High-level round table on COP28 and COP29 kicks off in Paris
Paris : A high-level round table dedicated to the 28th and 29th sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has started at the headquarters of the International Energy Agency in Paris.Azerbaijan is represented at the meeting by the Deputy Foreign Minister, and Chief Negotiator of COP29, Yalcin Rafiyev.The round table is attended by world leaders in the fields of climate and energy, officials, and diplomats from different countries.The main objective of the roundtable discussions, led by COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber, is to review the results of COP28 within the consensus of the United Arab Emirates and identify the next steps for COP29.Deputy Foreign Minister Yalcin Rafiyev, who will represent Azerbaijan at the event, met with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.At the meeting, the Deputy Minister emphasised that at COP29, the participating countries should make important decisions in the fight against climate change.The sides exchanged views on possible prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Baku COP29.Recall, that Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev said during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference said that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) to be held in Azerbaijan will be dedicated to transparency and inclusiveness.”We invite all countries to participate in this amazing event in Baku. We are confident that we can achieve positive results. At the same time, we believe that this is a great opportunity to take advantage of the successful consensus reached in Dubai, pass it on to Baku and in 2025 to Brazil,” he said.Mukhtar Babayev also noted that cooperation within the framework of the troika of presidents of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) is “a good chance to move the process forward on the climate agenda together”.This year, Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). The decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year.COP30 will be held in Brazil in 2025.We are hoping that working together on Mission 1.5, we are going to be able, with the international community, with international agencies like the IEA, to work with us on helping countries to develop not only the targets but the plans to implement their NDCs,” said Secretary Toni, referring to the new pledge by the COP28, COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to team up and collaborate in order to keep the 1.5 °C goal within reach.Dr Birol noted several actions the IEA will take to help lead the implementation of the COP28 agreement, as called upon by ministers of IEA member countries at the IEA’s Ministerial Meeting in Paris last week.These include tracking and reporting on the COP28 commitments, in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), supporting countries as they develop the next round of NDCs, and helping develop solutions to deliver greater financing for clean energy transitions, particularly in emerging and developing economies.Dr Birol also announced that the IEA, which last year convened five High-Level Dialogues with the COP28 Presidency that were instrumental in building global consensus ahead of the Dubai summit, will launch a new series in partnership with the COP29 Presidency. These roundtables will provide an important venue for countries to share experiences and expertise as they navigate the complexities of developing new NDCs and transition plans, and to establish priorities ahead of COP29 in November.