Azerbaijan and COP-29 are tea-centric.

• Tea, a staple in daily life, is a significant part of global culture, especially during climate talks.
• Climate change is threatening the cultivation of tea, with some regions experiencing a 50% decrease in cultivation due to rising temperatures, drought, heavy precipitation, and erosion.
• Scientists are studying ways to improve tea varieties and prepare for a future where some tea production moves north.
• Keziban Yazici, a professor studying climate change effects on tea, emphasizes the need for sustainable production.
• Yazici’s team is developing drought-resistant tea varieties and protecting the tea gene pool at Recep Tayyip Erdogan University in Turkey.
• The future of tea serves as a reminder of the cultural heritage of the world if global warming goals are not met.
• Fatima Fataliyeva, senior sustainability manager for the COP-29 operation company, emphasizes the importance of aligning culture and the future.