(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 Archbishop Seraphim Kikotis of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Zimbabwe.

In an exclusive interview with Trend , Kikotis called for a significant increase in funding to combat climate change, stressing that the annual financial commitment should rise to $400 billion, up from the previously cited $100 billion.

The Archbishop also recognized the exceptional hospitality of the Azerbaijani people, conveying appreciation for their welcoming reception.

"We were welcomed with great warmth. Thank you for that. On the issue of climate change, António Guterres stated that the Paris Agreement remains largely unfulfilled.

As you know, this agreement was presented to the international community nearly a decade ago. Large nations must work together to achieve the set goals. I do not want our children to suffer because of our collective irresponsibility. We hope that leaders will reach a consensus on key issues, allowing us to determine how to allocate funding for climate action in Brazil next year. We must recognize that people depend on nature for survival, not the other way around," he added.

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.

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.

MENAFN15112024000187011040ID1108891759