The activities of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) continued Saturday, November 16 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The day includes several events in both the blue and green zones.
Blue Zone events
The COP29 Presidency, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), will organize the world's most prominent climate event. The ministerial meeting will focus on enabling regional partnerships for the transition to a circular economy under the slogan "Towards a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Future through Resource Efficiency."
The COP29 presidency is also organizing a session titled "Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Landlocked Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities."
Green digital work
The organization of a high-level roundtable on green digital work, which will launch the COP29 Declaration on green digital work, is also under the supervision of the COP presidency in Baku.
The Presidency of the Conference of the Parties, in partnership with the Azerbaijan National Space Agency (Azercosmos), is hosting the World Space Leaders Summit in the region. The summit will address global cooperation among space agencies to utilize space resources for monitoring climate impacts and mitigating their effects, leading to a commitment from participating space agencies to expand climate initiatives.
High-level Earth Champions
The COP29 presidency is organizing a high-level roundtable for Earth Champions, an event that highlights the role of small and medium-sized enterprises as a driver for a just transition and a resilient green economy.
This special event, held as part of the agenda of the 29th Conference of the Parties, brings together stakeholders across the business, finance, academic, governmental, subnational city, international organization, and policymaker sectors in a dialogue aimed at amplifying the role of small and medium-sized enterprises as critical drivers of the transition to a resilient, emission-free future and exploring how to mobilize more systematic and field support for small and medium-sized enterprises to respond to the upcoming transformation.
The ADA University in Azerbaijan is organizing a discussion session titled "The Caspian Sea Basin: A Turning Point—A Regional Policy Framework for Mitigation and Resilience Strategies."
In order to boost resilience, the COP29 presidency will host a high-level event on improving climate information and multi-hazard early warning systems.
This event focuses on enhancing early warning systems to mitigate the impacts of climate disasters, based on the UN's EW4All initiative. The event will highlight the role of early warning systems in saving lives, reducing economic losses, and addressing challenges in risk prediction and mitigation, such as droughts and floods.
Investment in climate for children
The COP29 presidency, in collaboration with UNICEF, will organize a session titled "Closing the Climate Financing Gap: Investing in Climate Action for Children."
Under the auspices of the COP29 presidency, the Blue Zone will witness the launch ceremony of the Football Clubs for Climate Alliance.
Baku Dialogue for Indigenous Peoples
The Blue Zone concludes its sixth day with the organization of the COP29 Presidency's Baku Dialogue on Climate with Indigenous Peoples. This dialogue aims to foster a conducive environment within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, enabling deeper participation of indigenous peoples and enhancing their role in transformative climate policies and actions. It also aims to identify needs and priorities, as well as expectations from the 29th Conference of the Parties.
Green Zone activities
The Green Zone kicks off its activities for the sixth day by organizing a discussion session titled "Leaders of Tomorrow: The Official Youth Dialogue at the UN Climate Change Conference COP29" by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Azerbaijan.
The dialogue aims to bring together official youth delegations from various countries to exchange best practices on the youth and climate agenda at the national level.
We anticipate that the groups will share presentations and briefs about their national agendas related to youth, climate, and sustainable development goals.
By facilitating direct dialogue among official young delegates, the event aims to empower the next generation of leaders and enhance collective efforts in addressing climate change at both regional and global levels.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani state oil company "SOCAR" will support the "Sustainable Innovation Challenge" in a discussion session, highlighting advanced solutions in climate technology and clean technology.
Malaysian youth for climate advocacy
The region is hosting an interactive workshop on the role of Malaysian youth in climate advocacy and cultural resilience, showcasing how Malaysian youth are revolutionizing climate communications through two dynamic presentations. Participants will learn how local actions can inspire broader engagement and how traditional knowledge can be a powerful tool for climate resilience.
Empowering youth for a climate revolution
The region will host a session titled "Empowering Youth for a Digital Climate Revolution," aimed at exploring the intersection between digital solutions and climate action, with a particular focus on youth participation as a driving force for innovation and change.
Artificial intelligence and the energy transition
SOCAR will organize a session titled "Application of Artificial Intelligence for Energy Transition," where the national oil company of Azerbaijan will showcase its advanced solutions for tracking and reducing methane emissions, a key component of its "net zero" target for 2050.
These solutions use advanced technologies, including ground measurements, satellites, and drones, to ensure the accurate detection and management of emissions.
Climate finance and the green transition
In a panel discussion on climate finance, the Conference of the Parties explores the crucial role of financial institutions in leading the global response to climate change.
While industries and governments work to reduce carbon emissions and adopt sustainability, this discussion will shed light on the increasing demand for climate-aligned investments.
