IAP at the Baku Climate Action Week

Dr. Robin Fears, IAP consultant on Biosciences, visited the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences as part of his participation in the Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) 2024. This significant visit coincided with the Academy's recent acceptance as a provisional member of the IAP, marking an important moment in the institution's growing international collaboration.

During BCAW, Fears presented IAP at various high-profile sessions, including a panel discussion on the 'Role of Global and Regional Collaboration in Overcoming Scientific Challenges'. He underscored the critical need for fast, decisive action to mitigate long-term health risks associated with climate change, emphasizing how modern science can provide effective solutions to these urgent global issues.

While in Baku, Fears also met with key figures from the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, including its President, Prof. Isa Habibbayli, a distinguished humanities scholar with a focus on literature research, as well as the Academy’s Vice President for Biosciences and other senior officers. Their discussions focused on the Academy's ambitions in climate-related research and their eagerness to foster greater regional and international scientific collaboration.

Fears gave three notable presentations during the week, which covered:

• The Green Economy: Addressing educational, skill development, financial and just transition challenges;
• Higher Education's Role in Climate Transition; and
• The Baku Climate Science Conference.

These presentations were delivered to distinct audiences across different venues, highlighting the diverse perspectives and specific regional challenges facing Azerbaijan and the broader Caspian region. In each talk, he highlighted IAP’s work on climate change and health, focusing on the IAP’s climate and health case studies project. Feedback from these sessions revealed a strong interest in the region to enhance visibility and action around climate-health impacts and to explore partnership opportunities with the IAP.

Read more on IAP’s work on science, health and climate challenges here.
Read more about Dr. Fears' visit to Azerbaijan on Science here.