On November 16, Azercosmos, the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hosted the World Space Leaders Summit within the framework of COP29. The summit, held on the "Science, Technology, and Innovation Day" of COP29, was dedicated to the theme "Space challenges in the fight against climate change: Summit of Space Leaders". The primary objective of the event was to promote the role of space technology in addressing climate change and to define collaborative steps with global and emerging space agencies.
The summit brought together approximately 80 representatives from the international space community. Attendees included senior officials from Japan, the United States, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Brazil, China, Italy, Norway, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The Heads of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the International Astronautical Federation, and the Commonwealth of Nations were also present.
During the summit, it was highlighted that for nearly 30 years, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) has been uniting nations to advance climate action, encourage active participation, and elevate ambitions related to climate change. In recent years, the role of space activities in addressing climate challenges has increasingly featured on the COP agenda. Last year, the UAE Space Agency hosted the inaugural World Space Leaders Summit at COP28.
Opening this year’s event, Samaddin Asadov, Chairman of the Board of Azercosmos, stated: “At the World Space Leaders Summit, one of the high-level events under COP29 Presidency, we once again witness how space supports global ambitions, actions, and collaboration.”
The summit included statements from space agencies on the theme "Joint Efforts for Climate Action: Partnerships, Knowledge, and Data Sharing," reflecting each country’s commitment to addressing climate challenges.
In the statement, Azercosmos emphasized the importance of three main factors:
Additionally, the statement reflected a comprehensive program developed in partnership with Azercosmos and the Commonwealth of Nations to analyze climate change through space technology and geographical data in order to support Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
During the Summit, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Nick Hague made a video appeal on the International Space Station for the COP29 event, specifically to convey the importance of space in climate change. In the video appeal, the astronauts emphasized that our planet is changing every second by observing from space.
As a result of the Summit, around 20 global space agencies endorsed an "International Pledge for Space-Based Climate Action – COP29 Impact and Output". The methods for further developing these commitments and turning them into concrete actions and sustainable activities were discussed at the COP29 Summit in Baku. This document of commitment, approved in Baku, is a significant step toward global cooperation for future COP events, facilitating the exchange of experiences among countries and outlining decisive methods for timely and effective mitigation of the negative impacts of climate change.
This summit is deeply integrated with digital infrastructure, climate action, innovation, sustainability and global cooperation in the space field. Finally, it emphasized that space not only serves as a tool but also plays the role of a bridge connecting science, technology, policy, and activity. The Summit provided an opportunity to build stronger partnerships between space agencies, international organizations, governments, researchers, and the private sector. Following the summit, panel sessions began with the participation of experts, space agencies, and international organizations. The panels featured discussion of topics related to AI for Earth Observation, Disaster Management, Satellite Technology and Climate Monitoring.
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