Azerbaijan to Submit COP 29 Climate Plan by September
LONDON (Reuters) — Azerbaijan, host of last year's United Nations climate summit, will deliver its overdue climate action plan by September, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev told Reuters on May 1, adding the oil-producing country was advancing its green energy transition.
Azerbaijan had said it would use its presidency of the annual U.N. talks to lead by example and persuade countries to submit national climate plans aligned with the U.N. goal to try to limit warming to 1.5 C above preindustrial levels.
The Paris Agreement requires all countries to submit Nationally Determined Contributions, or climate action plans, that describe policies or decisions to cut emissions, and update them every few years.
But only a handful of countries submitted plans by the original February deadline, and Azerbaijan was among those who failed to do so, prompting the U.N. to extend the deadline to September.
'It is very easy to declare something,' Babayev said, noting that countries may have delayed submission of their NDCs due to the need for more preparation to develop their programs.
He said Azerbaijan was developing a comprehensive program for a transition to a lower carbon economy and would submit its plan by September.
Campaigners are concerned global efforts to tackle climate change are losing momentum after the United States, historically the biggest producer of greenhouse gases, under President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the United Nations' efforts and big business has abandoned sustainability goals.
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