KIK Coordinates COP29 Business Delegation

In addition to monitoring international climate negotiations, existing agreements, and outcomes, the goal of attending COP is to find collaboration opportunities worldwide among scientific, business, and public sector partners. This year, COP29 will take place from November 11 to 22 in Baku, and the Estonian business delegation's visit is coordinated by the Environmental Investment Centre.
Helen Sulg, head of KIK's development and cooperation chamber, explains that traditionally, alongside climate negotiations, there is a green open area and a blue closed area for visitors. "Members of the business delegation have access to the blue zone. In this area, discussions and special events outside the negotiations take place to support cooperation between the public, private, and third sectors in environmental protection, climate change adaptation, and impact mitigation. It is a good meeting place to showcase solutions, share lessons, meet potential partners, and listen to topical discussions by top experts in the field."
The goal of the climate conference and the Estonian delegation is not to promote business relations with the host country. Helen Sulg compares COP to the Venice Art Biennale or the Olympic Games, where the primary goal is national mandatory climate targets, but it is also a meeting place for the environmental and climate community to learn from each other and measure how to achieve greater impact together in environmental protection.
KIK Helps Find Collaboration Opportunities
The Environmental Investment Centre is a partner of the Ministry of Climate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, coordinating the assembly of the business delegation and on-site activities.
"For example, we look for opportunities for delegation members to be represented in thematic and country pavilion programs, special events and meetings, organizing events, and communicating with focus countries and organizations of interest. We support the Estonian story, the dissemination of information and contacts collected on-site in various thematic networks in Estonia," explains Helen Sulg.
It is clear that the problem of climate change and biodiversity loss cannot be solved by individual countries, companies, universities, or people alone.
Systemic Change Requires Everyone's Contribution
This year, five companies joined the Estonian delegation: Fibenol, R8 Technologies, Timbeter, 1MTN, and Green Deal.
The range of activities of the companies is wide: Fibenol focuses on wood pulp biorefining, R8 develops software for saving building energy consumption. Timbeter helps control illegal logging and make forest management more efficient, 1MTN and Green Deal are involved in attracting private capital to international projects for nature-based carbon sequestration and removal.
"Overall, it is clear that the problem of climate change and biodiversity loss cannot be solved by individual countries, companies, universities, or people alone. Systemic change requires cross-border and cross-sector efforts, and green innovation-related entrepreneurship is no longer the future, but it is already here. It is very important for Estonia that our companies can take part in the opportunities of the so-called new economy, the latest developments, and find international partners in this field," explains Sulg.
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