Culture Plays Crucial Role In Achieving Sustainable Climate Solutions - COP29 Lead Negotiator

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 15. Culture plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable climate solutions, said Yalchin Rafiyev, COP29 Lead Negotiator and Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs at the 2nd High-Level Ministerial Dialogue for Culture-Based Climate Action at COP29, Trend reports.

"As we conclude the second ministerial dialogue on culture-based climate actions at COP29, we are witnessing significant progress in recognizing the cultural aspects of climate actions. This dialogue has strengthened our shared belief that culture is a key element in achieving sustainable climate solutions," he said.

Rafiyev highlighted that the meeting successfully united international consensus on the importance of integrating culture into climate policy. It also laid the groundwork for the establishment of a "Group of Friends" initiative, creating clear frameworks for culture-based climate actions that foster exchanges between the Global North and South and between Southern nations while promoting fair and inclusive climate solutions.

"Our discussions on developing impact measurement strategies and accelerating global adaptation efforts have laid a solid foundation for further action," he noted. "During the sessions, we heard from representatives of various countries and organizations who shared their visions of how culturally oriented climate actions can boost climate ambition and support the implementation of the global final analysis," he added.

The lead negotiator emphasized that these discussions underscored the importance of transparency and accountability in climate efforts, ensuring that initiatives remain both effective and credible.

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

Within COP29, the highest level event - the summit of world leaders on climate action – was held on November 12–13.

The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The COP29 chairmanship has launched 14 initiatives that include linkages between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals, including green energy corridors, green energy storage, harmony for climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, action on green digital technologies, and other topics.

In addition to being a top priority that creates the conditions for action, creating climate finance will also help fulfill the 1.5°C pledge by bringing everyone together.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for“Conference of Parties” and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.

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