Law enforcement agencies need be more involved in climate change processes, said Ghada Waly, Director-General/Executive Director of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV)/ United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as she addressed the session on “Mobilizing Law Enforcement for Enhanced Climate Action” held as part of at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in the Blue Zone.

The UNODC Director-General added that it would contribute to strengthening measures for the prevention of environmental crimes.

Ghada Waly also hailed Azerbaijan’s excellent organization of COP29.

The COP29 event focuses on empowering law enforcement to protect biodiversity and combat environmental crimes such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and marine pollution. It aims to enhance law enforcement's capacity by promoting international cooperation, improving legal frameworks, and integrating justice systems into biodiversity and climate agendas. Additionally, the event explores strategies to "green" law enforcement by reducing their carbon footprint through the adoption of renewable energy, digital technologies, and energy-efficient practices.