BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 19. The 29th High-Level Meeting themed "Pathway to COP29: Sustainable and Resilient Future" in Baku proceeds with panel discussions, Trend reports.
The opening ceremony of the event was attended by the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, 73rd President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Senior Scientist of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Ismahane Elouafi, and the UN Secretary-General's High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Moratinos.
Addressing the participants, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev noted that it's important for the COP29 Presidency to listen to all views, develop a program based on consensus, and find common solutions on climate action empowering everyone. "We aim to support all parties in advancing their ambitions through national climate action plans, national adaptation plans, and transparency reports. Azerbaijan is strengthening its efforts, and we are committed to integrating political participation to support ongoing substantive discussions. It is time to move forward in the spirit of solidarity for the sake of the future".
Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out in his speech that climate action can save millions of lives every year. "The climate crisis is a health and healthcare crisis. The scale of climate-related humanitarian emergencies is increasing. Climate change contributes to the spread of diseases like plague and malaria. Climate action can save millions of lives each year".
Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAE) Najat Mokhtar, in this regard, added that climate change is a problem affecting every aspect of life, from health to the environment. "Climate change is an issue that affects all aspects of our lives, from healthcare and food systems to the economy and the environment. However, at the same time, there is an unprecedented opportunity to address this problem through inventions and technological innovations".
Further speaking, the 73rd President of UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa noted that the success of COP29 means success for the whole world. "We are obliged to combine our efforts, our intellect with the greatest ambition and shared responsibility. I believe that we are all part of the success of COP. We are here to learn, to listen, to encourage intelligent debate on climate change. We also want to be part of the success of COP29. The success of COP29 won't only be the success of Azerbaijan".
Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev said that communities worldwide are suffering from the effects of climate change,
He emphasized that tackling this issue requires taking a holistic approach in order to make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions.
"We normally focus on one type of greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, but we must also consider others. They are called super pollutants, because they cause not only emissions but also global warming, air pollution, and health concerns in individuals," the official explained.
The primary objective of convening this top-tier gathering is to make sure that all stakeholders are on the same page and pulling in the same direction for the success of COP29 in Azerbaijan's Baku.
Preparations for COP29 in Baku involve tackling existing global challenges and opportunities in climate action from all angles.
This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 70–80,000 foreign guests.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP—the Conference of the Parties—is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin, with its secretariat in Bonn.
