Azerbaijan hosts second informal Shamakhi meeting of UNFCCC delegation heads

The second informal Shamakhi meeting of the chairs of the negotiating groups of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as well as delegation heads of some states parties to the UNFCCC, took place in Shamakhi on July 23–24, organized and hosted by Azerbaijan, in coordination with Brazil, which holds the COP30 Presidency, Report informs, citing Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

More than 70 representatives from 34 countries and the UNFCCC Secretariat participated in the event. States were represented at the level of ministers, deputy ministers, Presidential climate envoys, heads of UNFCCC negotiating groups and delegations of party states, and other high-level formats.

Taking into account the significant contribution of the first Shamakhi meeting held in the same format in July 2024 to the adoption of COP29 decisions, it was decided to continue the same format this year as well.

The topic of this year's Shamakhi meeting, like last year, focused on the main directions on the climate negotiations agenda and the preparation of the Baku to Belem $1.3 Trillion Roadmap document in accordance with the joint mandate given to Azerbaijan and Brazil at COP29 to increase climate finance to $1.3 trillion US.

In this framework, the meeting included an informal exchange of views on the results of the 62nd session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies held in Bonn, ways to resolve the main difficulties that arose in those discussions, and their possible contribution to the adoption of decisions at COP30 to be held in Brazil.

All representatives participating in the event highly appreciated the discussions held, and broad support was expressed for turning the informal Shamakhi meeting of delegation heads into a sustainable platform.

At the opening ceremony of the meeting, COP29 President and Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues Mukhtar Babayev, Deputy Foreign Minister and COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev, and COP30 Lead Negotiator Ambassador Liliam Chagas delivered speeches.

The event concluded with closing remarks by the lead negotiators of COP29 and COP30, along with Pakistan's Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Masood Malik and the Chair of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation, Julia Gardiner.