President Aliyev calls for oil producing countries to pay more to help tackle global climate issues

euronews (in English)

As Azerbaijan continues its countdown to hosting COP29 we speak to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev about his ambitions as host country and the action that needs to be taken to address climate change.

Transcript

00:00Each country, depending on its financial capability and depending on the agenda, should do its part of the job.

00:10President Eliyev, it's a pleasure, as always, to be here talking with you.

00:14We are here in Berlin for the Petersburg Climate Dialogue.

00:18This really is the beginning of the road to COP 29.

00:22You know, your team must be very excited.

00:24What can we expect from this year's COP and how much is going to be actionable, not just discussion?

00:29We want to create an environment which will be comfortable for all the parties.

00:35We have great experience in building bridges in non-aligned movement.

00:40As you know, we've been chairing the movement for four years with 120 members.

00:47Really, we, I think, made a big progress.

00:50We are actively working with countries of European Union.

00:55We've signed and adopted strategic partnership declaration.

00:59So, in other words, global South and the West and how to engage together in the addressing issues of climate change.

01:07How to strengthen solidarity, share responsibility and reduce certain mistrust with respect to the issues of climate change.

01:17Because, you know, different ideas, different views.

01:20The idea of fossil fuels is something that dominated the headlines last year at COP 28 in the UAE.

01:26And I just wondered whether you think that is a positive development within the COP history

01:32to have a fossil fuel producing country leading the way, making the changes and the transitions.

01:39That's actually what we are trying to achieve.

01:41One of my messages today at the conference was that don't judge us by what we have.

01:47Judge us by how we treat what we have, by our agenda.

01:51And also one of the issues which is important to understand is apart from what I said about our involvement in Europe, in non-aligned movement,

02:01we're also members of OPEC plus countries.

02:04And we are already working with many oil producing countries in order to create a kind of a solidarity package prior to COP.

02:15What can be additional?

02:17I think that oil producing countries, especially when the price of oil is high, should pay more, should give more in order to tackle the problem.

02:28So solidarity is, I think, integral part of financing and how we'll succeed.

02:36What would you love to be the lasting legacy for COP 29?

02:41If we can make additional step towards green world and tangible step with a continuation.

02:49I think that will be the most important legacy.

02:52At the same time, as you know, one initiative which is new for COP already was put forward by us, a creation of Troika, of free countries.

03:04So using the experience of UAE and now Azerbaijan and later Brazil to create this trilateral format of cooperation,

03:15because each of these free countries has involvement in different regional, political, economic, etc. issues.

03:25So combination of efforts, solidarity, we should stop blaming each other.

03:31Those countries which do not have oil should not point finger on those who have.

03:36Small developing countries should not demand big countries saying that you are responsible for climate disaster.

03:44So this is diplomacy, policy, finance and, of course, as a host country, we, I think, can create a platform for that.

03:56Mr. President, always a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you so much for your time today.

03:59Thank you very much.

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