In light of COP29,  the embassies of Nordic countries and Kitabistan organized the event "NORDIC TALKS: The Nordic Green Model" event.

In anticipation of COP29, scheduled to be held in Baku in November, Kitabistan, in conjunction with the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, has presented the Nordic green transition model in Azerbaijan.

On September 26th and 27th, Kitabistan and the Nordic embassies jointly hosted an experts' conference, an ambassadors' panel discussion, and an exhibition centered on the theme of "Sustainable Nordic cities" as part of the "NORDIC TALKS: The Nordic Green Model" project.

The project is focused on presenting the Nordic countries' experiences in transitioning to renewable energy and addressing the challenge of climate change.

A conference took place on September 26 at the Nizami Cinema Center in Baku. The event featured climate experts from the four Nordic countries. William Lim, Chief Advisor from the Danish Energy Agency, Per Strand Sjaastad, Special Advisor on the Green Transition of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gina Aspelin Hedbring, Head of International Affairs at IVL - Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO of the Climate Leadership Coalition, delivered speeches at the conference. They shared insights on their countries' climate strategies, sustainable and people-oriented cities, as well as the green transition of both countries and companies.

During the public conference, Malak Hajiyeva, the co-founder and chairperson of the board of Kitabistan, and the project manager, opened the event with a speech. She highlighted the significant role played by the Kitabistan Research Center in introducing the Nordic development model in Azerbaijan over the past eight years. Subsequently, Tobias Lorentzson, the Swedish ambassador to Azerbaijan, spoke on behalf of the ambassadors of the Nordic countries. He noted the substantial participation in the conference as an indication of the keen interest in green transition and sustainable development.

The panel of experts engaged in a comprehensive discussion concerning renewable energy, its future, investment opportunities, energy transition, the development of carbon-neutral cities, the green transition of companies, as well as support and contributions to the green transition. Subsequent to the presentations, the experts addressed questions from the participants.

On September 27, a panel discussion took place with the participation of the ambassadors of Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, as well as the Special Advisor on the green transition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. The discussion was moderated by Malak Hajiyeva, the co-founder of Kitabistan.

During the panel discussion, Malak Hajiyeva commenced the event with an introductory speech, extending a warm welcome to the attendees and introducing the "Nordic Talks" project website. She provided an overview of the research conducted by Kitabistan over a three-month period as part of the project, highlighting the participation of 423 individuals, 297 of whom took part online and 126 offline, in the survey.

"In the survey, people reported experiencing the effects of climate change mainly through air pollution, extreme heat, and extreme weather conditions. Middle-aged and elderly individuals have reported an increase in health problems."

The floor then was given to esteemed ambassadors including  ambassador of Denmark Mr Ole Toft, ambassador of Finland Madam Kirsti Narinen, ambassador of Sweden Mr Tobias Lorentzson, and Special advisor on the Green Transition at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Per Strand Sjaastad. They shared insights into the green transition initiatives in their respective countries. The panel discussion provided a platform for the ambassadors to address queries from the moderator and the participants, who included members of the diplomatic corps, state institutions, civil society and the media.
 

While giving a statement about the project, Malak Hajiyeva, the project manager, highlighted the significant interest in the conference, indicating a widespread concern about climate change. She also emphasized the presence of individual initiatives aimed at addressing this pressing issue.

We introduce the development models of the world in Azerbaijan through the "KITABISTAN TALKS" project. A major global challenge today is climate change, making the "NORDIC TALKS: the Nordic Green Model" project particularly significant. The Nordic countries are renowned for leading international indices in green transition and carbon footprint reduction. Hence, it was imperative to present the Nordic green model in Azerbaijan in light of COP29. The high level of interest, particularly from young people, in this conference, underscores the serious concern of young people towards this issue.

It is worth noting that the "Nordic Sustainable Cities" exhibition took place on September 26th and 27th. The exhibition is also featured on the Nordic Talks project website (nordentalks.com).

"Nordic Talks: The Nordic Green Model" project started in June, 2024. The project was implemented with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers and the partnership of Kitabistan and the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

03.10.2024