BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. Baku Climate Week will connect regional leadership with global momentum, contributing to a faster, fairer and more inclusive climate transition, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He made the remarks in a video address at the opening ceremony of Baku Climate Week 2026.
Stiell praised Azerbaijan and all partners whose efforts have helped maintain the momentum of climate action. “During COP29, Azerbaijan helped countries achieve significant progress on climate finance. The agreement on a new collective quantified goal of at least $300 billion annually in climate finance by 2035, the call for all actors to work towards scaling climate finance to at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, and the launch of the Baku to Belém Roadmap to achieve this goal represent important steps forward,” he said.
The UNFCCC executive secretary emphasized that finance is the main driver of climate action. “Finance turns plans into projects, project pipelines into electricity grids, resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, cleaner transport, more sustainable food systems and safer communities,” Stiell said.
He noted that the impacts of climate change are threatening people’s lives around the world. “From record heat in North Africa to unprecedented wildfires in Europe and deadly storms in Chile, climate impacts are threatening lives everywhere. These events destroy lives and livelihoods, damage infrastructure, disrupt economic activity and increase inflation,” he said.
According to Stiell, the response should not be retreat, but leadership, cooperation and transformation. “The global energy transition is already accelerating. Investment in clean energy now exceeds $2 trillion annually. Renewable energy sources have overtaken coal as the leading source of electricity generation,” he said.
He added that the benefits of climate action are reflected in safer energy systems, cleaner air, new jobs, healthier societies and greater resilience.
Stiell noted that at COP30 all countries reaffirmed that the energy transition is irreversible and that the Paris Agreement is delivering results. “From Baku to Belém and beyond, we must turn this commitment into real action. The Action Agenda can bring governments together with business, the financial sector, cities and civil society to accelerate changes in the real economy — from electrification to cities and food systems,” the UNFCCC executive secretary said.
The Fourth Climate Week of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (CW4) is being held in Baku, hosted by Azerbaijan and organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
Representatives of governments, international organizations, experts, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society from various countries are participating in the events.
The Fourth Climate Week and Baku Climate Action Week feature sessions, panel discussions and other events focused on climate change mitigation, climate finance, sustainable development and accelerating climate action.
The events are expected to further strengthen Baku’s active role in the global climate agenda and contribute to enhancing international climate cooperation ahead of COP31.
