Azerbaijan continues the countdown to COP29. We talk to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about the host country’s ambitions and the actions needed to tackle the climate challenge.
Azerbaijan continues the countdown to COP29. We talk to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about the host country’s ambitions and the actions needed to tackle the climate challenge. Speaking at the St. Petersburg Climate Dialogue, he discussed the strategic partnership with the EU, as well as the importance of holding the COP in a fossil fuel-producing country. He called on oil-producing countries to pay more to solve the problem.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has called on oil-producing countries to pay more to help solve global climate problems. Speaking at the sixth St. Petersburg Climate Dialogue, he said: “Solidarity is an integral part of financing and the road to success.” He added that “all countries, based on their financial capabilities and agenda, should contribute.”
Azerbaijan is preparing for the UN Climate Change Conference COP 29, which will be held in Baku in November. President Aliyev spoke about the country’s ambitions in connection with this event. “We want to create a comfortable atmosphere for all participants. We have a lot of experience in building bridges in the Non-Aligned Movement.” He also emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation: “We actively cooperate with the countries of the European Union. We signed a declaration on strategic partnership.”
At last year’s COP28 conference in the UAE, issues of fossil fuel extraction and use dominated the agenda. President Aliyev considers the fact that fossil fuel-producing countries are at the head of the COP as a positive development, and hopes that this will help the transition. “Don’t judge us by what we have. And judge by how we handle what we have, by our plans,” he added. “We are already working with many oil producing countries to create a solidarity package ahead of the COP.”
International cooperation will also be strengthened by the Troika, a partnership with the presidencies of the UAE (COP28), Azerbaijan (COP29) and Brazil (COP30) to strengthen cooperation and drive ambition.