Climate change[/B] affects every country and can only be tackled if we act collectively, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades said today.
In his opening statement at the online "Ministerial Meeting on the Climate Change Initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East", organised and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, President Anastasiades added that to this end, the Government has decided to allocate 41% of our National Recovery and Resilience Plan, for the period up to 2026, for measures that introduce cleaner fuels and contribute to Cyprus' green transition.
Referring to the participants, President Anastasiades stressed that the participation of well-known scientists and prominent policy makers from the neighbouring region "is proof not only of the magnitude of the threat posed by the climate crisis, but also of our readiness to coordinate synergies and exchange best practices".
Referring to the region, he said it was characterized as a "hot spot", with our countries being vulnerable to the climate crisis, already experiencing its devastating effects on agriculture, on public health, on tourism, on ecosystem development and water supply, thus disrupting our economy and our daily lives.
Considering the need for a collective response to the current climate emergency, and the fact that scientific projections indicate that the overall situation is expected to worsen in the coming years, the government, he said, "took the initiative to coordinate a regional response to this challenge."
As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Agriculture and its Personal Special Envoy for Climate Change, Professor Costas Papanicolas, coordinated the work of 13 Regional Task Forces, with the participation of more than 240 scientists from the region to prepare and submit concrete proposals and solutions. Solutions that are scientifically sound, technologically mature and cost effective, he said.
The President thanked all the scientists and experts involved in this Project on a voluntary basis. At the same time, he said their assessments and policy recommendations "provide a solid foundation for Phase B of the Initiative, starting with the development of a comprehensive Regional Action Plan, the effective implementation of which will ultimately help our countries to promote actions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the devastating impacts of climate change.
In parallel, they will launch appropriate mechanisms for more competitive and resilient economies through the transition to renewable and cleaner energy sources and enhance access to climate change-related financial mechanisms and instruments while providing incentives for businesses and industries to adapt and transition to green and sustainable technologies.
He expressed the hope that the European Union, as well as other regional and international organisations, will support in various ways the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus.
President Anastasiades said that in addition to our concerted efforts to avert climate challenges at the regional level, Cyprus remains fully committed to promoting multiple policies to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement, as well as to implementing our commitments at the EU level and contributing to the achievement of its ambitious goals.
To this end, he said, "my Government has decided to allocate 41% of our national Recovery and Resilience Plan, which translates into more than €500 million for the period up to 2026, to measures that introduce cleaner fuels and contribute to Cyprus' green transition."
President Anastasiades stressed that "climate change affects every country, every region, every continent and can only be tackled if we act collectively, plan for future generations and create together the future we all aspire to live in".
He expressed appreciation to the Minister of Agriculture Kostas Kadis and his Personal Special Envoy on Climate Change, Professor Papanikolas, for their great work and wished to welcome the participants to Cyprus next June for the 2nd Ministerial Meeting, during which he expressed the hope to finalize the framework of the Regional Action Plan and to agree on the mechanisms for its implementation.
Source: CNA
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