On November 20, "The First Ministerial Meeting on Enhanced Climate Action in the Tourism Sector" is taking place as part of Tourism Day at COP29, marking the first time in COP history that such an initiative has been organized.

The event is co-organized by the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and UN Tourism, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Tourism ministers, high-level officials from tourism authorities, and representatives of international organizations from nearly 30 countries are attending the meeting.

"The First Ministerial Meeting on Enhanced Climate Action in the Tourism Sector' aims to support the effective integration of tourism into national climate strategies. During his address, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, Fuad Naghiyev, emphasized that tourism is both affected by climate change and contributes to it, making it a crucial sector in global climate action. He stated that the COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in the Tourism Sector, to be presented at the meeting, serves as a roadmap for integrating tourism into national and global climate strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
He called on governments and stakeholders to endorse the declaration, underlining Azerbaijan’s commitment to implementing sustainable tourism practices and stressing the need for global cooperation to build a more sustainable world.

COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev highlighted that Tourism Day, being held for the first time in UNFCCC history, represents a significant step toward the integration of tourism into the global climate agenda and aligns with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stated that tourism has the potential to play a key role in climate action. He added that by adopting sustainable practices and using innovative technologies, tourism can serve as a model for resilience, adaptation, and mitigation.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed that tourism has been included in the Action Agenda of COP for the first time, marking a turning point for the sector. He pointed out that tourism is not only a part of the economy but also a vital industry for many communities and nations, contributing 3.4% to global GDP. He emphasized that as the world faces the climate crisis, tourism must be part of the solution. He stated that by adopting initiatives like the Baku Declaration and the Glasgow Declaration, the tourism industry is shaping pathways toward a low-carbon and sustainable future.

The meeting includes discussions on the "Tourism Enhanced Climate Action Initiative", which is part of the COP29 Action Agenda and is designed to strengthen climate action in the tourism sector. The initiative focuses on improving policy approaches by integrating tourism into national climate strategies and NDC updates. It aims to promote climate action by encouraging the active involvement of national tourism authorities and organizations. Additionally, it seeks to develop accurate methodologies for measuring the environmental impact of tourism through scientific data and to establish global coordination mechanisms that will strengthen climate initiatives in tourism and expand partnerships.

At the conclusion of the event, the "COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in the Tourism Sector", which has already been endorsed by more than 50 countries and eight non-state actors, will be officially presented for further adoption.

Adopted in Baku, the declaration builds on the success of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and aims to expand climate measures in the tourism sector by improving its integration into national and global climate policies.

As part of Tourism Day, three high-level roundtables will take place, covering key topics such as "Scaling Up Climate Ambition in Tourism – From Commitments to Implementation (Measurement & Decarbonization)", "Scaling Up Climate Ambition in Tourism – From Commitments to Implementation (Regeneration, Adaptation & Finance)", and "Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism: Innovative Solutions and the Way Forward".

A series of thematic presentations will also be organized, addressing different aspects of climate action strategies in the tourism industry.