(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 20. Andrew Harper,
Special Advisor on Climate Action to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, led a session at ADA University titled
“Displaced and at Increasing Risk: The Impact of the Climate
Crisis.” As part of the "29 Climate Conversations: The Road to
COP29" series, the session focused on the urgent need to protect
climate-displaced communities and ensure their inclusion in global
climate policies, Trend reports.
Dr. Fariz Ismailzade, Vice Rector of ADA University, welcomed
participants, stressing the importance of addressing climate change
and displacement. Nasar Hayat, UN Resident Coordinator a.i.,
introduced Harper, highlighting his critical role in guiding
UNHCR's response to the climate crisis and managing major refugee
crises.
In the interactive session, expertly moderated by Damjan
Krnjević Mišković, Professor of Practice at ADA University, Harper
emphasized the compounded vulnerabilities faced by refugees
displaced by conflict and further impacted by climate change. He
noted that displaced communities, particularly women and children,
bear a disproportionate burden due to a lack of resources and
adaptive capacity. The discussion also centered on the need for
channeling climate finance to these vulnerable populations and
ensuring their inclusion in global climate policies, especially in
the lead-up to COP29.
Within his visit to Azerbaijan, to attend the 3rd Meeting of the
Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, Harper met
with COP29 President-Designate, Minister of Ecology and Natural
Resources, Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, and Senior Adviser to the COP29
Chief Negotiator, Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov. The discussions
underscored Azerbaijan's preparations for COP29 and stressed the
importance of including forcibly displaced populations in
consultations and decision-making, particularly regarding the Loss
and Damage Fund, adaptation mechanisms, and overall COP
negotiations.
During the interactions, Harper highlighted the significance of
addressing human security, especially for women and children, who
are most affected by climate change and displacement. Expressing
optimism about Azerbaijan's leadership and contribution to global
climate solutions, he emphasized the importance of reinforcing the
need for global cooperation and stronger climate financing to
safeguard and protect vulnerable communities.
The "29 Climate Conversations: The Road to COP29" series, led by
the United Nations in Azerbaijan, aims to foster collaboration and
dialogue across sectors in preparation for COP29, which will be
held in Baku in November 2024.
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