As I stood before the leaders of the Pacific Islands at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum, I was acutely aware of the significance of this moment. The Pacific islands are not just participants in the global climate dialogue—you are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The devastating impacts of climate change are no longer distant possibilities; they are harsh realities that you face every day. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that your voices are heard, your needs prioritized, and your resilience strengthened.
The Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy—a visionary blueprint for long-term resilience, well-being, and prosperity—embodies the determination of the island nations to confront the escalating challenges. Yet, you cannot do it alone. The world must step forward, and as President-Designate of COP29, I am resolute in placing the concerns of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including Pacific Islands, at the core of our discussions and our decisions.
Earlier this year, at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda, I had the privilege of meeting with many leaders from island states. It reiterated our objective for this year: the upcoming COP29 must enhance ambition and enable action, not just words, for those who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
The COP29 Presidency has been working tirelessly to advance our two-pillar plan aimed at enhancing ambition and enabling action. Our recent Letter to Parties and Constituencies outlined key milestones and pathways to turn this plan into reality. At the top of our agenda is the adoption of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a new financial target to support developing countries in their climate actions post-2025.
We need a substantial increase in both adaptation and mitigation financing, and this new goal must reflect the needs and priorities of developing countries, particularly those in the Pacific.
Another critical priority is the operationalization of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, for countries to be able to voluntarily cooperate with each other to achieve emission reduction targets. Finalising Article 6 can significantly strengthen our collective efforts in both mitigation and adaptation, providing the framework essential to achieving our global climate goals.
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But we cannot talk about climate action without addressing the issue of loss and damage. For SIDS and Least Developed Countries, the stakes are extremely high. The effects of climate change are not just environmental—they are existential. We must act swiftly to operationalize the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage, and I am pleased to share that the third meeting of the Fund’s board will take place in Baku this September.
We are committed to driving momentum on this issue and to fully supporting the Santiago Network, a platform established at COP25 in Madrid for vulnerable developing countries, in providing technical assistance, including the implementation of relevant approaches for averting, minimize and addressing loss and damage at the local, national and regional level, to those who need it most.
As we look to the future, the COP29 Presidency is preparing to release an Action Agenda that will set out how we plan to support global climate goals and mobilize a diverse group of stakeholders toward meaningful climate action. This agenda will cover a wide range of initiatives, from climate finance and green energy to agriculture, water, and cities. Our goal is to ensure that climate action is not just a global imperative but a tangible reality for the most vulnerable among us.
In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing more details and engaging further on the elements of our Action Agenda. Additionally, I hope to see many leaders from the Pacific Island States at the UN General Assembly in September, where the COP29 presidency will co-host a High-Level Energy Dialogue with the International Energy Agency. Island state perspectives will be crucial in guiding these important discussions.
As we approach COP29 this November, I am filled with both urgency and hope. The challenges ahead are immense, but so too is our collective capacity to overcome them. Together, we must ensure that COP29 is not just another conference, but a turning point in our shared fight against climate change.
To the leaders of Pacific island states, I extend my deepest thanks for your continued collaboration and commitment to the goals of COP29. I look forward to working closely with all of you as we strive for a more resilient and sustainable future for the Pacific Islands—and for the world.
Mukhtar Babayev is the COP29 president-designate and minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan
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