COP For Hope: Secretary General Asad Khan Highlights ECO's Vision For Just Green Transition At COP29 (Exclusive Interview)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 22. 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 Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Amb. Dr. Asad M. Khan.

In an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of COP29, Asad Khan noted that ECO, as an intergovernmental organization of ten developing countries, including Azerbaijan as the COP29 Presidency, attaches great significance to COP29 which has been hailed as a 'Finance COP', with the hope that there will be agreement on a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on finance, commensurate with the needs of developing countries in facing huge climate-related challenges.

"Our region includes countries from South Asia to West Asia, Central Asia and Caucasus, some of which are the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change, like land degradation, water stress, desertification and glacial melt. In this regard, climate change is an existential threat for our populations which is over 500 million inhabitants in the region. Therefore, it is a priority item on our agenda, and we are closely following the issue," he said.

Asad Khan pointed out that activities aimed at tackling climate change in vulnerable regions like ECO are to a great extent tied to proportionate means of implementation, especially finance.

"The vulnerable countries' need is not only a green but also a just transition that leaves nobody behind. We believe that if the green transition doesn't work for all, in the end, it will work for none. So, we must ensure that all countries benefit from such a transition and avoid putting extra burden on those who can least afford it and have had the least impact on climate," noted ECO's secretary general.

He went on to add that the ECO Secretariat in partnership with the COP29 Presidency of Azerbaijan mapped out the new Regional Initiative on Resource Efficiency, Sustainability, and Circular Economy in the ECO Region, aptly designated in the acronym RESCUE.

"This Initiative was presented during the Ministerial Meeting on Circular Economy which was co-organized by ECO, UNEP, and the COP29 Presidency on the margins of COP29. The Initiative could remarkably contribute to enhancing climate resilience in the region through creating a regional cooperation platform that will advocate for a just transition to a resource-efficient, circular, and regenerative economy.

We often speak about the need to further integrate and mainstream the environment into different aspects of our development, and climate activities to promote environmental and climate action. The circular economy evidently provides a doable framework to achieve this objective by focusing on resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable production and consumption. Furthermore, the circular economy approach amplifies the values and traditions we have developed over generations in respecting and valuing natural resources and ecosystems. Through such a holistic approach to resource management and sustainability, we can create more effective strategies that integrate innovative economic models into time-tested traditional practices," Asad Khan explained.

As for the ECO-UNIDO Clean Energy Center, newly inaugurated during COP29, the secretary general noted that the overarching objective of this project is to increase ECO Member States' access to modern, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy services, as well as energy security and mitigation of negative externalities of energy.

"The Centre is expected to create an enabling environment for regional sustainable energy markets and investments. We are convinced that it will become a promising element of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centers.

The main target beneficiaries of the activities of the Centre shall consist primarily of renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE & EE) market players and enablers in the ECO region. More specifically, policymakers in energy and related sectors, regulators, private sector, manufacturers, project developers, financing institutions, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and grid operators in the ECO member states will benefit from the Centre's activities. Moreover, the greater population in the ECO region will have increased access to modern energy services through increased market penetration of RE technologies and systems and EE technologies and services," he explained.

Asad Khan believes that the previous and ongoing experience of the GN-SEC network will be invaluable for the establishment and running of the CECECO.

"The longevity of the existing centers means many of the identified risks have already been faced and addressed in some form, depending on the circumstances. The GN-SEC centers network will therefore be an invaluable resource for the CECECO in terms of mitigating and handling risks on an ongoing basis.

The CECECO strategies are:

• Creating a regional sustainable energy promotion agency and efficiently managing it;
• Creating enabling policy, legal, and incentive frameworks;
• Creating and implementing effective sustainable energy qualification, innovation, certification, and accreditation frameworks for sustainable energy;
• Effective knowledge and data management, as well as awareness raising and advocacy;
• Mobilize investments in sustainable energy infrastructure and manufacturing and servicing industries," he said.

He expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for taking the lead to host the Center, consistent with its overall proactive contributions to the work of the ECO, and in promoting clean energy pathways to the development and promotion of climate resilience.

"All ECO Member States are expected to be actively involved in the operationalization process, most notably in terms of signing and ratifying the Charter of CECECO, considering the allocation of voluntary funds, and rendering political and technical support. Fund-raising is instrumental by key stakeholders, namely ECO, UNIDO, the host country, other Member States, and international donors. ECO Secretariat will continue its engagement with UNIDO and other potential partners to ensure the successful and meaningful operation of the Center," Asad Khan concluded.

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