BAKU – A significant workshop focused on enhancing media communication for the upcoming 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) was recently held in Baku. The event, organized by the COP29 Presidency in collaboration with the United Nations Office in Azerbaijan, was designed to prepare local media for effective coverage of the climate conference.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the workshop provided attendees with critical insights into the COP29 processes and aimed to build local capacity for reporting on the conference. Key figures, including Alexander Saier, the Head of Communications at the UNFCCC Secretariat, and COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev, delivered presentations on various aspects of the climate negotiations. They emphasized the role of media in fostering a constructive dialogue and enhancing public understanding of climate issues.

Participants discussed the host country’s contributions and the strategic importance of Azerbaijan in achieving COP29’s objectives. Narmin Jarchalova, the Chief Operating Officer for COP29, highlighted the rigorous preparations underway to ensure a successful conference, despite the tight schedule. The importance of media in driving climate action and informing the public was a recurrent theme, with Vladanka Andreeva, the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, urging journalists to highlight the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations.

Nigar Arpadarai, a high-level champion for climate change at COP29, spoke about the broader impacts of the COP processes on future economic structures and the critical role of media in communicating these themes effectively. The event also addressed crisis communication, with Jamala Aliyeva from the Presidential Administration stressing the media’s responsibility in disseminating accurate information during emergencies.

The workshop is part of the ’29 Climate Conversations: The Road to COP29′ initiative, marking the 19th event in the series and the third to involve PASHA Holding as a partner.