BAKU: In preparation for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan, the country has extended its recently adopted bus lane traffic regulations to include lanes designated for the upcoming event, according to officials.

According to Trend News Agency, Orkhan Mahmudlu, Department Director at the COP29 Azerbaijan Operational Company, announced during a media tour of the Baku Olympic Stadium that the existing system of fines and rules for bus lanes will be applicable to the lanes earmarked for COP29. ‘The lanes for COP29 on the roads are bus lanes. In fact, their creation was included in the urban mobility plan, and the timeline has been accelerated in light of the upcoming event,’ Mahmudlu explained.

Starting next month, these lanes will be utilized by a designated group of taxis, buses, and emergency service vehicles specifically for COP29. Certain permits are expected to be required for access to these lanes. The enforcement of th
ese regulations is part of broader efforts to manage the expected influx of 70,000-80,000 foreign guests and ensure efficient transportation during the conference.

The 29th session of COP, a pivotal global forum for negotiating and monitoring international climate policy, is set to take place in November this year in Baku. This decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992, aims to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. A total of 198 countries are parties to this convention, which meets annually unless decided otherwise by the parties.