Strong legal mechanisms essential to limit global warming: COP29 president

Robust legal mechanisms are essential to limit global warming to 1.5°C, Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, COP29 President-Designate, said on Friday.

He made the remarks during an international conference, themed “Law and Climate”, which was held in Baku, News.Az reports.

Babayev stressed that climate change and its environmental impacts are pressing global issues.

“The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change brings nations together to address these challenges, and the Conference of Parties (COP), as the Convention's main decision-making body, plays a crucial role. The decision to hold the December COP in Azerbaijan reflects international confidence and respect for the country, showcasing its commitment to autonomous policy and international law,” he said.

The COP29 president highlighted that climate change is impacting the region visibly, affecting agriculture, water resources, forests, biodiversity, health care, tourism, and other sectors. “Of particular concern is the significant decrease in the Caspian Sea level in recent years. Babayev pointed out that both anthropogenic and natural factors contribute to these changes,” he added.

Babayev noted that the anthropogenic and man-made elements are both linked to the causes of these changes.

“These processes address migration. Climate change is seen in the Urmia and Aral lakes. Legislation becomes more important when these developments intensify. Legal systems must defend the rights of climate change's most vulnerable groups and reduce emissions. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Paris Agreement underpin worldwide climate change collaboration. The Paris Agreement shows worldwide cooperation to limit warming to 1.5°C. To do this, effective legal processes must be developed and implemented. Our legal institutions must assure global agreement implementation, climate justice, and, most crucially, defend climate change victims' rights,” he said.

News.Az