Mukhtar Babayev

H.E. Mukhtar Babayev is the COP29 President-Designate. Mr. Babayev was appointed to this position in January 2024, having led Azerbaijan’s delegation to five previous COPs. He has served as Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources since 2018 where he has led national efforts to address historic ecological damage, improve Azerbaijan’s environment, and drive climate-positive growth. In 2010, Mr. Babayev was elected to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, where he served as a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Ecology. Before entering politics, Mr. Babayev worked at the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), where in his role as Vice-President for Ecology he developed and oversaw the company’s sustainability and environmental efforts.