Azerbaijan has received $1.25 million in funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support its ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions in its railway sector by 2030.

The funding will be disbursed in two phases: $1 million will come through the bank’s Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific, and another $250,000 from the Technical Assistance Special Fund.

While rail transport currently contributes less than 0.5% to Azerbaijan’s total GHG emissions, this initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to sustainable mobility and climate leadership. It follows Azerbaijan’s 2023 entry into the UN Global Compact and a comprehensive rail network emissions assessment.

This move reinforces the strategic role of green transport in national climate agendas and highlights how public financing can drive decarbonization in emerging markets.