OMM Newsroom
According to AnewZ, Azerbaijan is presenting its green energy potential, environmental initiatives and international climate cooperation at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP31, in Antalya, Türkiye, under the theme “Corridor of Dialogue.”
The country’s 244-square-metre national pavilion bears the name of the main theme set for COP31. It features projects on sustainable urban development, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and the protection of the Caspian Sea.
Among those visiting the pavilion was Leyla Aliyeva, vice president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. She was briefed on the projects and initiatives on display.
In her remarks, Leyla Aliyeva stressed the importance of creating a healthier and more sustainable urban environment as cities grow.
“As our cities grow, we must remember that development is not only about building buildings and roads, but also about people’s health and quality of life,” she said.
She spoke about efforts to put hundreds of electric buses into service in Azerbaijan and implement Baku’s Master Plan, which sets out the city’s development through 2040. The plan aims to expand green spaces, improve public transport and create a cleaner urban environment.
Air quality action plan under preparation
Non-governmental organizations, including the IDEA Public Union, are also taking part in the pavilion’s events. They are presenting initiatives focused on climate resilience, digital solutions, clean air and community participation in environmental protection. Anar Alakbarov, an assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, also visited the pavilion and viewed the materials on display.
COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev addressed the event, noting Azerbaijan’s experience hosting COP29 and the World Urban Forum in Baku and stressing the importance of developing healthier, climate-resilient cities.
Babayev said that work had begun on Azerbaijan’s National Air Quality Action Plan for 2028–2035 following a recent order signed by President Ilham Aliyev. The initiative will strengthen air quality management and support Azerbaijan’s nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement, as well as its recently adopted long-term decarbonization strategy, he said.
Mukhtar Babayev added that the plan would bring together climate goals, public health priorities and sustainable urban development within a unified policy framework.
Caspian seal mascot unveiled at pavilion
The pavilion also draws attention to environmental challenges such as changing water levels in the Caspian Sea, declining biodiversity and threats to the endangered Caspian seal. Visitors are informed about joint conservation efforts by the five Caspian littoral states and Azerbaijan’s climate initiatives since the adoption of the Paris Agreement.
For the first time, an official mascot representing the Caspian seal has been unveiled at the Azerbaijan pavilion. It aims to raise international awareness of the species and the importance of protecting its habitat.
Marina Olshanskaya, who is responsible for the pavilion, described visitors’ initial reactions as very positive.
“We can see that people really like the pavilion’s content, its hospitality and the various agenda events we are organizing,” she said.
On the opening day of COP31, November 9, 2026, models from Kenya posed for photographs with the mascot in front of the Azerbaijan pavilion.
More than 40 events and meetings are planned at the Azerbaijan pavilion throughout COP31. The program continues initiatives launched when Azerbaijan hosted COP29.
Discussions will address the protection of the Caspian Sea and water resources, sustainable urban development, climate investment opportunities, and the participation of young people and women in environmental activities. Priorities also include strengthening early warning systems, improving climate adaptation and promoting international cooperation on environmental challenges.
Under the theme “Corridor of Dialogue,” Azerbaijan aims to provide a platform for discussions on climate solutions and present its national environmental priorities to the international community.
