The First Ministerial Meeting on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism was held on the sidelines of the COP29 climate conference in Baku on Wednesday.
The meeting touched upon the “Climate Action for Tourism Initiative” and launched the “COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Action in Tourism,” which involves more than 50 countries and 8 non-state entities, to encourage the involvement of other states, News.Az reports.Speaking at the closing ceremony, Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, pointed out that for the first time in the history of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP), thanks to special efforts of Azerbaijan, as the host country of COP29, the issue of tourism has been included in the COP Action Agenda.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN Tourism, highlighted the importance of joint efforts in combating climate change, stating that the COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Action in Tourism supports the Glasgow Declaration as a turning point for the sector.
The COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Action in Tourism sets as a key goal the better integration of the sector into national and global climate policies in order to expand climate action in the tourism sector.
The Declaration emphasizes the urgent need for accelerated climate action in the tourism sector and call upon stakeholders to promote sustainable tourism practices by reducing emissions and increasing resilience in the sector.
Additionally, organized by the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and the UN Tourism, supported by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the event gathered together tourism ministers from about 30 countries, senior tourism officials, as well as representatives of international organizations.
