The impacts of global climate change on mountain ecosystems and glaciers remain in the spotlight on the international stage. The rapid melting of glaciers directly threatens the water security of billions of people.
Sea-news.az reports that Deputy Prime Minister Teymur Musayev stated this while speaking at a high-level event themed “Adaptation, Mitigation, Loss and Damage Related to Glaciers, and Financing Their Monitoring.”
He noted that for centuries, mountain communities have lived in balance with nature, playing a vital role in supplying water to billions of people residing downstream. However, this equilibrium is currently being disrupted, with permafrost thawing, landslides, and devastating floods occurring more frequently. Taking this very reality into account, Azerbaijan turned the challenges faced by mountainous regions into one of its core priorities during its COP29 Presidency. At the World Leaders Climate Action Summit held in Baku, significant steps were taken jointly with Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia to advance the mountain agenda, elevating the protection of mountain ecosystems to global discussions within the UNFCCC framework.
In his speech, Teymur Musayev also drew attention to the findings of scientific observations and statistical indicators. He noted that the Caucasus Mountains serve as vital water sources for Azerbaijan. The earliest official data regarding glaciers in the Gusarchay basin dates back to 1890, while field observations conducted in recent years reveal that the melting process of glaciers has accelerated substantially. According to satellite observation results from Azercosmos, the surface area of glaciers in the Azerbaijani part of the Greater Caucasus decreased by 9 percent between 2017 and 2025. Furthermore, consecutive studies conducted in the Gusarchay basin over the past 19 years have uncovered a downward trend in the share of snow cover in forming water resources. These figures clearly demonstrate the consequences brought about by climate change.
Touching upon the initiatives implemented by Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29, the Deputy Prime Minister underscored the importance of the “COP29 Declaration on Water for Climate Action,” adopted with the support of over 70 countries and approximately 100 stakeholders, alongside the “Baku Dialogue on Water.” It was noted that these platforms foster conditions for taking sustainable and coordinated steps toward safeguarding mountain ecosystems and glaciers.
In conclusion, Teymur Musayev pointed out that scientific knowledge and monitoring alone are insufficient, emphasizing that these processes must be backed by adequate and long-term climate financing. Stressing the importance of implementing the Baku Finance Goal, as well as deploying early warning systems and satellite technologies, the Deputy Prime Minister called upon the international community for close cooperation to protect mountain ecosystems and ensure environmental sustainability for future generations.
