Supporting small island states is a shared moral duty.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that President Ilham Aliyev made the statement in an address to participants of the 2026 Pre-COP Leaders’ Event.
The head of state said that although Azerbaijan faces climate-related challenges such as falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, water shortages and frequent floods, it recognizes that small island developing states (SIDS) are among those most exposed to the climate crisis:
“Although these states contribute only a negligible share of global greenhouse gas emissions, climate change disproportionately affects their economies and infrastructure, destroying livelihoods and ecosystems.”
Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan has advocated not only for the voices of countries facing the gravest consequences of the crisis to be heard, but also for them to contribute actively to shaping global climate policy:
“Addressing the unique vulnerabilities of these countries requires closer international cooperation and coordinated global action. Supporting small island developing states is our shared responsibility and a moral duty to ensure that no country is left behind.”
Small island developing states are a group of countries recognized by the United Nations as facing particular sustainable-development challenges, including limited land and resources and high exposure to climate-related hazards. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather can threaten their infrastructure, ecosystems and livelihoods.
