Today at COP29 in Baku, Peers for the Planet with our delivery partners Globe Legislators and the University of Exeter launched an Azerbaijani edition of the Parliamentarians’ Guide to Climate Change to support legislators and policymakers on climate action.
The guide to climate change was originally published and launched in the UK parliament in October, featuring contributions from world-leading scientists - to help UK parliamentarians from across political divides to understand and respond to the urgent climate challenges we are facing.
The launch event at ADA University in Baku, the official COP29 academic partner, was attended by academics and students from the university, as well as members of parliaments from Azerbaijan and across the world, including the Maldives, Canada, Uganda and the UK.
The guide has been translated into Azerbaijani by GLOBE Legislators and timed for COP29 to support the engagement and leadership of Azerbaijani lawmakers, and will be shared with members of the Azerbaijani parliament and with students and academics at the University and beyond.
Plans are now underway to translate the guide into other languages to inform and support climate action in other parliaments around the world, including the COP Troika Presidencies —Azerbaijani, Arabic, and Brazilian Portuguese—over the coming year, as part of the lead-up to COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
The launch event was hosted by the newly elected MP to the Azerbaijani parliament and Deputy Rector of ADA University, Fariz Ismailzade MP, and included contributions from Elchin Babayev, Rector, Baku State University, Lisa Roberts, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter, and Chair of Peers for the Planet, Baroness Hayman.
“We believe that this guide will be invaluable in raising awareness on climate issues among our students, educators, and researchers, serving as a reliable reference for the development of forward-thinking policies and greater understanding of global climate action...This launch symbolises not just the introduction of documents but the forging of a stronger commitment to a cause that unites us all. I am confident that this guide will serve as a beacon of guidance for Azerbaijan's decision-makers”.
Mr. Elchin Babayev, Rector, Baku State University
“Today is so special because we realise the potential of this guide to go far beyond the English-speaking world, and the relevance to other organisations. The importance for Parliamentarians to have the science presented in a way that non-scientists and laypeople can understand is absolutely crucial. We can't go along two parallel strands as scientists and politicians. We have to talk to each other, because the Parliamentarians have a job to do after the scientists tell us what the tremendous dangers are, what the tipping points for the world are, what the consequences of inaction would be - to turn them into policy on the ground”.
Baroness Hayman, Chair of Peers for the Planet
“We know that in order to really tackle this crucial issue, we need to work across political divides, engaging all parliamentarians and legislators to act collectively for our planet. And by building consensus in this way, we stand the greatest chance of successfully tackling this enormous issue...I hope the guide will be for many years, a reliable and trusted publication and one that we do hope will continue to build a global consensus and inspire climate action amongst scientists, business leaders, politicians and the public”.
Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter
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