The COP29 presidency has launched the global conference’s inaugural Digitalisation Day, urging the use of digital tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience and advance sustainable development
The event, held on 16 November, involved more than 90 governments and over 1,000 members of the digital tech community, including companies, civil society organisations, and international and regional bodies, endorsing the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action.
Commenting on the launch of the COP29 Green Digital Action Declaration, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev said: “The first-ever Digitalisation Day at COP29 marks a new chapter in climate action, embedding digital technology as a transformative tool.
“With the launch of the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action, we have a unique opportunity to combat the climate crisis while urging the digital industry to take responsibility for its environmental footprint.
“From artificial intelligence in climate modelling to optimising renewable energy systems, digital advancements are key to accelerating sustainable solutions on a global scale.”
Digital action for sustainable development
Digitalisation Day featured a high-level roundtable titled Digital Action Path for a Green World.
The event brought together key figures, including COP29 High-Level Champion Nigar Ardaparai, Rashad Nabiyev, minister of digital development and transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, along with representatives from 13 governments from around the world.
“This milestone moment for Green Digital Action should propel us forward with the shared belief that we can and must reduce the environmental footprint of digital technologies while leveraging their undeniable potential to tackle the climate crisis,” Bogdan-Martin said.
“Let’s keep building our green digital momentum all the way to COP30, and with it, a more sustainable digital future for generations to come.”
The Green Digital Action roundtable also welcomed leaders from numerous organisations and private sector companies, including:
- The International Atomic Energy Agency.
- The UN Conference on Trade & Development.
- The UN Development Programme.
- The UN Environment Programme.
- UNESCO.
- The UN Industrial Development Organization.
- The World Intellectual Property Organization.
- The World Bank.
- The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications.
- Alibaba Group.
- Cisco.
- The FTTH Council Europe.
- The Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative.
- The Global Green Growth Institute.
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.
- Google.
- Huawei.
- The International Electrotechnical Commission.
- The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers.
- The International Organization for Standardization.
- Nethope.
- Nokia.
- OpenUK.
- The Orange Group.
- The Re.generation Future Leaders Program.
- SAP
- ServiceNow.
- The Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications.
