BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 16. A total of 4,500 hectares of land in Azerbaijan have already been allocated for a renewable energy zone to date, the Head of the Renewable Energy Zones Development Department of Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency (AREA) Fagan Abdurahmanov said during COP29 investment forum on energy transition for Central Asia today, Trend reports.
"In 2023, a 230-megawatt solar power plant, Masdar Gobustan, was launched, which at that time became the largest solar power plant in the region. By combining these local ambitions with global support, the project serves as a model not only for the nation but for the entire world, especially for those seeking to balance reliance on traditional energy sources with the growth of renewable energy.
Furthermore, I would like to add another figure: to date, 4,500 hectares of land in Azerbaijan have already been designated for renewable energy zones. These lands include large-scale projects, which, as we are pleased to announce, reached financial closure this morning in partnership with our collaborators here [the Bilasuvar solar project with a capacity of 445 megawatts and the Neftchala project with a capacity of 315 megawatts]. These specially designated areas will play a key role in the implementation of our large-scale energy projects and confirm Azerbaijan's determination to make a sustainable future a reality," he emphasized.
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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