BAKU: In a significant step towards the upcoming COP29, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held a crucial virtual meeting to strategize their stance on pressing climate issues, as reported by Trend via GECF.
According to Trend News Agency, the session was opened by Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the GECF, who underscored the vital role of natural gas in achieving energy security and addressing climate targets. Hamel praised Azerbaijan for its forward-thinking approach in merging natural gas usage with renewable energy innovations, positioning it as a leader in sustainable energy development.
The meeting focused on several pivotal areas:
1. Mitigation, Adaptation, and Loss and Damage: The forum delved into recent advancements in climate action, concentrating on mitigation strategies, adaptation measures, and mechanisms to address loss and damage.
2. Climate Finance – New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): Discussions centered on the evolving NCQG, a focal point for COP29, highlighting the necess
ity for fresh financial pledges to bolster worldwide climate efforts.
3. Paris Agreement Article 6: Participants explored Article 6, considering cooperative approaches among countries, carbon markets, and alternative non-market mechanisms.
4. Technology Mechanism: The role of the Technology Mechanism was examined with an emphasis on aligning its operations with climate finance commitments to achieve significant results.
5. Trade and Cross Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): The potential impacts of CBAM on non-EU producers were considered, with discussions aimed at identifying strategies to ensure equitable treatment of GECF member countries.
The meeting concluded with plans for GECF’s proactive engagement at COP29, including participation in ministerial discussions, side events, and a dedicated pavilion, reaffirming the forum’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions that harmonize developmental needs with climate objectives.
This preparatory session marks a strategic positioning for GECF in the lead
-up to COP29, scheduled for November in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was decided during the COP28 plenary in Dubai last December.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, established in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, aims to prevent hazardous human interference with the climate system. COP, the supreme decision-making body of the Convention, facilitates annual meetings to oversee and promote the implementation of climate objectives.