EnviMin Gavrilescu: Romania to be the standard-bearer of fight against climate change while holding EU Council Presidency

Romania will be the standard-bearer of the fight against climate change at European level while holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), Romania’s Environment Minister Gratiela Gavrilescu told the 24th United Nations Conference on Climate Change – COP24, held in Katowice, Poland. “This is an extremely important meeting because we will determine how the Paris Agreement will be implemented. While in Paris in 2015 the world’s countries decided on major goals for the fight against climate change, in Katowice in the weeks ahead we will jointly determine what concrete measures the international community has to take. Next year, while holding the Presidency of the EU Council, Romania will be the standard-bearer of the fight against climate change at European level. It is becoming increasingly clear that we must strive to balance the needs of communities and the need to live on a healthy planet. That means implementing clear measures and equal efforts in both directions: both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change,” Gavrilescu said. According to a press statement released by the Environmental Ministry, Gavrilescu headed the delegation of Romania at the official opening of the works of the 24th United Nations Conference on Climate Change – COP24, organised in Katowice. The Romanian delegation includes Romania’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Poland Ovidiu Dranga, experts from the Ministry of the Environment and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among the key points of the Paris Agreement are: the long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius, a transforming vision that allows the development of low-carbon economies in the context of sustainable development and poverty alleviation; a 5-year commitment review cycle that ensures the ambition and sustainability of the agreement, and a global assessment of progress with meeting the targets. Important provisions also cover clear monitoring and reporting responsibilities, as well as a commitment of developed countries to mobilising funds for developing countries, know-how transfers, and the capacity of these countries to adapt to climate change.

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