Federal Minister Dr. Musadik Malik Holds Bilateral Meetings with COP-29 Leadership in Azerbaijan
Shamakhi, Azerbaijan : Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, held bilateral meetings with Mukhtar Babayev, President COP-29 and Special Envoy on Environment to the President of Azerbaijan, and Yalchin Rafiyev, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan and COP-29 Lead Negotiator, on the sidelines of the COP Heads of Delegation Retreat in Shamakhi.
Discussions during the meetings focused on global climate cooperation, with emphasis on the need for stronger action on resilience, mitigation, and sustainable development. Both sides agreed that the impacts of climate change are accelerating and require immediate, coordinated, and equitable responses from the international community.
The Minister highlighted that while the Global South bears the brunt of climate-related disasters, the Global North remains responsible for the majority of historic and current greenhouse gas emissions. He noted that Pakistan, despite being one of the most climate-vulnerable countries, is geographically situated next to two of the largest global carbon emitters, which compounds its exposure and challenges.
He further underscored that climate change is a transboundary issue that cannot be contained within national borders. Environmental degradation, pollution, and extreme weather events transcend frontiers and affect populations indiscriminately. In this context, the Minister called for meaningful climate action and reiterated the urgent need for developed countries to fulfill their climate finance commitments and lead by example in reducing emissions.
The meetings also explored potential avenues for enhanced green cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan under areas such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, adaptation strategies, and disaster risk reduction.
The Minister expressed Pakistan’s continued support for multilateral climate governance and conveyed hope that COP will mark significant progress in advancing just, inclusive, and science-based global climate action.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
