Mukhtar Babayev: Climate change is matter of survival for small island states

For small island states, climate change is not just a challenge but a matter of survival, Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijani President's Representative for Climate Issues, said at the UNFCCC Climate Week 4 (CW4) in Baku, Report informs.

Babayev stressed that low‑income countries receive only 3% of available funding to address climate change: "This should concern us. We must also recognize that countries face very different realities. For some, climate action is closely tied to energy security, competitiveness, and the economic costs of transition. For others, climate impacts have already become the main security threat. For small island states, climate change is a matter of survival. These different realities must remain within the same international process."

He emphasized the importance of continuity in climate negotiations: "The international climate process cannot afford to restart at every COP. Previous agreements should serve as the foundation for the next stage of work. Continuity also means fulfilling commitments. Progress cannot be assumed; implementation must be visible. According to World Bank estimates, ensuring the resilience of new infrastructure would increase investment needs by only about 3%."

Babayev also called for easier access to climate finance: "Funding must reach not only the most attractive investment destinations but also the places where needs are greatest. Even if political relations become strained, dialogue must be preserved. Water scarcity can heighten regional tensions, food insecurity can increase social and economic pressure, and climate disasters can further weaken vulnerable economies. That is why ecological cooperation must remain a bridge, not another dividing line."