President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, within the framework of her participation in the Climate Change Summit (COP29) in Baku, addressed today the first plenary session of the high-level segment for Heads of State and Government.
Below is the integral address of President Siljanovska Davkova:
Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me thank the Republic of Azerbaijan and President Aliyev for hosting this, in my opinion, urgent conference.
We have gathered at COP29 in the midst of a war. The good news is, some would say, that the aggressor is already suffering heavy loses and will most probably lose the war. The bad news is that the aggressor is humankind itself, with its unsustainable production systems and consumer habits.
Unless we hold global warming below 1.5 degrees by 2050, instead of sustainability and growth, we will have to think about habitability and survival. In this war against nature, it is the innocent, the children, the vulnerable populations and small, developing nations, who often suffer most.
Situated in one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world, the Mediterranean, we must to adapt our security, defense, energy, health, tourism, water, educational and other systems to this multidimensional challenge, making them inclusive to women, children and youth. We have endored the Declarations on Enhanced Action in Tourism and on Water for Climate Action. In addition, I have appointed a climate expert in our national Security Council and we have joined the Group of Friends on Climate and Security.
Our goal is to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy across all sectors, including energy, transport, industry, and agriculture. To achieve green growth, we’ll invest in green jobs and reskill workers moving away from carbon-based energy production. Sustainable energy transition must be environmentally and socially just. By adopting a Law on Climate Action, we will introduce a legal framework for Monitoring, Reporting, Verification and Accreditation. In parallel, we will adopt a revised Law on energy and a new law on renewables.
These laws support the implementation of the challenging “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity” cluster in EU membership negotiations, requiring €3.1 billion for renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Economic and Investment Plan and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans provide funding for this. Regardless of progress in the EU accession process, countries should have ongoing access to climate action funds before membership.
Esteemed Excellencies,
We need a peace agreement, a natural contract, as Michel Serres would say, to stop treating nature as adversary, and start treating it as partner. The Paris Agreement, the SDGs are the blueprint of that peace agreement, of that natural contract. Let’s implement them, in line with the principle pacta sunt servanda.
Thank you.
