As prepared for delivery

Hormetli Mukhtar muellim!

Dear Mr. Mukhtar Babayev!

Hormetli Rovnaq muellim!

Dear Mr. Rovnag Abdullayev!

Dear Ms. Rafiga Huseynzade!

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen!

At UNDP, we see climate change as the defining threat facing the planet today.

· Sadly, despite the strong global consensus reached in Paris in 2015, the world is struggling to master this threat.

· We don’t need to be scientists to see this. 2018 was the hottest year in history.

· Higher temperatures are not the only symptom of the challenge we face.

· Global warming is now unleashing extreme weather events on every region of the planet with terrifying frequency.

· The cascading effects of climate change are disrupting national economies and affecting lives of millions of people.

· Worse still, those whom are the least responsible and the least able to cope with the effects are the ones suffering the most; often being forced to leave their homes and even their countries. Poor women and children are especially vulnerable.

· The UN has been working tirelessly to rally the world to take action before it is too late.

· We need to build trust between this generation of adults and the next – between our children and ourselves- that we are all working together to our full potential to tackle the climate emergency.

To get there, we need to start with facts:

· What does science tell us?

· Are countries taking enough action?

We know the answer to the first question. The science is very clear.

· Science tells us we are very close to the point of no return. We thus have no choice: as the UN Secretary-General has put it, “there is no ‘Plan B,’ because we don’t have a Planet B.”

· As reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we must ensure that the global temperature rise does not go beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius.

· This requires cutting emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, and we have very little time to take the decisions needed to get there.

· Those decisions should be set out in each country’s Nationally Determined Contribution on climate change which, taken together, should deliver the necessary emission cuts and plot the transformation of economies towards a safe, green, and just future.

· These Nationally Determined Contributions are, therefore, the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The answer to the second question -- whether countries are responding to the science -- was not as clear, until today.

· A new report released by UNDP and the UN Climate Change last month provides the most comprehensive snapshot to date of whether the world is on track.

· This report titled ‘the Heat Is On’ calls for ambitious plans, accelerated action, and mobilized societies. Each are crucial to ratcheting up the response to the climate crisis.

· Ambition, because according to the Report, with countries’ existing climate plans, greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 10.7 per cent above 2016 levels by 2030. So we must do more.

· Acceleration and mobilization because this is not just about Governments, businesses, investors and civil society. The action of every person will count to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

· The report also calls for 1) Better data and evidence; 2) Stronger links between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals; and, 3) Robust plans to monitor and report on progress.

This is an effort that UNDP supports globally and has supported here in Azerbaijan for the past twenty years, working with national partners to adopt prudent climate change adaptation and mitigation policies, promote energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions and prepare for extreme weather events that climate change brings.

· For example, our joint project with our long-term partners here – SOCAR and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources --has made a remarkable difference. Thanks to innovative gas capturing measures in Siyazan, the natural gas that was previously released into the atmosphere will now ensure that 600 families in 15 villages have better access to heating. Furthermore, energy efficiency measures introduced in a construction sector pilot project led to SOCAR’s energy savings by 35%. And together, we have managed to reduce 20% of all emissions of methane on on-shore oil wells.

· This pilot project clearly demonstrates that the private sector, and here particularly oil companies can make significant reductions in emissions by increasing energy efficiency, investing in research and development, and insisting on emissions reductions from suppliers.

· Under an EU-funded project, UNDP is currently working together with the Government of Azerbaijan to establish an important and reliable system for monitoring, reporting and verification of GHGs.

· And we are also supporting the preparation of the 4th National Communication, a key document that will spell out the next steps to be taken in all key sectors of the economy and society- at national and local level – to prepare for, adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

In terms of next steps:

· UNDP is very much committed to continue providing full support the Government of Azerbaijan in meeting its Paris Agreement obligations to reduce GHG emissions by 35% by 2030.

· In order to achieve this, it is important that we all also work together on energy efficiency, renewable energies and technological innovations – which in turn could pave the way to thousands of new green jobs, economic diversification and financial assistance.

· Furthermore, having one body or one institution taking the lead on collecting, analyzing and verifying relevant data and statistics would be very valuable, particularly for developing new strategies and mechanisms for climate action.

· For example, the State Commission on Climate Change could me made fit for purpose or a new Center for Climate Finance could be established and serve a valuable asset in securing top notch expertise and potential multi-million-dollar aid resources.

· Last but not least, I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Government of Azerbaijan and SOCAR for their excellent partnership and cooperation.

· I would also like to thank SOCAR for organizing this exciting conference which offers a chance not only to take stock of the country’s positions, but also to demonstrate the collective resolve that can help inspire greater public engagement.

· If you were watching the BBC or any international news last night, you probably noticed that one of the top stories was that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases once again reached new highs.

· So the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win. The climate crisis is caused by us and the solutions must come from us.

· We look forward to hearing your views and are confident that the collective resolve shown here will be amplified in a small victory at the COP 25 in Madrid.

Thank you. Chox sag olun!