Baku, October 1, 2025
Azerbaijan should expand the number of “smart” cities and villages as modern technologies make them more resilient to natural disasters, a senior UN Climate Champion for COP29 said in Baku.
Speaking at the Second Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW-2025), held in the run-up to COP29, Nigar Arpadarai stressed that natural disasters caused significant material damage to Azerbaijan last year.
“Finances are the key factor in such issues. Smart cities and villages allow people to live safely, which is why their number must increase,” she said.
Arpadarai added that under COP29 goals, global consumption of traditional energy resources is expected to decline by 2030, and noted that Azerbaijan is making substantial efforts in this direction.
She also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in the economy.
“Today their involvement stands at about 20%. That is a good indicator, but it needs to be higher,” she emphasized.


