Pre-COP29 event kicks off in Baku
The Pre-COP29 conference, themed “Enhance Ambition and Enable Action,” commenced in Baku at the Heydar Aliyev Center.
Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, read a message from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the event participants.
Addressing the event, Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General emphasized the significance of global efforts in addressing climate challenges and the severe consequences of inaction. Amina Mohammed stated that the world is on the verge of surpassing a 1.5-degree increase in global temperatures, and the devastating impacts, such as those seen with Hurricane Milton, are becoming evident. She underscored that people are hopeful because the international community is taking various countermeasures.
Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, emphasized the need to work together, engage in open and honest dialogue to overcome the impacts of climate change. “The session has been organized for facilitating successful negotiations at COP29. Considering the importance of the issues on the agenda, we should aim to reach agreements on them in advance,” Mukhtarov added.
Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, underscored collective efforts to meet the 1.5 degree target. Highlighting financing issues, Sultan Al Jaber emphasized: “Financing is the most pivotal issue. Funds should be directed to support the most vulnerable population groups, ensuring their resilience to climate change and helping them cope with its consequences.”
Highlighting the significance of global collaboration to address climate challenges and the severe consequences of inaction, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, described the financing issues as one of the major topics on the climate agenda.
Nabil Munir, Chairman of the Subsidiary Executive Body (SBI) said that the process of renewing national contributions has already started across the globe. He described COP29 as a key platform which provides an opportunity to take a look at the progress in addressing climate challenges and their activities.
The conference followed with side events and plenary sessions.
Azerbaijan and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding within the framework of Pre-COP29. The Memorandum of Understanding on the "Baku to Belem (B2B) Climate Partnership" was signed by Yalchin Rafiyev, the Chief Negotiator of COP29, Azerbaijan`s Deputy Foreign Minister and Corrêa do Lago, Secretary for Climate, Energy and Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.
The conference will wrap up on October 11.
