OSCE PA Vice President: Global approach to climate change must shift

On November 18, Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament), met with Pere Joan Pons, the Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) and Special Representative on Climate Change, within the framework of COP29 in Baku, Report informs, citing Milli Majlis.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the successful organization of COP29 and the Parliamentary Meeting, as well as the discussions held during these events.

They noted that all countries are affected by climate change, and combating it requires the joint efforts and involvement of all parties. The sides expressed confidence that COP29 would result in important decisions that would enable effective action against climate change.

The conversation highlighted the crucial role of parliaments in addressing climate change issues. It was recalled that the two-day Parliamentary Meeting was attended by over 90 delegations from national parliaments, inter-parliamentary organizations, and other institutions.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova noted that this demonstrates Azerbaijan's intention to participate in this process, and the final document adopted at the end of the meeting reflects the common position.

Pere Joan Pons, in turn, congratulated Azerbaijan for successfully hosting such a prestigious event. In his opinion, the global approach to climate change issues should change, and attention to this area should increase further. He expressed confidence that the decisions adopted at COP29 would lead to significant results for the entire world.

During the conversation, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova informed the opposite side about the current situation in the region. She stated that Azerbaijan's territories were under occupation for nearly 30 years, and the OSCE Minsk Group, which had been engaged in resolving the now-past conflict, was unable to solve the problem. The speaker said that Azerbaijan resolved this issue on its own, through its own strength. Therefore, the OSCE Minsk Group has already lost its relevance.

Gafarova noted that after Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty, smear campaigns and pressure were carried out against the country by some states. She underlined that these attempts intensified, especially on the eve of COP29.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova also briefed the other party about the green energy projects implemented in Azerbaijan's liberated territories and the work carried out based on the concepts of smart cities and smart villages.

According to her, Azerbaijan has included the green agenda in its national development programs and is implementing projects related to renewable energy.

The meeting also reviewed issues of international cooperation between the parliaments.