Urgent call to tackle climate crisis leads day 1 of UN climate change conference

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Participants stressed the critical stage of global warming on day one of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Monday.

Opening the summit, United Arab Emirates climate change special envoy Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber highlighted the need for global unity on climate action.

Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 president and Azerbaijani minister of ecology and natural resources, acknowledged that negotiations, especially on climate finance, would be "complex and challenging."

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell warned that at least two-thirds of nations must commit to rapid emission reductions, as failure would cause every nation to pay a "brutal price."

A report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), released during COP29, warned of climate change's intensifying impact due to rising greenhouse gas levels, noting that 2024 will likely be the hottest year on record

Turkish pavilion draws attention

Turkiye's pavilion at COP29 drew significant attention, inaugurated by Environment Minister Murat Kurum, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, and Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli.

Speaking at the pavilion, Kurum said this year's conference is uniquely significant to Turkiye as it is being held in Azerbaijan, Turkiye's sister nation.

"We are here with a very strong team in order to stand with our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters," he said.

The World Leaders Climate Action Summit (WLCAS), set for Wednesday as part of COP29, will feature leaders from around 100 countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

*Writing by Yasin Gungor​​​​​​​