BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 20. Guatemala assumes obligations for achieving a zero carbon balance in the forest sector, the country's Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change Edwin Castellanos said as he delivered her national statement at the COP29 summit, Trend reports.
According to him, Guatemala, as one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, faces serious climate challenges.
He pointed out that despite contributing only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is experiencing the consequences of climate change, such as severe storms, hurricanes, and floods, which cause economic and environmental damage.
"We must strengthen collective efforts to combat the climate crisis. Our country is actively implementing initiatives for climate adaptation and mitigation," the deputy minister explained.
He mentioned that Guatemala is also working actively on the restoration and expansion of forested areas, implementing mechanisms such as the carbon certificate program to reduce CO2 emissions.
An important aspect of this process is the involvement of all sectors of the economy and local communities, including rural areas and indigenous peoples, the official highlighted.
"Countries most affected by climate change need fair and accessible climate financing to effectively implement adaptation programs and reduce the vulnerability of local communities," added Castellanos.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November 11. It is the largest event organized by Azerbaijan to date, and the first time in the region that it is being held in Azerbaijan.
Within COP29, the highest level event - the summit of world leaders on climate action - was held on November 12–13.
The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The COP29 chairmanship has launched 14 initiatives that include linkages between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals, including green energy corridors, green energy storage, harmony for climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, action on green digital technologies, and other topics.
In addition to being a top priority that creates the conditions for action, creating climate finance will also help fulfill the 1.5°C pledge by bringing everyone together.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for “Conference of Parties” and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.
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