Expert: Yet inadvisable for Azerbaijan to change types of used energy resources

Azerbaijan has a more pragmatic approach to energy and considers natural gas an important resource, Ahmad Humbatov, energy expert, director of the Caspian Center for Energy and Environment (CCEE) at ADA University, has said.

"In my opinion, the COP26 conference had, of course, pluses and certain achievements. For example, it was recognized that Western countries should invest more in the fight against climate change, especially the United States. But its results were not outstanding, as they would have wanted," Humbatov said, adding that next year the countries should reconsider some of the goals.

“I believe that the unpleasant moment was that India and China will not exclude the use of coal from the list of used energy resources, although coal is gradually losing its relevance in the world due to the emergence of more profitable resources. Thus, at the insistence of India and China, the largest consumers of coal, in the declaration following the conference, the words `gradual abolition’ of the use of coal were replaced by `gradual reduction’," he said.

The expert explained that Azerbaijan has its own interests in the energy sector. According to him, natural gas is a very important resource, and it is very important in the transition period from traditional fossil energy sources to renewable ones.

"In addition, Azerbaijan is still a small country, and the main players at this conference and in general in this matter are countries such as China, the United States, India," he said.

The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (also known as COP26) is the 26th United Nations conference on climate change that was held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.