The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), set to take place in Azerbaijan this November, presents an excellent opportunity for the country to further assert itself in global politics, according to Paolo von Schirach, President of the Global Policy Institute and Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bay Atlantic University (BAU) in Washington, D.C, Report informs.
The COP29 climate conference in Baku is a fantastic chance to demonstrate the country's potential, he said, noting that for 12 days in November, delegates from around the world will gather in Azerbaijan, spending several days in the country and organizing numerous side events on climate issues. There will be thousands of attendees, including genuine experts in climate science, development, economics, and energy.
Having attended several meetings with the COP29 organizing team, the expert expressed confidence that the upcoming event in Baku will be a resounding success, thanks to their high level of professionalism.
Paolo von Schirach noted that while in Azerbaijan, he held several meetings with the COP29 team. According to him, the process of preparing for such a large-scale event proved to be quite complex, and he was unable to fully grasp all aspects of the preparation, agenda, issues, and negotiations.
"Nevertheless, I can say with certainty that the current team was an excellent choice, and they will undoubtedly accomplish their task," the professor noted.
According to Paolo von Schirach, though many countries strive to transition to green energy, the world will continue to depend on oil and gas for many years to come, regardless of our attitudes. "This is due to the nature of human activity, as we do not yet have reliable alternatives that can completely replace oil and gas," he said.
Paolo von Schirach noted that the shift towards renewable energy sources is a very positive trend. While the share of renewables in the global energy mix is growing rapidly, this field has not yet firmly established itself in the market, he said.
Paolo von Schirach added that renewables cannot compete on equal terms with carbon sources in terms of economic efficiency. Therefore, backup systems or batteries are needed to store electricity generated, for example, on sunny days and transmit it to the grid or consumers at night. The same applies to wind energy. Sometimes the wind is strong, he said noting that Baku is famous for its wind, which may give the city an advantage in productivity compared to other districts.
"But, nevertheless, all of this is still in development, but technologies will evolve, or perhaps new ones will emerge," he concluded.