The capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, is hosting the Conference of the Parties (COP29), which is now in its 10th day and features a variety of climate-related events.
Blue Zone Events
The Blue Zone will launch the events of the tenth day of the COP29 Conference of the Parties on November 20, 2024, by organizing a high-level event on multi-level and multi-sectoral climate action, under the auspices of the COP29 presidency. This will serve as the official opening of the Urban Day and the launch of the COP29 Declaration on Multi-Sectoral Action Pathways (MAP) for resilient and healthy cities.
The COP29 presidency will also organize an event to explore safe, efficient, and climate-resilient transport corridors.
Tourism Day
At a high-level meeting on enhancing action in the field of tourism, the COP29 presidency, in partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organization, will launch the first-ever Tourism Day in the history of the Conference of the Parties, which will witness the unveiling of the COP29 Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action in Tourism.
Sustainable Transportation
The region will witness a panel discussion titled "Urban Impact: How Cities Can Accelerate the Climate Agenda," which will address the ways cities around the world are leading efforts to combat climate change. It will also showcase exemplary projects led by cities that tackle key environmental issues, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing green spaces, and developing sustainable transportation options.
On its part, the leading German logistics group, Rhenus, will organize a session titled "Connecting Continents: Sustainable Transport and Logistics along the Silk Road—Europe and Latin America," as logistics and transport are crucial in shaping global trade and impacting progress and quality of life worldwide.
However, with billions of tons of goods transported annually, the sector significantly contributes to global carbon dioxide emissions. The discussion will focus on achieving a carbon-neutral society by identifying supply chain challenges and collaborating on developing actionable solutions.
Green Buildings
In a high-level roundtable, the Conference of the Parties will address green building, energy efficiency in buildings, climate change adaptation in cities, and the goal of turning ambition into action in the building and construction sector, as well as in the fields of energy efficiency and urban resilience, through early warning systems in cities.
The high-level roundtable's "Greening Urban Transport" session will also explore how to transition to a green and sustainable urban transport system and build resilient infrastructure.
The Blue Zone will also host a discussion session titled "Sailing into the Future: Decarbonizing the Maritime Sector for a Sustainable Tomorrow" during the tenth day's events. Through a high-level roundtable, the Azerbaijani government's tourism agency aims to increase the climate ambition of the tourism sector and transition from the commitment stage to implementation.
A high-level table titled "Financing Urban Climate Action," will also explore the challenges and opportunities in accelerating the financing of urban climate action while also discussing existing innovative financing mechanisms and how they can be scaled up to deliver more climate action in cities.
In another high-level negotiation table, the COP29 presidency will focus on the issue of "nature, health, and resilience in cities," where it will explore how to address extreme heat in cities, build resilience to climate change, and improve public health, including through nature-based solutions, sustainable cooling, urban greening, urban agriculture, and climate change adaptation measures.
The Sustainable Middle Corridor
The presidency of the Conference of the Parties, in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), will organize a ministerial roundtable on the sustainable and digital middle corridor and beyond, focusing on recent developments and upcoming initiatives to enhance sustainability and digital transformation along and beyond the middle corridor.
In partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the COP29 Presidency will launch the Green Smart Cities Forum in the Central Asia region.
Green Zone Events
The Green Zone will launch the tenth day of the COP29 with an exhibition showcasing Turkey's unique green wealth to a global audience. The exhibition aims to emphasize the importance of green assets in Turkey in the context of building a more sustainable future, promoting a healthy environment, and protecting biodiversity for balanced sustainability.
Inspiring Journey for Indian Child
In the session "Prasidhi Singh: Communicating for the Earth—A Child Environmentalist's Perspective," the Indian child and environmental activist Prasidhi Singh will share his inspiring and unique journey in leading climate action through communication. From working with rural communities and companies to leveraging social media, Prasidhi has learned how effective communication—whether in person or online—can reshape the global sustainability narrative.
In a session titled "Climate Mobility in South Asia: Urban Challenges and Human Impact," the Green Zone will explore the growing issue of climate mobility in South Asia, focusing on its impact on major urban centers such as Karachi and Mumbai. As climate change intensifies, cities increasingly face challenges such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and resource scarcity, which drive internal and cross-border migration.
The Green Zone will highlight the role of media in sustainable development and tourism during a discussion session, contributing to ensuring that tourism helps nature and does not harm it.
Green buildings
The International Finance Corporation will invite participants at the 29th Conference of the Parties to explore actionable strategies and align public and private sector efforts for a resilient and carbon-free construction sector in a discussion session titled "Green Buildings and Decarbonizing the Construction Sector." The main discussions will cover aligning green building standards with climate action plans, financing options such as green mortgages, and cooperation models that have successfully accelerated sustainable urban growth.
