku is making efforts to achieve consensus at COP29.
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Despite his serious condition, Afghan Sadygov, the head of the “Azel TV” website arrested in Georgia, continues his hunger strike in the prison hospital and refuses medical assistance, his wife reported to Turan. According to her, Afghan called her on Wednesday from the medical center of the Georgian penitentiary service. "He is in serious condition, under medical supervision, but refuses all medical help. Afghan said he is only taking drinking water. He stated that he will continue to fight for his rights and freedom, even if he dies," his wife said.
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On October 9, President Ilham Aliyev received John Podesta, the US Presidential Advisor on International Climate Policy. Podesta reported that he had productive negotiations with Azerbaijani colleagues regarding COP29 and was pleased to exchange views on the matter with the President of Azerbaijan.
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