BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 14. Azerbaijan, in solidarity with our regional partners, reaffirms its commitment to glacier conservation and sustainable water resources management, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev said, TurkicWorld reports.
He made the remark at a panel discussion on "Glacial Melting in Central and West Asia through Glaciers to Farms (G2F): Climate Change and Regional Cooperation and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation."
"I express my gratitude to our co-organizers, the Asian Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund, for convening us together to address one of the most pressing issues of our time - glacier melt and its massive impacts. This meeting demonstrates our shared determination to overcome climate vulnerabilities in the Caucasus and Central Asian regions," he said.
According to him, the region, stretching from the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus to the vast agricultural plains, faces growing risks from glacial retreat. These crucial freshwater reserves are being rapidly depleted, leading to water scarcity, desertification, and reduced agricultural productivity, severely impacting livelihoods and ecosystems.
"Azerbaijan is experiencing the impact of climate change first-hand - glaciers in the Greater Caucasus are shrinking significantly. Azerbaijan has recently adopted a National Water Strategy to improve water management, enhance resource assessment, and address climate risks through integrated management, innovative technologies, and regional cooperation. Our response should be cooperative, adaptive, and future-oriented," Mukhtar Babayev emphasized.
The minister noted that Azerbaijan supports the transformational regional program "From Glaciers to Farms" (G2F). This program is a promising solution to combat glacier melting, increase climate resilience, and ensure food and water security for our communities.
"Azerbaijan has developed a National Adaptation Plan integrating appropriate adaptation measures in key sectors. We must prioritize water management, climate-resilient infrastructure, and sustainable land practices while developing transboundary cooperation and dialogue," Babayev added.
