BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. French online outlet La Gazette du Caucase has featured an article about the ongoing preparations for the upcoming UN Climate Summit, COP29, scheduled to take place in Baku on November 11-22, Trend reports.
"Azerbaijan will host COP29 from November 11 to 22. Meanwhile, construction and installation works at the site of the event - Baku's Olympic Stadium - are almost complete, with plans to hand over the venue to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on time. The World Leaders' Summit for Climate Action, set to take place in the early days of the COP29 conference, is on track to proceed as planned," the article reads.
The authors reminded that Azerbaijan was unanimously selected as the host country for COP29 during the COP28 plenary session on December 11, 2023, following collective support from other Eastern European nations.
"Azerbaijan has declared 2024 the 'Green World Solidarity Year', aiming for global action to provide equal opportunities for all in facing the challenges posed by climate change. Thousands of guests, including high-level state and government officials, are expected to arrive in Azerbaijan's capital for the major climate event. The COP29 presidency strategy focuses on two main pillars: Raising Ambition and Enabling Action. The first pillar emphasizes ambitious national plans and transparency, while the second highlights the importance of financing to turn ambition into concrete actions, reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and address loss and damage," the article noted.
To support these goals, Azerbaijan recently announced the launch of a $1 billion Climate Finance Action Fund. "The fund will be capitalized by contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies, with Azerbaijan as a founding contributor. Half of the capital will be allocated to climate projects in developing countries, promoting clean energy technologies, energy efficiency, and climate resilience for vulnerable populations".
La Gazette du Caucase added that the COP29 presidency also launched the 'COP Truce Call', aiming to promote global peace, dialogue, and reconciliation.
"Baku has reaffirmed its commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and by 40% by 2050. By signing the Paris Agreement in April 2016, Azerbaijan committed to its legally binding framework on climate change," the article concludes.