COP For Hope: Mastercard Actively Considering Partnerships Within COP29 - General Director (Exclusive Interview)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 15. As part of COP29 in Baku, Trend News Agency proudly presents COP for Hope, a special project offering an unparalleled platform to hear from world leaders and trailblazers in politics, economics, science, and ecology, all united by a shared commitment to addressing today's pressing climate challenges.

Today, we are honored to speak with General Director of Mastercard for Azerbaijan and Türkiye Avşar Gürdal.

In an exclusive interview with Trend, he stressed that Mastercard is actively considering partnerships within COP29.

"Within COP29, Mastercard is focusing on initiatives that promote environmental awareness, corporate and civic responsibility in Azerbaijan. We have several issuer and merchant partnerships focused on ESG, including the Sustainability Sandbox Hackathon, a virtual competition that challenges fintech startups to create solutions addressing climate change and encourage innovative, sustainable solutions," the general director said.

According to him, in partnership with Rabitabank, Mastercard launched Carbon Calculator, which will help consumers track and manage their carbon footprint.

"This tool is designed to help people make informed choices about their environmental impact. We are also partnering with ABB and Apar, which introduce eco-friendly pedal and electric bikes in urban areas. The aim of these initiatives is to raise awareness of the importance of reducing carbon emissions and to encourage people to use greener modes of transport. Mastercard supports this initiative, participating from a financial corporate impact point of view.

We've also partnered with Baku Taxi to incentivize hybrid taxis through discounts on Mastercard while at the same time contributing to lower emissions and providing more sustainable travel options," Gürdal also said.

The general director, when asked about possible partnerships at COP29, noted that Mastercard is actively exploring such prospects.

"Our partnership with Rabitabank is already a key example of our efforts to provide consumers with practical tools for environmental stewardship. So is our partnership with the aforementioned ABB and Apar. Such cooperation is crucial to strengthening our impact and building a collective approach to addressing not only financial issues but also environmental issues in Azerbaijan," he emphasized.

Gürdal pointed out that Mastercard has a clear action plan to reduce our carbon footprint and support responsible environmental practices.

"We aim to achieve zero emissions by 2040. One of the main components of this plan is the Sustainable Card pledge, which aims to phase out PVC plastic in all payment cards by 2028. We are encouraging local banks in Azerbaijan to commit to eliminating PVC plastic from their Mastercard card ranges as early as 2026. Several banks in Azerbaijan have already joined this initiative, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability. This plan reflects our commitment to making tangible progress in reducing plastic waste and promoting environmentally responsible practices in the financial sector," the general director mentioned.

According to him, the COP29 conference is important for everyone.

"The conference is important for everyone as it serves as a global platform for addressing climate change and accelerating progress toward sustainability. For Mastercard, it aligns with our commitment to advancing sustainable practices and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. We hope to inspire people and organizations to think about their environmental impact and make responsible choices. In the long term, we aim to drive industry-wide change and introduce innovative solutions that benefit the economy, society, and environment," Gürdal concluded.

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) opened on November 11. COP29, which is being held at the Baku Olympic Stadium, will continue until November 22. It is the largest event organized by Azerbaijan to date, and the first time in the region that it is being held in Azerbaijan.

The key expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance.

A total of 14 initiatives have been put forward by the COP29 Chairmanship.

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