ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Monday for COP29, pledging to support a "greener" Kurdistan Region. The Kurdish delegation plans to present hundreds of projects aimed at advancing environmental sustainability.
“This is an opportunity for the Kurdistan Region to participate in the international medium where countries participate so that they can discuss the [environmental] issues that concern all sides,” Falah Mustafa, special assistant to President Barzani for foreign policy affairs, told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman in Baku, stressing the need for global cooperation on environmental challenges.
Mustafa said that the presence of delegations from the Kurdistan Region is a testament to its commitment to represent the challenges it faces and to address them in collaboration with both Iraq and the international community to enhance regional stability.
He added that cooperation is essential to tackle environmental issues impacting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, including sandstorms, rising temperatures, and water scarcity, especially given its struggles with the aftermath of terrorism and hosting large numbers of refugees.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrives in Azerbaijan ahead of participation in COP 29.
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) November 11, 2024
🎥: Office of President Barzani pic.twitter.com/AzY2LJBrO6
Barzani at COP29 will hold meetings and discussions focused on reiterating his commitment to a “greener and cleaner Kurdistan,” according to Rudaw’s reporter in Baku. Water and environmental issues will top his agenda for the summit.
The UN Climate Conference, also known as COP29, is bringing together 198 countries in Baku from November 11 to 22. More than 200 heads of state and world leaders are expected to attend the summit this year, in addition to over 1,600 representatives of international organizations.
In 2023, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, President Barzani, and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani all attended the COP28 in Dubai, leading separate delegations. President Barzani encouraged global efforts to combat climate change.
“In the previous two years, we prepared a project named Green Project, which consists of 300 projects. We want to bring foreign investors to the Kurdistan Region and receive the financial support of environmental organizations through these projects,” Ahmed Mohammed, a member of a Kurdistan Region delegation to the summit, told Rudaw.
He said they will participate in discussions and technological initiatives on climate change at the event.
“The Kurdistan Region has some local initiatives for renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and food and water security for preserving society,” Mohammed said, outlining a phased approach for these efforts. He noted that the first phase, set to last five years, will focus on raising awareness, while the second phase will implement environmental projects over the following five years.
Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, including water and food insecurity, according to the UN. It is facing a severe water shortage because of reduced precipitation, higher temperatures, and waste and mismanagement.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its provisional State of the Global Climate report saying 2023 had “shattered” climate records and warned of the accompanying “trail of devastation and despair” that would be left behind.
In December 2022, the World Bank estimated that Iraq needs around $233 billion worth of investments by 2040 to respond to the effects of climate change.
Renas Salih contributed to this report.
