“Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW2025) partnerships and initiatives are a key part of the legacy from COP29. This time last year, Azerbaijan was about to host COP29. At that moment, the eyes of the world were upon us. Hosting COP29 was important for us. It was a chance to demonstrate that any nation can provide leadership and deliver results,” said Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President and Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues, as he addressed the opening ceremony of BCAW2025.

Noting that under the clear direction of the President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan embraced the task, he emphasized: “Nearly 70,000 guests were received within the framework of COP29. We built international friendships and partnerships that continue to serve us today. And we established a reputation for successfully managing global events and complex diplomatic negotiations. By the end of the conference, we proved to the world that we could be trusted with the greatest challenges.

“First, we concluded long-delayed negotiations on carbon markets. Multilateral development banks announced 170 billion dollars a year by 2030. And finally, after many rounds of complex and challenging negotiations, we set the new Baku Finance Goal. Donor governments agreed to mobilise at least 300 billion dollars a year by 2035. And we are working on the Baku-to-Belem Roadmap to go further. But we also worked across many thematic areas to build partnerships, raise awareness, and address the many qualitative elements of climate change. We encouraged countries to invest. Today, the COP29 Presidency remains active. We are continuing to build on our partnerships and initiatives,” Mukhtar Babayev added.

“We are preparing to host the world again for the World Urban Forum in 2026. These successes are a clear result of President Ilham Aliyev`s far-sighted vision, leadership and support.”