A National Action Plan for Combating Air Pollution in Azerbaijan for the years 2028–2035 will be developed.
elchi reports that President Ilham Aliyev signed a Decree to this effect.
According to the Decree, the State Commission on Climate Change and Protection of Atmospheric Air, established by Decree No. 560 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated April 30, 1997, must prepare and submit to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan by November 1, 2027, the draft of the „National Action Plan for Combating Air Pollution in the Republic of Azerbaijan for the years 2028–2035“ in order to ensure the implementation of systematic and coordinated measures in the field of preventing and improving the quality of atmospheric air pollution.
When preparing the draft National Action Plan, the priorities of a clean environment and „green growth“ country defined in the „National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development: Azerbaijan 2030“ approved by Decree No. 2469 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 2, 2021, should be comprehensively implemented in conjunction with the Paris Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the results of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), the country’s „Updated, Nationally Determined Contributions“ document, and the goals of „Azerbaijan’s Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy.“ This includes assessing the current state of atmospheric air quality, identifying major sources of pollution and their negative impact on human health and the environment, improving the atmospheric air quality monitoring system, strengthening mechanisms for inventory and state accounting of harmful substances and physical impacts emitted into the atmospheric air and their sources, as well as adapting information exchange mechanisms on transboundary pollution to international standards, identifying measures aimed at reducing harmful substances emitted into the atmospheric air in key economic sectors and improving relevant environmental standards, applying and improving advanced technologies and digital monitoring mechanisms, considering atmospheric air quality criteria in the planning of cities and other settlements, applying the principle of zoning according to the level of atmospheric air pollution in large cities and preparing an action plan for additional measures for areas with high pollution levels, determining the possibilities of using economic incentives, green financing, and public-private partnership mechanisms, and expanding public access to information on atmospheric air quality.
To benefit from advanced international experience during the preparation of the draft National Action Plan, the possibilities of involving international organizations, experts, and specialized consulting companies, as well as utilizing the potential of local scientific organizations and specialists, and civil society institutions in this field should be assessed.
The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall resolve the issues arising from this Decree.