emirates7 - H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, chaired a high-level ministerial forum in the Blue Zone at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The forum brought together global leaders in law enforcement and environmental protection, focusing on the critical role of law enforcement in tackling climate and cross-border challenges.
Organized in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the forum built on the ministerial meeting initiated at COP28 in Dubai. Key participants included Dr. Kamran Aliyev, Prosecutor-General of Azerbaijan and Vice-President of the International Association of Prosecutors; Dr. Ghada Waly, UNODC Executive Director; Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-designate; and Alexander Zouev, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions.
In his keynote speech, Sheikh Saif congratulated Azerbaijan on hosting COP29 and thanked Dr. Aliyev and Dr. Waly for their collaboration in organizing the event, *“Mobilizing Law Enforcement to Promote Climate Action.”* He likened the Earth to a nurturing mother, emphasizing that the health of the planet is fundamental to humanity's survival and well-being. He also introduced the International Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC) initiative, stressing that environmental crimes are as harmful as terrorism and require transparency and collaboration to combat effectively.
Sheikh Saif highlighted the positive contributions of some nations while urging collective accountability to address the destructive actions of others. He expressed gratitude to international partners who have supported the I2LEC initiative since its launch at COP28, noting significant outcomes from operations such as Green Justice and Jungle Shield. These initiatives, spanning the Amazon and Congo Basins with the participation of 11 countries, UNODC, ISRI, and the Lusaka Convention Working Group, led to the seizure of 32 kilograms of illegally mined gold and prevented over 213,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
He underscored the complex connections between environmental crimes, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking, and terrorism financing. Highlighting alarming statistics, he noted that human activity causes 90% of forest fires, releasing approximately 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually—20% of global fossil fuel emissions. In the Amazon, 80% of these fires are linked to land clearing for agriculture.
The Minister called for unified global efforts to combat environmental crimes, emphasizing the importance of robust international and regional legal frameworks, adequate financing for climate projects, and strengthened law enforcement capabilities. He also advocated for revisiting climate financing frameworks to better support law enforcement in environmental protection, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to these goals under the leadership of President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
During the forum, discussions centered on enhancing law enforcement’s ability to address environmental crimes, such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, marine pollution, and illegal mining. Participants explored strategies to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, adopt renewable energy and energy-efficient practices, and leverage digital technologies to reduce law enforcement’s carbon footprint.
One of the highlights was the presentation of the “Heat Map” tool, developed in partnership with ESRI. This innovative platform helps law enforcement agencies identify environmental crime hotspots, trace sources of harm, and align strategies with global climate goals. The tool was praised as a breakthrough in protecting ecosystems and advancing sustainability.
The forum concluded with the unveiling of the *“Baku Call to Action,”* a declaration reaffirming global commitment to empowering law enforcement to address environmental challenges. It calls for enhanced international collaboration, improved training for law enforcement personnel, and prioritization of climate-focused strategies to combat environmental crimes and associated threats.
Building on the momentum of COP28, where the UAE launched the I2LEC initiative and introduced the *“Abu Dhabi Call to Action,”* the *“Baku Call to Action”* amplifies the urgency of collective action against escalating climate challenges. It aims to strengthen the global law enforcement community's ability to combat environmental crimes, promote climate restoration, and ensure a sustainable future for all.
Organized in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the forum built on the ministerial meeting initiated at COP28 in Dubai. Key participants included Dr. Kamran Aliyev, Prosecutor-General of Azerbaijan and Vice-President of the International Association of Prosecutors; Dr. Ghada Waly, UNODC Executive Director; Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-designate; and Alexander Zouev, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions.
In his keynote speech, Sheikh Saif congratulated Azerbaijan on hosting COP29 and thanked Dr. Aliyev and Dr. Waly for their collaboration in organizing the event, *“Mobilizing Law Enforcement to Promote Climate Action.”* He likened the Earth to a nurturing mother, emphasizing that the health of the planet is fundamental to humanity's survival and well-being. He also introduced the International Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC) initiative, stressing that environmental crimes are as harmful as terrorism and require transparency and collaboration to combat effectively.
Sheikh Saif highlighted the positive contributions of some nations while urging collective accountability to address the destructive actions of others. He expressed gratitude to international partners who have supported the I2LEC initiative since its launch at COP28, noting significant outcomes from operations such as Green Justice and Jungle Shield. These initiatives, spanning the Amazon and Congo Basins with the participation of 11 countries, UNODC, ISRI, and the Lusaka Convention Working Group, led to the seizure of 32 kilograms of illegally mined gold and prevented over 213,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
He underscored the complex connections between environmental crimes, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking, and terrorism financing. Highlighting alarming statistics, he noted that human activity causes 90% of forest fires, releasing approximately 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually—20% of global fossil fuel emissions. In the Amazon, 80% of these fires are linked to land clearing for agriculture.
The Minister called for unified global efforts to combat environmental crimes, emphasizing the importance of robust international and regional legal frameworks, adequate financing for climate projects, and strengthened law enforcement capabilities. He also advocated for revisiting climate financing frameworks to better support law enforcement in environmental protection, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to these goals under the leadership of President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
During the forum, discussions centered on enhancing law enforcement’s ability to address environmental crimes, such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, marine pollution, and illegal mining. Participants explored strategies to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, adopt renewable energy and energy-efficient practices, and leverage digital technologies to reduce law enforcement’s carbon footprint.
One of the highlights was the presentation of the “Heat Map” tool, developed in partnership with ESRI. This innovative platform helps law enforcement agencies identify environmental crime hotspots, trace sources of harm, and align strategies with global climate goals. The tool was praised as a breakthrough in protecting ecosystems and advancing sustainability.
The forum concluded with the unveiling of the *“Baku Call to Action,”* a declaration reaffirming global commitment to empowering law enforcement to address environmental challenges. It calls for enhanced international collaboration, improved training for law enforcement personnel, and prioritization of climate-focused strategies to combat environmental crimes and associated threats.
Building on the momentum of COP28, where the UAE launched the I2LEC initiative and introduced the *“Abu Dhabi Call to Action,”* the *“Baku Call to Action”* amplifies the urgency of collective action against escalating climate challenges. It aims to strengthen the global law enforcement community's ability to combat environmental crimes, promote climate restoration, and ensure a sustainable future for all.