The third and final day of the Forecasting Healthy Futures Global Summit has begun in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Day: June 20, 2024
Malaysia’s influential media outlet “Astro Awani” has published an article by Elsevar Salmanov, Counselor-Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, headlined “Azerbaijan and COP29”, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.
The article reads: “The 2024 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC-COP 29) will convene from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
At the plenary session of COP28 held on December 11, 2023, it was decided to hold the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan in 2024. The election of Azerbaijan as the host country is not only an indication of its active diplomacy, but also an indication of the international community`s recognition of its position as the country that can play an important role in solving vital problems concerning humanity.
The Conference of the Parties unites 197 countries that signed the first UN climate agreement in 1992 and committed to avoid dangerous interference in the climate system.
The main objective of the UN Conference of the Parties is to bring together heads of state, government representatives, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), corporations, research institutes, think tanks, international financial institutions and dignitaries/scholars from various sectors around the world to discuss and formulate strategies for a sustainable future and to increase the international response to climate change. It is possible to say that the main agenda of the COP29 sessions will most likely be the efforts towards the solution of financial problems. Unfortunately, the necessary progress in resolving the financial problems was not achieved in the previous COP meetings. The financial resources of the Loss and Damage Fund for Developing Countries that established at COP 27 in 2022, are $700 million which is far short of the required amount of $400 billion. As global climate change becomes more serious, there is a vital need to accelerate efforts to finance the fight against it.
Azerbaijan sees COP29 as an important platform for solving the above-mentioned important problems and considers it as an opportunity to raise awareness about its own Green World strategy.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 02, 2021 on “Azerbaijan 2030:
National Priorities for socio-economic development” includes these vital points: 1. sustainable growing competitive economy; 2. society based on dynamic, inclusive and social justice; 3. competitive human capital and space for modern innovations; 4. large return to the territories freed from occupation; 5. clean environment and “green growth” country.
After signing the Paris Agreement in 2016, Azerbaijan undertook to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and by 40% by 2050.
Azerbaijan is one of the countries with high potential in terms of renewable energy sources. Thus, the technical potential of our country`s renewable energy resources is 135 GW in the land and 157 GW in the sea. The economic potential of the renewable energy sources is estimated at 27 GW, including wind energy at 3000 MW, solar energy at 23000 MW, bioenergy potential at 380 MW, and mountain stream potential at 520 MW.
The favorable investment climate created in Azerbaijan paves the way for fertile conditions for the attraction of foreign investments in all areas, including renewable energy.
The followings are some of Azerbaijan`s major renewable energy projects that have been recently completed and will be completed in the near future:
∙ In 2023, commissioning and effective operation of the 230 MW Garadag Solar Power Station, which is one of the largest and most modern green energy production facilities in the region;
∙ On June 4, 2024, the foundation of 2 solar and 1 wind power plants with a total capacity of 1000 MW was laid;
∙ The first renewable energy auction for a 100 MW solar plant is being held in Azerbaijan;
∙ On May 3, 2024 Implementation Agreement on 200 MW Battery Energy Storage System and Framework Agreement for 200 MW wind power plant was signed;
∙ Implementation of the program for the integration of 1870 MW of renewable energy power (2 wind and 6 solar plants, including the commissioned and established stations) into the country`s general electric energy network;
∙ Caspian – Black Sea – European Green Energy Corridor;
∙ Central Asia – Azerbaijan – Europe Energy Corridor;
∙ Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan) – Türkiye – Green Energy Corridor;
∙ Green Energy Zones (work is being continued in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur economic regions and a corresponding concept is being prepared for Nakhchivan);
∙ Commissioning of 28 hydropower plants with a total capacity of 225.6 MW in the liberated territories and continuing the construction of 4 new HPPs with a total capacity of 44 MW.
Azerbaijan’s efforts within the scope of the Green World strategy can be an example. We hope that the seriousness of the reality of global warming will accelerate the cooperation of countries in this direction. The urgent solution to this problem necessitates the Tomorrow May Be Late approach.”
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The second panel on the theme “Balancing, Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience” was held as part of the 29th High-Level Meeting themed “Pathway to COP29: Sustainable and Resilient Future” in Baku, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.
The panel session was moderated by Hakima El-Haite, President of the Liberal International, Special Envoy for Climate Change of the Kingdom of Morocco 2015-2017, Vice President of COP21.
Addressing the session, Habib Mikayilli, Head of the COP29 Organizing Committee Secretariat, Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, noted that the conference scheduled to be held in Baku would have a significant impact on the fight against climate change. He said that the key topic of COP29 is financial issues.
Highlighting the importance of COP29 to be hosted in Baku, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Former Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme, underscored that investments are necessary to mitigate climate change.
Jan Fischer, former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, emphasized that Azerbaijan has done important work in the fight against climate change. The former PM noted the role of NGOs representing scientists, researchers, and international organizations along with politicians in the fight against climate change. Jan Fischer hailed the high-level preparations for the COP29 in Azerbaijan.
Underlining that COP29 is one of the most important events of the year, former President of Croatia Ivo Josipovic said that he has high expectations from the meeting held in Baku. “Within COP, we define our future and discuss the challenges facing the planet,” he added.
The panel also featured a Q&A session.
One of the panel discussions will be organized in Zangilan district.
The event will conclude on June 21.
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“We do not consider France’s policy in the South Caucasus effective. It is a harmful policy because it does not contribute in any way to advancing the peace agenda in the South Caucasus region,” noted Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.
Hajiyev emphasized that France’s policy of militarization in the region poses a serious threat, particularly at a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are engaged in normalization processes. He highlighted that France’s actions seriously undermine the normalization process in the light of the delimitation of borders on April 19, the previous joint statement by the two countries’ supreme bodies and the serious steps towards peace-oriented transformation of the South Caucasus region.
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The European External Action Service (EAAS) of the European Union (EU) has issued a joint press release on its website regarding the 5th EU-Azerbaijan Security Dialogue, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.
“The fifth meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Security Dialogue was held on 13 June in Brussels.
The participants had an open and frank exchange on the state of the bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, as well as on topical foreign and security policy issues of mutual interest,” the press release said.
“The participants also touched upon the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as broader regional security issues. In this context, the importance of fostering regional stability and sustainable connectivity was mentioned. Azerbaijan underlined the bilateral nature of dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The EU stressed its continued support for the peace process, with a view to a secure, stable, peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus for the benefit of all people living in the region.
The role of Azerbaijan as a reliable and important energy partner and its importance in the further development of the Middle Corridor was highlighted.
The EU’s support for humanitarian demining and mine victim assistance in Azerbaijan was appreciated. It was stated that under the EU Team Europe Initiative and other programs, further assistance to Azerbaijan’s mine action program will continue. The Azerbaijani side also reiterated its interest in exploring possible cooperation with the EU under the European Peace Facility (EPF).
In conclusion of the meeting, the EU and Azerbaijan agreed to continue regular exchanges on foreign and security policy issues. They also underlined the importance of meaningful work on all relevant strands of bilateral cooperation under the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
The meeting was co-chaired by Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the European External Action Service, and Hikmet Hajiyev, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the press release added.
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