BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 20. Ports in Alat (Azerbaijan), Aktau (Kazakhstan), and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan) require modernization and better integration with rail and road networks to enhance multimodal cargo handling capabilities, said Khurshid Rustamov, the UN representative in Azerbaijan, at a panel discussion on "Pathways to Sustainable Connectivity: Efforts of CICA & its Member States, and Regional Organizations in Asia for Secure, Effective and Climate-Resilient Transportation Corridors" at COP29, TurkicWorld reports.
Rustamov emphasized that improving these transport links is critical for boosting trade efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
"The International Energy Agency estimates that international freight transport, which includes air, rail, sea, and road, accounts for about 8 percent of global emissions and up to 11 percent when factoring in warehouses and ports.
As you can see, the share of international freight transport in global emissions is significant. Among all transport modes, road freight is the most polluting. With the growth of global trade, emissions from freight transport are expected to rise in the coming years. In this context, collective efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of freight transport are becoming increasingly important," he said.
Rustamov also recommended increasing investments in the modernization of transport infrastructure and fleets.
"For example, the seaports in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, such as Alat, Aktau, and Turkmenbashi, play a crucial role in Caspian Sea trade, but they require modernization and better integration with rail and road networks to enhance multimodal cargo handling capabilities," he added.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November 11. It is the largest event organized by Azerbaijan to date, and the first time in the region that it is being held in Azerbaijan.
Within COP29, the highest-level event - the summit of world leaders on climate action - was held on November 12–13.
The main expectation from COP29 is to agree on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The COP29 Presidency has launched 14 initiatives that include linkages between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals, including green energy corridors, green energy storage, harmony for climate resilience, clean hydrogen, methane reduction in organic waste, action on green digital technologies, and other topics.
In addition to being a top priority that creates the conditions for action, creating climate finance will also help fulfill the 1.5°C pledge by bringing everyone together.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for "Conference of Parties" and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.
