The fight against climate change has become an inseparable part of not only ecological activities but also economic and social development, requiring a conceptual and comprehensive solution—green transformation. Azerbaijan is one of the countries making the greatest contribution to this transformation. Explaining the topic, Abdulrahim Dadasov, Deputy Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department at the Center for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication, stated that the Second Baku Climate Action Week will serve as a bridge to accelerate the “green transition” and strengthen climate governance.
The progress Azerbaijan has made in this area has not only attracted attention at the national level but also on the international stage. The foundation for the continuation of sustainable actions was laid with the declaration of 2024 as the “Year of Solidarity for a Green World” by the President of Azerbaijan. The most significant fact confirming Azerbaijan’s rising global position in this regard was the holding of COP29 in Baku in 2024. In his address to the participants of the event held ahead of COP29 in Baku, the country’s President emphasized that “Azerbaijan is taking bold steps to overcome these threats. We are successfully implementing our socio-economic priority of ‘clean environment and green development’ at the national level.” Another notable event in this direction was the discussions and decisions made regarding fundamental issues related to the “green transition” during the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in Azerbaijan. As the host of COP29, Baku became the main center of the global climate movement, directly influencing the formation of the global agenda. This historic event laid the foundation for the future successes and consolidation of Baku Climate Action Weeks as a sustainable platform. The first Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) held in 2024 further strengthened Azerbaijan’s position in climate diplomacy, expanding the country’s role in global climate policy and presenting new perspectives for both the country and the region. The BCAW2025 program, which is on the agenda for this year, covers a wider range of topics. High-level political dialogues, sectoral discussions, and youth-led forums will focus on both the economic and social aspects of the fight against climate change.
The BCAW2024 held in Baku was a significant step in international cooperation and innovation. It became a platform for concrete actions aimed at solving climate problems on a global scale, not just at a city or national level. The city of Baku, which hosted the event, is now recognized as one of the important centers of climate diplomacy in the world. The results of the BCAW event held during the past period further support the idea that, thanks to strong cooperation between the state, private sector, and international organizations, real results have already been achieved in the transition of SMEs to a green economy. Major projects in the field of alternative energy—such as the creation of wind and solar power stations, the application of “green energy zones,” the expansion of drip irrigation technology in agriculture, and the systematic reforms related to the application of smart solutions in urban planning, as well as the promotion of environmentally friendly and safe transport—once again demonstrate Azerbaijan’s exemplary role in the climate movement.
This event, which was prepared with the active participation of the state and private sector, plays a significant role in establishing wide partnerships between business, academia, and civil society in climate matters. On the one hand, this reflects Azerbaijan’s commitment to climate issues, and on the other hand, it is an indicator of the country’s leadership aspirations in global climate policy. Azerbaijan has already made considerable progress toward its goal of becoming a “green growth” country and a green energy exporter in the near future.
Abdulrahim Dadasov emphasized that BCAW2025 will also be an important platform for discussions on new technologies, green technologies, and advances in infrastructure. For example, discussions on climate-resilient agricultural models, water resource conservation, and smart cities are ongoing topics of strategic importance for both our country and the region. At the same time, this platform highlights essential solutions such as smart agriculture and irrigation technologies, satellite technologies for managing methane emissions, urban planning and urbanization processes, and providing an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. These progressive initiatives are considered useful in international practice and will also help ensure Azerbaijan’s resilience in the fight against climate issues. Particularly, discussions on green finance, investments, and the development of technologies will contribute to the creation of new jobs, the formation of new economic sectors, and closer integration with the global economy in Azerbaijan.
On the other hand, BCAW2025 has also become a key center for the integration of innovation and technologies into climate policy. The ideas and projects presented here have become an example of Azerbaijan’s sharing of its climate solutions experience, not only on a regional but also on a global scale. The initiatives presented here will allow Azerbaijan to both protect the environment and provide its economy with green infrastructure in the coming decades.
Abdulrahim Dadasov added that Climate Action Weeks, which became an important global movement after the first event held in London in 2019, has now become a key part of the climate movement in Baku, further demonstrating the country’s serious commitment to climate issues and its progress toward leading in this field. Baku is now not only a city where climate issues are discussed but also a “laboratory” where innovative projects and ideas for solving these problems are applied to practice.