Green Finance & Energy Centre – the only think-tank in the field of sustainable finance and energy, initiated by the Bulgarian Stock Exchange and the Independent Bulgarian Energy Exchange, supported by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Energy and over 40 reputable leaders – representatives of the state, business, academia and the non-governmental sector, sent a letter in support for Bulgaria’s candidacy as a host of the largest and most significant climate-related event in the world. The letter was addressed to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the UN, the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, Mr. Rumen Radev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Julian Popov, Minister of Environment and Water, as well as to other interested Bulgarian and international institutions

In its capacity as the only Bulgarian think-tank focused on sustainable finance and energy, uniting the expertise of representatives of the state, business, academia and the non-governmental sector, Green Finance & Energy Centre welcomes the unanimous political and public support which positions Bulgaria as the most suitable candidate. As the highest decision-making body under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP29 aims to assess the effect of the measures taken and the progress made by the parties in achieving the Convention's goals, also proposing follow-up actions. the Green Finance & Energy Centre has positively assessed that the election of Bulgaria for the presidency of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference will have a favourable impact on the fight against climate change at the global and national levels. The Green Finance & Energy Centre has identified the following direct benefits which Bulgaria’s presidency of the forum would bring:

• As a member of the European Union, Bulgaria is positioned among the leading countries in terms of efforts to decarbonize the global economy and is actively working to build strategies for adaptation and mitigation of the consequences of climate change.
• Bulgaria’s unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape will attract a diverse pool of governments, businesses, the scientific community and non-governmental organizations, which will create new opportunities for strengthening the dialogue and connectivity among the global expert community on the topics of the forum.
• The country is well prepared to facilitate discussions of different perspectives on the green transition and promote several communication and information initiatives to present the best practices from global and local experiences.
• The global interest in COP29 creates an opportunity to broadcast messages of importance for the European Union to a global audience from nearly 200 countries.
• COP29 unites the scientific community around the topic of climate and thus will give a greater opportunity for Bulgarian specialists in the field to contribute to the expertise accompanying this and future conferences.
• A favourable environment is created to increase public awareness and strengthen support for the green transition of the Bulgarian economy, especially in key sectors.

„In a period of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, the UN Climate Change Conferences have a defined and undeniable role as a unifying factor in strengthening global efforts towards a just transition to a zero-carbon economy. The Green Finance & Energy Center believes that the need to defend the positions and interests of Bulgaria and the European Union as a whole in this context is of particular importance. We welcome the effort and endorsement of all interested parties to promote the Bulgarian candidacy and to mobilize all possible support for the presidency and hosting of COP29 in Bulgaria.
In this regard, the Green Finance & Energy Centre expresses its readiness to offer expert assistance and to actively support Bulgaria on its path as the first country from South-Eastern Europe to preside over this important global forum.“, stated Assoc. Prof. Manyu Moravenov, Chairman of the Green Finance & Energy Centre.