EBRD keen to maintain its cooperation with Azerbaijan on Green Cities program

BAKU: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) would like to maintain its cooperation with the Government of Azerbaijan on the Green Cities program, Deputy Director of EBRD Lin O’Grady said during a panel session within the Baku Climate Week today, Trend reports. “We successfully implemented this program, which covers 60 cities, in Ganja. The results have been positive. We are considering expanding it to other cities in Azerbaijan, and relevant consultations are underway,” O’Grady highlighted. According to her, the EBRD is providing investments in cities under the “Green Buildings” program, which focuses on improving the energy efficiency of buildings. She mentioned that the EBRD strives to maintain a flexible approach. “Cities vary in terms of budget, size, potential, and other criteria, so the approach to each city must be adaptive,” the bank’s official emphasized. O’Grady also said that the EBRD is not only studying the nuances of building construction but also addressing issues suc h as energy-efficient street lighting and effective water supply systems for cities. “The EBRD is also ready to provide technical support to help cities in Azerbaijan and worldwide meet new green standards in the fight against climate change,” added the EBRD representative. To note, Baku is hosting Action Week for the first time from September 30 through October 4, 2024. The event is set to form the basis of the climate agenda ahead of COP29 in Baku in November. Key players from a variety of industries, including politics, finance, commerce, investment, science, the arts, culture, civil society, and media, come together for the Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW 2024). The main themes of the event are ‘energy transition,” ‘cities and urbanized environments,” ‘water security,” ‘food and agriculture,” “SMEs,’ and ‘green skills.’ The first half of the week (from September 30 through October 2) will focus on climate solutions involving government agencies, academia, and the private sector while the second half (October 3-4) will focus on science, education, arts, culture, and other sectors. Source: Trend News Agency