BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Digital document exchange between state institutions in Azerbaijan saves 4.8 million pages every month, which allows saving more than 6,000 trees per year, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Hasanov said at the session "From COP29 to Climate Week: Digital Action Path for a Green World" held within the framework of the Baku Climate Action Week, Trend's correspondent reports.
Hasanov noted that digital technologies are one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change and have the potential to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in various sectors of the economy and strengthening adaptation to climate impacts.
He pointed out that the Declaration on Green Digital Action, adopted within the framework of COP29, was supported by 75 countries and more than 1,000 organizations.
"Now our task is to implement this commitment," the deputy minister emphasized.
According to him, digitalization itself has a certain impact on the environment.
"According to the International Telecommunication Union, the ICT sector accounts for 1.5-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the International Energy Agency, data center electricity demand increased by 17% in 2025. This is about six times the growth rate of global electricity demand," he said.
Hasanov added that data center electricity demand is expected to double again by 2030, reaching about 3% of global electricity consumption.
"These figures clearly demonstrate one point: digital transformation must be built on the principle of sustainability. We must consider not only how technology can serve climate action, but also how the technology sector itself can reduce its environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle, from energy and water use to supply chains and e-waste," the deputy minister noted.
He said that the implementation of advanced cooling and energy management systems can reduce energy consumption for cooling in data centers by up to 40%.
Green digital transformation in Azerbaijan
Hasanov noted that digital transformation in Azerbaijan is linked to green development goals.
According to him, through the myGov platform, birth and marriage registration, identity verification services, and other important services are provided in digital form. This reduces the use of paper documents and repeated applications of citizens to state institutions.
"Digital document exchange between state institutions saves about 4.8 million pages every month and allows for the protection of more than 6,000 trees per year. Digital government isn't only about speed and convenience. It also means using technology to protect resources," the deputy minister explained.
He noted that the consolidation of state information systems in the "Government Cloud" is also an important step in this direction.
"According to the Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development for 2026-2028, this migration is planned to be completed by December 2027. This will allow reducing operational costs, strengthening cyber defense resilience, and creating a secure and energy-efficient base for artificial intelligence capabilities being formed in public administration, including government," Hasanov emphasized.
Azersky in climate and environmental monitoring
The deputy minister said that technologies also allow for better study of changes in the environment and prompt response to them.
He noted that drought, desertification, water resources, the water level of the Caspian Sea, and the water quality of rivers are monitored through Azerbaijan's Azersky satellite, remote sensing, and geographic information systems.
"These capabilities create conditions for timely and scientifically based decisions on environmental protection," Hasanov said.
35 solar-powered base stations operate in Karabakh
Hasanov noted that telecommunications infrastructure also has an impact on the environment.
"Therefore, Azerbaijan is expanding the use of renewable energy for telecommunications infrastructure, especially in remote areas. We have begun installing solar-powered base stations that operate on renewable energy for more than 60% of their active period. There are 35 such stations in Karabakh alone," the deputy minister noted.
According to him, the initiatives implemented by Azerbaijan are in line with the goals of the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action - creating sustainable digital infrastructure, reducing the climate impact of digitalization, digital inclusion, data-based decision-making, sustainable innovation, and sharing best practices.
"Azerbaijan's experience shows that green digital activity is not an abstract concept. It translates into measurable results such as less paper documents, lower energy consumption, forest protection, better environmental monitoring, and more sustainable digital infrastructure," said Hasanov.
He stressed that no country can overcome these challenges alone.
"States, international organizations, the private sector, and academia must share knowledge, mobilize funding, and ensure the large-scale implementation of successful solutions," the deputy minister added.
