A/HRC/43/44/Add.1 Organization (ILO) World Social Protection Report for the period 2017–2019, public social protection spending in Azerbaijan amounts to only 6.2 per cent of GDP. 33 The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population reported that in 2017, 28.3 per cent of the population (about 2.8 million people) accessed various social transfers. Pensions and targeted State social assistance represent the greatest share of all social protection programmes.34 81. Azerbaijan is close to achieving universal coverage for three major social risks: older persons, persons with disabilities and relatives of a deceased person who are entitled to a pension. Pensions for older persons are the most widespread form of social protection in the world. A universal pension system has been instituted in Azerbaijan even if in the past years it has suffered a significant decrease, with the coverage rate dropping by 12 percentage points.35 In 2015, 81.1 per cent of older persons received an old age pension. Azerbaijan has achieved universal coverage for persons with disabilities. Disability cash benefits are provided through a combination of social insurance and non-contributory universal benefits. 82. However, social protection coverage is incomplete because only 40.3 per cent of the population is covered for at least one social protection benefit. 36 In addition, maternity protection remains a challenge; only 14 per cent of women in employment have access to maternity benefits, despite existing social insurance schemes. Unemployed persons receiving unemployment cash benefits make up 1.6 per cent of the population and only 12.6 per cent of the vulnerable population receive non-contributory cash benefits.37 83. The Government needs to continue prioritizing social protection in its national voluntary reviews, with the aim of meeting the challenges of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. VII. Environmental issues and climate change A. Context 84. Azerbaijan is blessed with 9 of the 11 climate zones. It is thus a climatologically very diverse country ranging from semi-desert and steppe climates to moderate, warm and cold climates. The differences in climate conditions are favourable for rich natural and agricultural biodiversity. 85. At the same time, the country faces environmental problems that affect air, soil and water quality. Besides the oil and gas sector, intensive agriculture is one of the major pollutants for soil degradation and water pollution. The country’s rapid economic development has created a number of environmental challenges, such as severe air pollution from industrial plants, soil and water pollution from the oil industry, excessive use of pesticides to increase production and difficulties in eliminating obsolete hazardous pesticides. The new intensive agricultural activity is likely to create new environmental problems if environmental protection and sustainability programmes are not implemented. 86. Climate change is a universal crisis and countries are struggling to mitigate its adverse impact. It has a negative impact on access to nutritious food, on poverty and on livelihoods, as well as loss of infrastructure and GDP. Climate change is already having a visible impact in Azerbaijan, especially on agriculture. Loss of biodiversity, important shortages of water, an already scarce resource, unpredictable rainfall and extreme weather events that create floods and droughts, wild fires and many other natural disasters can create further damage to the ecosystem and the economy. Azerbaijan is considered one of 33 34 35 36 37 14 ILO, World Social Protection Report 2017–2019. Universal Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (Geneva, 2017), p. 26. See www.ilo.org/moscow/news/WCMS_712664/lang--en/index.htm. ILO, World Social Protection Report 2017–2019, p. 82. Ibid., p. 159. Ibid., p. 163.