The President addressed a message to the participants of the international event on the occasion of World Environment Day

The Republic of Azerbaijan, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is hosting World Environment Day (WED) in Baku.

As reported by BAKU.WS, the event is being held under the theme "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future."

During the event, the address of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the international event dedicated to World Environment Day 2026 was read out.

It states:

"Dear participants!

I sincerely congratulate all of you on World Environment Day.

Holding such a large-scale global celebration for the first time in our region is a landmark event for Azerbaijan. It is a vivid recognition of our country's increasingly active role in raising environmental awareness at the international level and its significant contribution to collective efforts to protect the planet.

In the 21st century, environmental protection is among the shared responsibilities of the entire international community. The severe consequences of climate change, worsening with each passing year, the rapid depletion of natural resources, including water, the loss of biodiversity, land degradation, pollution, and extreme heat — all these are interconnected processes that require immediate action.

The environmental challenges facing our planet have a devastating impact not only on ecosystems but also on sustainable development, healthcare, living conditions, and the prosperity of nations. The well-being of future generations directly depends on how effectively we confront these challenges today.

In Azerbaijan, we approach this responsibility with the utmost seriousness and are implementing large-scale initiatives in the field of environmental protection. We are witnessing how both floods and droughts are becoming more frequent across the country. Water resource scarcity is a matter of serious concern not only in Azerbaijan but throughout the region. The declining level of the Caspian Sea, approaching its historical minimum over the past two centuries, clearly demonstrates the gravity of this problem.

Ensuring a clean environment and green growth has been identified as one of the five key national priorities for Azerbaijan's socio-economic development until 2030. In line with this priority, targeted efforts are being made to expand green spaces and forested areas, ensure the rational use of water resources and clean energy sources, and create modern waste management infrastructure.

In order to preserve biodiversity, Azerbaijan is also expanding the areas of specially protected natural territories. The Hyrcanian forests — a unique forest massif home to numerous relict species as well as regional and local endemic flora — became Azerbaijan's first natural site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Unfortunately, for nearly 30 years, our territories under occupation were subjected to ecocide and urbicide. This led to a gross disruption of the ecological balance in those regions. Moreover, the enormous number of mines planted on the formerly occupied lands continues to cause serious environmental damage to this day.

Immediately after the liberation of its lands, Azerbaijan launched large-scale reconstruction and restoration works in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions. The rebuilding of infrastructure based on "smart city" and "smart village" concepts, the implementation of green energy projects, and the introduction of advanced technologies will make a significant contribution to the revival of the local ecosystem.

At the same time, Karabakh and East Zangezur, officially declared green energy zones, possess a powerful potential for renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and hydro resources. The development of green energy is one of the main priorities of Azerbaijan's state policy.

Dear participants!

This year, World Environment Day is held under the global motto "Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future" and is designed to draw attention to the urgent need to deepen the interconnection between climate change mitigation measures and nature protection.

Today, the climate crisis knows no borders, making the strengthening of international cooperation a vital necessity. During its presidency of COP29, Azerbaijan provided an important platform for climate diplomacy and multilateral dialogue, and strengthened global solidarity by serving as a bridge between developing and developed countries. The historic decisions, which became known as the "Baku Breakthrough," represent Azerbaijan's legacy within the COP framework.

Our climate leadership has continued successfully beyond COP29: just two weeks ago, Azerbaijan hosted the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, which became the largest in its entire history. The outcome of this event was the adoption of the "Baku Call to Action," which emphasizes the need to strengthen international cooperation and take concrete steps to ensure environmentally sustainable, affordable, and climate-resilient housing for all.

Azerbaijan will continue to play an active role in advancing the global environmental agenda, developing multilateral cooperation with the aim of leaving a green and sustainable legacy for future generations.

In conclusion, I wish this event successful work."

It should be recalled that Azerbaijan took over the hosting of World Environment Day in 2024 at an event organized in the Republic of Korea.

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