Dated December 25, 2023 by the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan The 2024-th Year was declared the year of "Solidarity for the Green World".
In this regard, the actions arising from the decree have been planned at Lankaran State University.
Some of those events have already been implemented.
Lankaran State University has signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with the geographical area where it is located and has started close cooperation with the Regional Department of Ecology and Natural Resources number one.
We closely participate in the relevant events held by the Regional Department of Ecology and Natural Resources number one, and we organize the experience of students studying ecology in this department.
At the same time, a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed with Hirkan National Park and Kyzylagac National Park. Both National Parks effectively work in protecting plant resources, which are the main elements of the green world.
Scientific research works are carried out jointly with the employees of both National Parks and the events organized by them are closely participated.
On February 9, 2024, the staff and students of LSU closely took part in the event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Hirkan National Park, attended by the Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Vugar Karimov.
On November 21, 2023, the "Flamingo Festival" was held for the first time in Azerbaijan in the Kyzylagac National Park. Lankaran State University has participated in this event and the "Aggol" team of our students took the 1st place in the environmental knowledge competition held among various higher education institutions.
On December 5, 2023, the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the "Biology and Ecology" Department of Lankaran State University, the "Biology and Ecology" Department of Odlar Yurdu University and the Dendrology Institute jointly held a scientific seminar on "Ecological factors and climate change" in a hybrid format.
The specialty of the Ecology have been added such subjects as "Specially protected natural areas", "Ecological basis of nature use", "Waste-free technologies and waste recycling", "Ecosystems and their protection" into the elective subject block.
Climate change has become an issue of concern to the world community on a global scale, and its consequences are clearly felt in a number of regions and countries, including Azerbaijan. In these last decades, the average temperature on Earth has increased significantly, the intensity and frequency of hurricanes, storms, and blizzards have increased, hot winds and precipitation have increased, and at the same time, the number of floods has increased, the deep layers of the oceans and seas have warmed, the glaciers have gradually melted, etc. shows itself with signs. The basis of temperature increase related to anthropogenic factors is gases that create a heat effect, including carbon, methane, nitrogen oxides and chlorine-fluorine compounds.
The state of Azerbaijan, which is a part of the planet, has not been left out of the influence of global climate changes, temperature increases in Azerbaijan in the last century, the number and strength of floods in small mountain rivers in the country increased, the area of existing mountain glaciers decreased up to 2 times.
Lankaran is located in the southeastern part of the country. The total area of this region, which is 7.2% of the republic's territory, is 6.07 thousand km2, and from the administrative point of view, it includes the administrative districts of Astara, Lerik, Yardimli, Lankaran, Masalli and Jalilabad.
The region is considered one of the regions where important agricultural products are produced in the republic. 85% of the tea produced in Azerbaijan, 59% of the vegetables, and 100% of the citrus are concentrated here.
Favorable geographical position, picturesque mountain landscape complexes and beaches and sand dunes on the Caspian coast create great opportunities for the development of tourism here. In this region, which is known as the most humid region of our republic, precipitation is unevenly distributed over the seasons. The amount of precipitation falling in autumn is more than 50% of the annual norm. The maximum rainfall observed in the territory of Azerbaijan falls precisely in the southeastern part of Talysh Mountains. As a rule, torrential rains are accompanied by thunderstorms.
In this regard, in order to provide agriculture and other production areas with high-level meteorological information, the territory of our republic has been regionalized by climatologists according to synoptic-climate characteristics, the territory of Azerbaijan has been divided into 10 synoptic regions. One of them is the Lankaran-Astara synoptic region.
Taking all this into account, grain growing, grape growing, and partly cotton growing are the main agricultural fields developed in the Jalilabad-Gizilagac agro-climatic region in recent years.
Tea growing, grain growing and vegetable growing have become specialized fields in the Masalli agro-climatic region because the climate is relatively warm and mild.
At the same time, in the Lankaran-Astara agro-climatic region, the main place is given to tea growing, grain growing (especially rice growing), citrus fruit growing and vegetable growing.
