BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 29. The government, market, and society have the potential to advance the "green transition," Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov said during Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW), Trend reports.
Soltanov pointed out that getting involved in tackling climate issues builds up experience over time.
“To accelerate progress, I would like to highlight several points. First, geopolitics is important, as this process is intergovernmental. Yet, geopolitical mechanisms are complex. Overall, societal pressure, especially from youth, plays a crucial role, and this applies worldwide,” he said.
The deputy minister emphasized that in a world where states pursue national interests, the key issue is how these interests align with advancing the green transition.
“We can all talk about global concern, but by nature, states need this to overlap with national priorities. Fortunately, in many cases, advancing the green transition serves national interests, particularly in terms of technological innovation and economic contributions,” he stressed.
For certain nations, Soltanov drove home, the issue is also a question of energy sovereignty and autonomous resource management.
“In private conversations, they admit that aligning global missions with national interests makes sense. For me, this overlap is significant enough to ensure the process moves forward,” Soltanov articulated.
He emphasized that no sovereign entity or consortium of sovereign entities can catalyze the progression at the requisite velocity independently.
“Speed is critical for achieving net-zero targets by 2050 and limiting warming to 1.5°C. In this regard, the government’s main role is to activate the private sector. There is no other way. Market forces know no borders; without them, there is no solution,” the official added.
According to Soltanov, the government and funds need to step up the process and, if necessary, invest additional resources to engage market forces and drive progress.
“The involvement of market forces is crucial because some green technologies can be implemented by the market, while others remain expensive and inaccessible to private actors. Third, societal energy is also key. The enthusiasm and genuine engagement of people, as seen in New York and Berlin, play a major role. Educating and raising awareness among children is particularly important, as the pressure they exert on their parents cannot be underestimated. This, in itself, is a powerful force,” he concluded.
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