COP29 Preparations in Azerbaijan Near Completion

President Ilham Aliyev reviewed this week the ongoing preparations for the UN global climate summit COP29, during his visit to the Baku Olympic Stadium – the main venue for the conference.

Azerbaijan will host COP29 between November 11 and 22.

The construction and installation work at the venue is nearing completion, with plans to hand over the site to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on schedule, the President was informed.

President Aliyev also received a comprehensive update on the organization of the World Leaders' Climate Action Summit, which is set to take place in the initial days of the COP29 conference.

The President inspected the infrastructure and facilities, including the IT and security systems, the green energy solutions to power the venue, seamless participant registration platforms, and other ongoing organizational efforts.

The COP29 Green Zone and the Media Center, which will host a significant number of accredited media outlets, were among the key locations toured by President Aliyev.

Azerbaijan was selected unanimously as the host country for COP29 at the COP28 plenary session on December 11, 2023, following collective support from other Eastern European countries.

Azerbaijan announced 2024 as the “Green World Solidarity Year” seeking a global action to provide equal opportunities for all to resist the challenges posed by climate change. Around 80,000 guests, including top level state and government officials are expected to arrive in Azerbaijan’s capital for the major climate event.

The COP29 Presidency’s strategy focuses on two main pillars: Enhancing ambition and enabling action. The first pillar emphasizes ambitious national plans and transparency, while the second highlights the importance of finance to transform ambition into concrete actions, reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and address loss and damage.

In support of these goals, Azerbaijan recently announced the launch of a $1 billion Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF). The fund will be capitalized by contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies, with Azerbaijan as a founding contributor. Half of the capital will be allocated to climate projects in developing countries, promoting clean energy technologies, energy efficiency, and the climate resilience of vulnerable populations.

The COP29 Presidency also introduced the “COP truce appeal,” aiming to promote peace, dialogue, and reconciliation globally.

President Aliyev earlier said that hosting the world’s largest climate summit, COP29, in November will allow Azerbaijan to mobilize national and global efforts for addressing the negative outcomes of climate change.

Baku has reaffirmed its commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030 and further to 40 percent by 2050. Signing the Paris Agreement in April 2016, Azerbaijan committed to its legally binding framework on climate change.