On June 5, the Baku Energy Forum, which is being held as part of the Baku Energy Week, opened at the Baku Congress Center.
Stephan Murtagh, Advisor to the Board of Directors of ICA Events Group, delivered a welcoming speech at the forum, highlighting that this event is distinguished by the favorable reception of the activities during Baku Energy Week, notably President Ilham Aliyev's significant address on the inaugural day. Mr. Murtagh expressed appreciation to the event organizers, sponsors, and the Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, Parviz Shahbazov.
Moderator Matthew Bryza, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Jamestown Foundation, emphasized the significance of the Baku Energy Week and acknowledged Azerbaijan's pivotal role in transitioning to renewable energy sources, as well as achieving a notable reduction in harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The plenary session focused on issues of international cooperation to guarantee energy security and sustainability. The principal report was delivered by the Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, Parviz Shahbazov.
The speaker delved into the history of the signing of the renowned "Contract of the Century," initiated by the esteemed leader Heydar Aliyev. Thirty years later, Mr. Shahbazov underscored that our objective remains consistent - to safeguard the energy security of Azerbaijan, the region, and the global economic space. This is bolstered by the vast potential of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea.
The minister elaborated on the significant efforts underway in our country under the "green energy" initiative, highlighting that installations with a capacity of two thousand megawatts were inaugurated the previous day in the presence of the head of state. This marks the active phase of the country's shift towards clean energy sources. Such a milestone will undoubtedly serve as a noteworthy preparation for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) scheduled to take place in Baku in the fall.
The speaker highlighted the potential for expanding the Southern Gas Corridor, including initiatives to boost supplies to Europe: aiming for up to 12 billion cubic meters of gas this year, and in the future - up to 24 billion cubic meters.
In this context, it is crucial to underscore President Aliyev's initiatives in fostering synergy (the enhancing effect of the interaction of two or more factors) between traditional and renewable energy sources. The Minister cited examples of the development of the largest "green energy" facilities in Azerbaijan, which are set to generate billions of kilowatts of energy, save hundreds of millions of cubic meters of gas, and notably decrease emissions into the atmosphere.
The speaker recalled that the Baku Energy Week aligns with a significant occasion. By decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, 2024 was designated as the "Year of Solidarity for the Green World" in Azerbaijan. This declaration signifies the broadening of extensive strategies for advocating green ecology and underscores integration into the broader framework of the "green world."
In his concluding statements, Mr. Shahbazov highlighted that Azerbaijan's diversification of energy sources positions the country at the forefront of global endeavours concerning energy corridors and the establishment of modern energy systems capable of achieving zero atmospheric emissions.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjártó voiced concerns about contemporary global conflicts that result in numerous risks. Stressing Hungary's unfortunate position between hostile blocs, the minister underscored that in this context, ensuring energy supply security becomes notably critical. Consequently, one of the paramount objectives for many nations is to eliminate ideology and political components from the backdrop of energy provisions, focusing solely on physical and economic considerations.
The Minister advocated for backing Hungary's ambitions to reject political contradictions and dismantle artificial barriers in the interest of fortifying international cooperation. Mr. Szijjártó also underlined the significance of averting risks and discrimination in nuclear energy supply.
To quote the Speaker, the successful diversification of gas supply hinges on enhancing the capacity of pipelines and European highways, facilitating the intake of more gas from Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Cristina Lobillo, Director of the Energy Platform Task Force and International Relations at the Directorate−General for Energy of the European Commission commended the excellent organization of the Forum and highlighted the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, which originated from the construction of the initial transport highways. Addressing the ongoing European energy supply security crisis and escalating prices, Ms. Lobillo lauded Azerbaijan as a prime example of supply diversification. In this context, the pivotal role of the country in aiding gas supplies to the European Union through the bridge must be emphasized.
In conclusion, the speaker stressed the significance of collaboration with Azerbaijan in terms of the transition to green energy, the scale and efficacy of renewable energy sources.
Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, and Energy of the Republic of Slovenia, Tina Seršen, emphasized that Azerbaijan is a critical partner to Slovenia. She discussed the challenges related to supply security and competitive prices, noting Slovenia's historical reliance on Russian supplies, which has been affected by diversification issues. The exploration for new partners has led Slovenia to Azerbaijan, a country that actively establishes partnerships with the European Union.
The Speaker expressed the state's readiness to participate in international cooperation in the energy supplies sector.
"I am delighted," the Deputy Minister concluded, "that Azerbaijan will preside over and host COP 29. This will undoubtedly garner Slovenia's support and eagerness to collaborate in various areas, including the implementation of smart grids, the advancement of cutting-edge technologies, and the manufacturing of components for solar panels."
In expressing her approval of Minister Shahbazov's address, Ms. Seršen underscored the significant potential for establishing and enhancing a fruitful partnership with Azerbaijan.
The Baku Energy Forum is an important regional event in the energy sector, attracting the attention of leading market players, scientists and industry professionals. The event brought
together more than 600 delegates. The Forum's agenda includes energy issues of importance both for Azerbaijan and the Caspian region.
At this year's event, topics such as " International Cooperation for Energy Security and Sustainability", "Energy security 2.0", "International Cooperation for Energy Security and Sustainability", " New Technologies and Digitalisation", "Gas dialogue: The role of gas supply during the energy crisis", " Exploration and Production Opportunities in the Caspian Region", " Oil Flows: Cross-Logistics and Infrastructure Development in Azerbaijan" and " The role of human capital in a successful energy transition" is discuss.
On the eve of COP29, a special session called " Empowering and accelerating green transition: strategies for COP29 and for Green World" was also added to the program of the Baku Energy Forum. Special guests from other countries were invited to participate in the session as speakers.
Environmental issues and the threats they pose to the Earth, along with strategies for their prevention, as well as topics such as green energy, hold a prominent place in the program of events within the Baku Energy Week. Embracing the "Zero Waste" principle, aimed at waste prevention, the use of printed media will be minimized during the 2024 Baku Energy Forum, with a preference for electronic media. Additionally, in alignment with the international "Zero Food Waste" initiative, optimal food usage principles will be applied during the forum.
Additionally, as part of the Baku Energy Forum, the start-up "Ecoleaf," established by students of the "MiniBoss" school, will be showcased. The concept behind this start-up revolves around pencils with seeds embedded in their heads and notebooks containing plant seeds. These eco-friendly products will be presented to forum participants.
The organizers of the event are "Iteca Caspian", "Caspian Event Organizers" and their international partners "ICA Events", “CEM FZ LLC”.
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