BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. The goals of the COP31 presidency should be viewed not only as climate commitments but also as opportunities for businesses, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Dmitry Mariyasin said during the Baku Climate Action Week, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
"Each goal of the COP31 presidency, which is ambitious, is in fact a business opportunity to scale up action and deliver tangible changes in the way energy and urban systems operate. Climate action is implemented at the city level. This is where ministers' ambitions are tested against the reality of rapidly growing and, in some cases, highly unsustainable cities around the world," he said.
According to him, energy efficiency in buildings is a key issue, as the technical and policy decisions being made today will determine the livability of cities, public health conditions and opportunities for communities to develop. "The climate agenda is about people, their future and, more broadly, their ability to preserve this planet. This agenda is not only an environmental issue but also a question of the future of the economy. UNECE strongly welcomes the ambitions set out in the proposed Antalya Building Energy Efficiency Agreement," Mariyasin said.
He noted that the target of reducing the energy intensity of buildings by at least 25% by 2035 represents a measurable indicator that can help move the global buildings agenda from commitments to implementation.
Mariyasin stressed that achieving this goal requires looking beyond individual buildings and considering the entire value chain and life cycle of urban development. "Transforming supply chains in the construction sector can make a long-term contribution, but addressing the value chain is more complex than focusing on an individual building," he said.
The fourth day of Baku Climate Action Week is being held today.
The event features discussions on climate action, energy transition, climate finance, sustainable cities, water resources, agriculture, digital technologies and other areas.
