COP29 commenced with a powerful address from the conference’s President, Mukhtar Babayev, emphasising the urgent need for decisive climate action.
In his opening remarks, Babayev acknowledged Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan for their dedicated efforts in preparing for the summit held in Baku.
Babayev, in his address stressed that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality affecting lives globally,
Citing recent findings by the United Nations Environmental Program, he warned that existing policies could lead to a risky 3°C temperature rise, endangering billions and ecosystems,
“Cop 29 is an unmissable moment to chart a new path forward.” he stated, urging nations to seize the opportunity for bold, transformative change.
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Enhancing Ambition and Enabling Action
Babayev outlined the main agenda of COP29, centered on two main pillars: enhancing ambition and enabling action.
He noted that strong climate finance is essential: “The cop 29 presidency’s top priority is to agree on a fair and ambitious new collective quantifiable goal on climate finance.”
According to Babayev, this goal should address the urgent needs of developing countries while offering support to small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) through clear and actionable promises.
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The Role of Climate Finance
Babayev urged nations to reach an agreement on financial contributions to assist vulnerable communities that are already suffering from climate effects
Stressing the necessity of trillions in climate finance to match the scale of the crisis, he also called on all parties to finalize a unified goal within 12 days.
“This goal is not a burden; it’s an opportunity,” he insisted, emphasizing that investment now would save countless lives and reduce future costs.
In addition to financial commitments, Babayev pointed out the significance of carbon markets as outlined in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
He encouraged countries to finalize high-integrity carbon trading mechanisms which could potentially decrease the costs of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by $250 billion each year.
COP29 will also focus on adaptation efforts, a priority for Azerbaijan, which is facing severe climate impacts, including water scarcity and glacial retreat.
Babayev called for countries to finalise national adaptation plans by 2025 to facilitate technology transfers and establish best practices to protect communities on climate change’s frontlines.
Notably, a key element of Babayev’s speech was the call for increased ambition in NDQCs. Babayev underscored the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels in a
“just and orderly manner” that accommodates each nation’s circumstances.
Babayev emphasised COP29 is a moment of truth for the Paris Agreement testing the commitment of global leaders to climate goals and sustainable development.
“Every action matters because every fraction of a degree matters.” Babayev ended with a call to solidarity for a greener, safer world.
