BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. Climate action cannot be considered in isolation from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and concrete, practical action steps are needed to achieve the 2030 targets, Head of the Center for Sustainable Development in Uzbekistan, Saida Safaeva, said during the 2026 Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW 2026), Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
She noted that although COP31 is given great attention on the international agenda, the goal of achieving the SDGs by 2030 should not be overlooked.
"We talk a lot about COP31, but we forget that we are approaching another important goal - the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. There are only four years left, and time is very short," Safayeva noted.
According to her, climate action cannot be implemented separately from the SDGs.
"The SDGs create a framework that translates climate action and climate commitments into concrete implementation targets. Climate action cannot be considered separately from the SDGs in any case," she emphasized.
Safaeva pointed out that issues such as energy security, food, human development, and water security are closely linked.
"I'm not very optimistic that we'll fail again in some areas of the SDGs by 2030. One of the main problems is that these goals are already closely interconnected, but we aren't applying the implementation framework provided by the SDGs at the proper level," she said.
The head of the center emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation for the sake of SDG goal 17 - partnership.
"A large number of influential and well-known organizations are represented here. Why not discuss partnerships and commitments within the framework of SDG 17 by the end of this week? We need concrete and practical action steps. There are many commitments, but it has not been possible to turn them into a single and integrated action either in my region or in the world," Safaeva noted.
She also said that the UN, which plays a leading role in the implementation of the SDGs, is also currently facing certain difficulties, especially in terms of finances.
"National institutions in my region also face serious limitations in terms of funding and a lack of specialists. Therefore, we need concrete measures, more practical meetings, and real action," Safaeva added.
The third day of the Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026) is underway.
The program of the third day will focus on issues such as the transition from climate commitments to concrete action, climate financing, youth participation in climate processes, artificial intelligence and climate technologies, energy efficiency, methane emissions reduction, water resources management, and cultural heritage protection.
Representatives of governments and international organizations, experts, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society from various countries are attending the events.
Now in its third year, Baku Climate Action Week is being held in parallel with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Climate Week for the first time this year. The Fourth Climate Week and Baku Climate Action Week will feature a series of sessions, panel discussions and other events on climate change, climate finance, sustainable development and accelerating climate action.
BCAW 2026 will continue until September 11.
