Pakistan, Azerbaijan vow to work jointly for enhancing climate action, resilience

Islamabad : Prime Minister's Coordinator for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Romina Khurshid Alam on Saturday said the Republic of Azerbaijan and Pakistan would work together to boost climate action and launch joint climate change adaptation initiatives for building climate resilience of the lives and livelihoods of the people and vulnerable ecosystems.

They also announced to launch joint climate transparency report at the upcoming 29th Session of global climate summit, also called COP-29, to be held in Baku this year for synergised and concerted response to the global warming challenge.

Addressing a joint presser flanked by Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources Azerbaijan and President-designate COP-29, Mukhtar Babayev here at F-9 Park, the PM's Coordinator said the governments of Pakistan and Azerbaijan had discussed pertinent issues regarding National Adaptation Plan, Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus Initiative, Loss and Damage Fund mobilization, Climate Finance, G-77 plus China, Global Climate Vulnerability Index which is the priority of Pakistan to raise plight of most climate vulnerable states at the COP-20 forum. Romina Khurshid said the Azerbaijan Minister called on the President and Prime Minister and extended his state's invitation to attend the COP-29 conference in Baku.

She said both the sides had discussed the contours of bilateral cooperation and engagement for participation at the COP forum and the preparations to be made for a meaningful participation/

She added that the One house, one tree programme (Green Pakistan Programme) has been started in Saudi Arabia, where the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination were serving to assist the Saudi government. She added that the Pakistani delegation would proceed under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the COP-29 forum. On the occasion, Mukhtar Babayev said Azerbaijan vision was clear to promoted collective work and activities within the climate agenda, whereas he had planted trees at the F-9 Park alongwith his delegation to renew the pledge for nature conservation. He mentioned that extensive discussions were made with partners in Pakistan on common aspects related to climate change.

He thanked the Pakistani government for giving the opportunity to initiate dialogue on COP-29 forum preparations and deliberations on the climate agenda. "Our goal is to promote climate action. Pakistan is the best opportunity for us to work together to protect nature, whereas further meetings are underway," he added.