Lerik-Yardimli agro-climatic region - livestock breeding has developed in this region, which is distinguished by its harsh climate.
Deman-Kyzyurdu agro-climatic region - mainly used as pasture.
Our region has taken obligations in initiatives to reduce and mitigate the effects of climate change, to reduce gas emissions that create a heat effect, and it is systematically fulfilling those obligations.
Despite not taking quantitative commitments regarding the reduction of carbon emissions, a number of important measures have been implemented in the country in recent years. These include the adoption of low-carbon, energy-efficient, renewable energy and effective waste management technologies, as well as steps taken to expand forest areas and protect forest areas.
In addition to national initiatives related to these issues, Lankaran State University successfully cooperates with a number of international organizations through the implementation of various projects. Thus, projects related to climate change mitigation technology and capacity building in this area have been implemented.
The mentioned points indicate the successful implementation of state policy in the direction of climate change in our country. Lankaran State University joined these successful reforms and on December 22, 2023, it hosted an international scientific conference on "Protection of biological diversity and towards ecologically sustainable socio-economic development" with the participation of representatives of 10 foreign countries. In the second half of 2024, another scientific conference on "Green world, solidarity for the sake of ecology and economic development" is planned to be held at LSU. At the same time, Lankaran State University prepared a climate action plan for change management by continuing research on climate change and combating it.
The main strategic goal of Lankaran State University within the fight against Climate Change is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Azerbaijan's National action policy and strategy in this field, as well as initiatives to reduce and mitigate the effects of Climate Change in our country. It is to cooperate with international partners in accordance with the conditions of sustainable development policy, to participate in global efforts in accordance with the objective and scientific basis, the principle of common but different responsibilities, to make their own contributions in this work.
Main principles of the Climate Action Plan for Lankaran State University:
• Inclusion of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and measures in the development plans of the University,
• Raise awareness of environmental issues and management within and outside the university
• Contribute to global policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or limit their growth rate within their capacity, without disrupting the development program adapted to the principles of sustainable development,
• To reduce the negative effects of global climate change and to increase the level of personnel training and capacity to adapt to these effects, to share the experience gained, to adapt to the design and implementation of global strategic goals such as mitigation, technology transfer and financing, to play an active role in international activities,
• Developing research-development and innovation potential for cleaner production, taking into account existing technology and development, creating incentive mechanisms.
• To ensure effective and sustainable coordination of activities within the framework of the fight against climate change.
Things to be done under the Climate Action Plan:
• Creating a team (group) related to Climate Change seminar at Lankaran State University;
• Organization of awareness trainings and seminars related to Climate Change;
• Team members of relevant specialists in the university will analyze and prepare the presentation of educational information on the mentioned direction. The team will undertake the organization of educational seminars - the organization of educational training on the adaptation (adaptation) of the lifestyle of the local population to the negative effects of climate change and the contribution they can make to reduce these effects in accordance with the terms of sustainable development policies. (Here it is envisaged to organize training seminars for the local community and the student-teacher contingent of LSU, educators working in general education institutions).
• Creation of a "Green Lankaran" grant project plan for the City's Sustainable Energy Action Plan
• Acquisition and inventory of carbon dioxide emissions in the city of Lankaran
• Greenhouse gas reduction measures and assessment in Lankaran city
• Extraction of regional scenarios of climate change impacts
• Preparation of climate change adaptation plan for the region
• Organization of joint seminars with various city or district municipalities in the region:
• Submission of the prepared plan to the Central Executive Authorities
• Organization of public sharing events related to the work done
Also, Lankaran State University takes part in international projects related to the Green World. Thus, LSU joined as a partner in the project of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics Refresh Green and sustainable global economic improvement: renewable energy sources and mitigation of climate change (REFRESH) project in Azerbaijan universities.
Improving knowledge and skills on renewable energy sources at Azerbaijan State University of Economics and partner universities (Lankaran State University + 4 regional and 4 European universities), improving teaching methodologies, course programs and starting pilot courses at each partner higher education institution by adopting the advanced experience of the European Union to engage teaching staff in the Training of Trainers (ToT) program and trying to build capacity in universities.
