COP29 President discusses Caspian Sea level changes with UN Deputy Secretary-General

In a series of high-level meetings during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Mukhtar Babayev, the COP29 president-designate and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, met with Inger Andersen, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), to discuss critical environmental issues. The talks focused on collaborative efforts to reduce marine pollution from plastic waste and to address the ongoing changes in the water levels of the Caspian Sea.

In a statement shared on X, the official COP29 press service noted: “During UNGA week in NYC, the COP29 Presidency had a productive discussion with UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, focusing on solutions to marine plastic pollution and water level fluctuations in the Caspian Sea.”

In addition to this meeting, Mukhtar Babayev also held discussions with Mafalda Duarte, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund, to explore climate finance opportunities. The minister further met with John Denton, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, to engage on the role of the private sector in tackling climate change.