On 20 June, EU Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra visited Azerbaijan in the context of the preparations for COP29 to be hosted in Baku in November 2024. He held several high-level bilateral meetings in Baku with representatives of the government: Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Energy Mr. Parviz Shahbazov and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov. Commissioner Hoekstra also met with civil society representatives.

The main aim of the visit was to discuss the preparations, the priorities, and deliverables of COP29 with Azerbaijan as the incoming COP29 Presidency. These are the follow-up to the UAE consensus, climate finance, Article 6 and international carbon markets, adaptation, and transparency reporting (countries will submit their Biennial Transparency Reports this year), amongst others.

He had a constructive and very insightful meeting with COP29 President-designate and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev and the COP29 Presidency team. They also discussed how Azerbaijan plans to fast-forward its own climate targets.

At the meeting with Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, they discussed the importance of the EU and Azerbaijan’s strategic energy partnership and possible COP29 initiatives on renewables, hydrogen, methane, storage, and grids.

The meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov focused on the priorities of COP29, the plans for the Global Climate Action Agenda which will take place in parallel to the formal negotiations, as well as the importance of inclusivity for the COP. They also discussed human rights, civil society, and the peace process.

During the meeting with civil society representatives, the Commissioner noted that the rule of law and human rights are at the core of the EU’s values and that civil society is an important partner of cooperation. COP29 will need to facilitate civil society participation in the negotiations and the debate on a green transition.

This mission was an important step on the road to COP29 and meetings at the technical and political levels will intensify in the weeks and months ahead. The Commissioner is grateful for the hospitality received and affirmed that the European Union and that the EU negotiation team will constructively engage at all levels to forge an agreement at COP29 in November 2024.