BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. If the temperature rises further, it will create serious risks for both health and food security and exceeding this threshold will lead to more severe droughts, damaging biodiversity, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev said in his speech at the International Forum of Ombudsmen on Climate Change and Human Rights, Trend reports.
Babayev emphasized that water shortages and shifting weather patterns may have long-term effects if climate change mitigation measures are not implemented.
"In Azerbaijan, climate change is also severely impacting agriculture. The frequency of hot and dry winds has increased by 14 times, and hail occurrences have tripled. Water reserves in Azerbaijan have decreased by 15 percent, and the level of the Caspian Sea has also seen a serious decline in recent years," he added.
To note, the International Forum of Ombudsmen on Climate Change and Human Rights has officially kicked off.
The forum seeks to address issues related to global climate change and examine solutions from a human rights perspective, while also sharing positive experiences in this area.
Panel sessions will cover various topics, including "Strategies to support national human rights institutions and ombudsmen in climate change initiatives," "Public access to information on climate change and its impacts," "Multilateral cooperation in combating climate change," "The climate change connection with explosive remnants of war and mine contamination" and "Promoting business accountability in the context of climate change".