BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 17. As part of COP29 in Baku, Trend News Agency proudly presents COP for Hope, a special project offering an unparalleled platform to hear from world leaders and trailblazers in politics, economics, science, and ecology, all united by a shared commitment to addressing today’s pressing climate challenges.
Today's interview features Heydar Reza Khan, a member of the Pakistani delegation.
In an interview with Trend, Khan expressed optimism about the comprehensive and timely implementation of the Paris Agreement's provisions. He highlighted the significance of agreements reached in Baku on climate financing, hoping they would be realized soon.
"We expect participating countries to adhere firmly to their commitments. Azerbaijan has organized COP29 at the highest level. I must specifically commend the volunteers; their skill in guiding participants using gestures and expressions is truly impressive.
Baku is a stunningly beautiful place. The genuine smiles and hospitality make me feel incredibly happy here. The local people are very kind and welcoming, and the cuisine is exceptional. You have an incredibly rich and delicious food culture," Khan said.
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. The event is the largest organized by Azerbaijan to date and is the first time the region has hosted the event 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.