Azerbaijan’s initiatives on ‘Climate and Peace Connection’ earn support at Pre-COP

A side event of Pre-COP dedicated to the connection between climate change and global peace was held under the organization of the COP29 Presidency.

Report informs that government representatives from member countries, UN agencies, and civil society organizations participated in the event, discussing the negative impact of climate-related threats such as water scarcity, food shortages, and land degradation on international peace and stability, and the importance of global solutions in this area.

Ambassador Elshad Isgandarov, Senior Adviser to the COP29 Presidency Negotiating Team, presented climate change as a "factor increasing the risk of conflict," emphasizing its negative impacts on national resources and forced displacement. He introduced the COP29 presidency's initiatives in this area, including the concept of the Baku Center for Climate and Peace Action. Additionally, an initial draft of the Baku Call for Peace for Climate, which includes practical steps to prevent climate-related security threats to international peace, was presented for discussion.

Representatives from Italy, Egypt, the UK, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Germany, Uganda, Ireland, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as representatives from the International Organization for Migration, UN Development Program, and other international organizations, hailed Azerbaijan's initiatives as practical steps against future threats and expressed their support for Azerbaijan's initiatives.

At the same time, participants were informed about the objectives of the COP29 Peace, Relief, and Recovery Day (PRR) Day to be held on November 15. The purpose of this day is to advance actions on the connection between climate change and peace. The discussions also noted the importance of strengthening cooperation to achieve successful joint outcomes on COP29 Peace Day.