President Aliyev declares 2024 as Green World Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan

BAKU. Dec 25 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has declared 2024 as the Green World Solidarity Year in Azerbaijan.

Aliyev's decree to this end was published on the presidential website on Monday.

"This decision has been adopted in order to enhance international solidarity in the global effort against climate change," the document said.

The Azerbaijani presidential administration has been given a month to draw up an action plan after declaring 2024 as the Green World Solidarity Year and to submit it to the president.

Azerbaijan has been contributing to measures to deal with the consequences of climate change, including through environmental enhancement, efforts to rehabilitate and expand green spaces, the efficient use of water resources and sustainable energy sources, the document said.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan has set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and 40% by 2050, as compared to the baseline year (1990). Karabakh, East Zangezur and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have been declared green energy areas, which benefit from innovative approaches such as "smart city" and "smart village" initiatives, contributing to ecosystem restoration.

"The creation of green energy sources and the global distribution of green energy are the priorities of Azerbaijan's energy policy, as it seeks to bring the share of renewable energy sources in its electricity generating capacity to 30% by 2030," the document said.

The unanimous decision to hold the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan "reflects the international community's profound respect and trust in this country," it said.