Shahbazov: Abandoning fossil fuels does not ensure successful transition

The recent energy crisis demonstrated that a rushed withdrawal from fossil fuels does not necessarily constitute a successful energy transition, Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has said at Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026), according to Report,

He said the recent energy crisis, along with growing demand driven by electrification, digitalization, artificial intelligence and data centers, had shown that abandoning fossil fuels too quickly could undermine a successful energy transition.

"The key issue is to build a clean, secure and sustainable energy system at an optimal pace, capable of addressing all environmental concerns," Shahbazov said.

He added that in the new reality, alongside new generation capacity, the development of electricity grids, energy storage systems such as batteries, energy efficiency and the creation of interconnectors are equally important.

Shahbazov noted that the initiatives put forward by Azerbaijan during its COP29 presidency were based on the same approach.

"To date, 74 countries have joined the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, 70 countries have joined the Hydrogen Declaration, and 64 countries have joined the Green Energy Pledge," he said.