As discussions continue on the fifth day of the World Urban Forum in Baku, infrastructure and sustainable urban development are emerging as central themes in debates over climate policy and future economic competitiveness.
Governments and policymakers attending the forum are increasingly examining how green construction technologies, smart cities and energy-efficient infrastructure can serve not only environmental goals, but also long-term industrial and economic strategies.
Speaking to AnewZ, Shabnam Safarova, Chair of the Public Union “For Progress of Karabakh”, told Daybreak’s Nadia Gyane that smart buildings and digital cities are becoming increasingly important not only for climate policy, but also for economic development.
“You know such buildings are much more smart, and digital cities are no longer only environmental issue. It is about economic competitiveness of countries and cities as well,” she said.
Safarova pointed to the significant environmental impact of the global construction sector and stressed that climate strategies must include urban planning and redevelopment.
“Based on statistics buildings and construction account for about 32% of global energy use and 34% of global carbon dioxide emissions. So any serious climate policy or climate action must address how we design it, how we build and, sometimes how we rebuild the cities in transformation process or changing traditional cities to smart ones.”
She added that governments increasingly see green construction and alternative energy integration as strategic sectors capable of creating new industries and jobs.
“And for governments, this field means strategic in the sector of energy efficient materials, solar integration and other alternative energy integrated systems cities. And they can create new industries, new jobs as well.”
Safarova reiterated that the issue extends beyond environmental concerns and is becoming central to future economic competition between countries.
“It is not only environmental issue now it is about economic competitiveness for countries in near future.”
She highlighted how governments are increasingly linking climate-focused urban development with economic strategy and industrial competitiveness. Her remarks reflected broader discussions at WUF13, where policymakers are focusing on how smart infrastructure, green construction and alternative energy systems could shape the future of cities and economies alike.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 25th May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
As dawn broke on Monday, pilgrims began arriving at the sacred site of Mina west of Mecca, marking the start of Hajj - one of the most significant spiritual journeys in Islam.
The UK is experiencing potentially record-breaking temperatures after forecasters confirmed some areas reached highs close to 34°C on Monday.
A Palestinian shepherd says her family’s Eid al-Adha preparations were destroyed after dozens of sheep were allegedly stolen in a pre-dawn raid in the occupied West Bank, leaving her without both a religious sacrifice and her family’s main source of income.
Armenia’s upcoming elections are emerging as a defining geopolitical test, amid growing debate over the country’s future direction between Russia and the West, rising regional pressure, energy dependence concerns and shifting security alliances.
Shortly after nine o’clock on Tuesday morning (26 May), a sleek white train eased into Tbilisi’s central railway station, a couple of minutes behind schedule, carrying passengers from Baku for the first time since 2020.
A Turkish court ruling reinstating former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu triggered fresh unrest on Sunday (24 May), as riot police stormed the opposition party’s Ankara headquarters amid an escalating political crisis that critics say threatens democratic norms in Türkiye.
For the first time in decades, Armenia has rail access to the EU. The Akhalkalaki–Kars corridor, running through Georgia into Türkiye, is now officially open for Armenian cargo - a quiet but consequential shift in the region’s economic geography.
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