At the opening ceremony of the 18th Baku Summer School of Energy, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan and President-designate of COP29, emphasised the need for Azerbaijan to set an example as host of COP29, Azernews reports.

He highlighted ongoing efforts to update the national emissions reduction plan, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Babayev also outlined the priorities for COP29, including discussions on sustainable agriculture, science, water, technology, innovation, sustainable urbanisation, and health. He emphasised the importance of addressing the challenges faced by the most climate-vulnerable countries, spanning regions from Africa to Asia and the Caribbean.

"These discussions at COP29 aim to facilitate climate action investments, overcoming barriers many countries encounter," Minister Babayev emphasised.

The minister highlighted that the world will convene at COP29 in Baku this November to discuss strategies for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

He underscored Azerbaijan's significant role in the energy sector: "Azerbaijan currently supports European Union energy security through natural gas exports. Revenue from our fossil fuel industry fuels long-term sustainable development efforts. This includes establishing a green corridor for renewable energy in Europe and financing green energy and energy efficiency projects domestically. As a developing economy, we recognise the financial challenges of transitioning to a net-zero, climate-resilient future."