BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 21. The absence of
several countries’ participation in the Water Convention in the
region makes cross-border cooperation impossible, said Vugar
Kerimov, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of
Azerbaijan, Trend
reports.
In his address to the event on “The Role of Climate-Informed
Transboundary Water Management in Ensuring the Progress of the
United Arab Emirates in the Framework of Global Resilience to
Climate Change” as part of the COP29, Kerimov spoke on the
priorities of the convention.
“Transboundary waters are one of Azerbaijan’s strategic
priorities. Our country is located in the lower reaches of large
transboundary water bodies, such as the Hakari, Bargushad,
Okhchuchay, Kura, and Aras rivers, whose waters flow into the
Caspian Sea, playing a significant role in the socio-economic
development of the region. For many years, the Okhchuchay River has
been severely polluted in Armenia, posing a significant threat to
the ecosystem and water security of the entire region.
Azerbaijan places great importance on joint efforts in
transboundary water management based on international law
principles and has been a member of the United Nations Water
Convention since 2000. Unfortunately, the lack of participation by
other countries in the Water Convention in the region hinders
cross-border cooperation and limits the potential for sustainable
water management.
Membership in this convention is of strategic importance,
especially considering the challenges our country faces in managing
transboundary water resources. In particular, with about 70 percent
of Azerbaijan’s water resources derived from transboundary rivers,
the cooperation opportunities provided by international law are
crucial.
Fair and sustainable management of transboundary waters is not
the responsibility of one country alone but of the entire region.
To achieve this, we must intensify our joint efforts.
Our gathering here today proves that we are ready to act
together and share our knowledge and experience. I am confident
that the discussions held at this event will create new
opportunities for collaboration in transboundary water management
and contribute to building a sustainable future for the entire
region,” he said.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run
until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November
11.
The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and
ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate
finance.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement
signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous
human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP
(Conference of Parties) stands for “Conference of Parties” and is
the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the
Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless
otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first
COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is
located in Bonn.
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