BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 19. The US and Azerbaijan can become reliable partners in the development of green energy, US Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack said at a press conference within COP29 today, Trend reports.
"Azerbaijan is an energy producer, and I believe we can become reliable partners, especially given the ongoing efforts to diversify the energy portfolio with renewable sources. Much of what we have mastered in the US in the field of green energy development can become a topic for discussion and knowledge sharing," he added.
Vilsack also pointed out that the US has a great opportunity to leverage Azerbaijan's key role in trade between the East and the West.
"We can work on creating conditions for the free movement of goods in both directions. There are enormous opportunities and markets opening up, and in my view, your country is well-positioned to play a crucial role in connecting the East and the West. This is one of the key areas that, in my opinion, holds tremendous significance," he remarked.
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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