BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. The Clean
Energy Center of the Organization of Turkic States (CECECO) can
help countries accelerate the adoption of clean technologies,
Azerbaijan’s Presidential Representative on Climate Issues and
COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev said during the Baku Climate Action
Week, Trend's
correspondent reports from the event.


Babayev noted that countries need to ensure energy security,
affordability and reasonable energy costs simultaneously. “There is
no single pathway that works everywhere. Our region includes
countries with different energy systems, economic structures and
development needs. This is why regional cooperation matters. Many
challenges faced by countries are similar, including gaps in
technology and financing, as well as issues related to standards,
skills and institutional capacity. Clean energy centers can help
countries address these challenges together rather than separately.
A solution developed in one country can be adapted and replicated
in another. Common approaches to standards and regulation can help
create larger and more attractive markets,” he said.


According to Babayev, regional cooperation can also contribute
to creating multinational opportunities and projects with greater
scale and investment potential.


Speaking about energy efficiency, Babayev noted that rising
temperatures and urban population growth would increase demand for
cooling, creating additional pressure on electricity systems.







He said that more than 55% of the world’s population currently
lives in cities, while this figure is expected to reach nearly 70%
by 2050. At the same time, cities account for almost 75% of global
energy consumption.


“Annual investments in electricity grids worldwide need to
increase from around $400 billion to $600 billion. Azerbaijan is
pleased that CECECO is located in Baku and is part of UNIDO’s
global network. We would like to see CECECO develop into a strong
regional platform. It can help countries identify common
challenges, develop joint initiatives, connect projects with
financing and accelerate the adoption of clean technologies in the
region,” the COP29 President said.


Babayev stressed that the effectiveness of regional cooperation
should ultimately be measured by the results it helps achieve. “We
are ready to work with UNIDO, CECECO and our regional partners to
turn this cooperation into concrete projects and results,” he
added.