Opinions & Interviews
Belarus views green economy as strategic vector
Photo courtesy of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry
MINSK, 12 December (BelTA) – Belarus views green economy and low-carbon sustainable development as a strategic vector. Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Andrei Khudyk made the statement during the 24th conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, BelTA has learned.
Andrei Khudyk drew attention to the implementation of the mechanisms of global response to the threat of climate change by the Paris Agreement signatories and the adoption of concrete measures to reach the end goal of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. He also mentioned fight against climate change as a sustainable development goal.
Some countries have already moved from declarations to actions, he said. Belarus is one of them. Thanks to the balanced policy of the head of state Belarus is the first country in the region and the world’s 30th country to adopt the Paris Agreement. “We are committed to sustainable development, which is impossible without resolving climate change problems,” said Andrei Khudyk. In line with the Paris Agreement Belarus has unconditionally undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by at least 28% in comparison with 1990.
The natural resources and environmental protection minister stressed that Belarus views green economy and low-carbon sustainable development as a strategic vector. Since energy industry accounts for about 61% of the emissions, close attention is paid to making the economy more energy-effective and to developing renewable sources of energy and other low-carbon sources of energy. “Every country has an untapped potential, which can be and should be used in the course of providing additional support. Belarus is ready to step up ambitions,” said Andrei Khudyk. “We are ready to do more in such fields as power engineering, transport, production sector, civil engineering, and waste management.”
Andrei Khudyk said he was confident that enabling fair and universally acceptable criteria for access to international climatic funds is crucial to the success of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of the approved common goal. Depriving middle-income countries or transition-economy countries of the ability to do so prevents them from fully exploring their potential for the benefit of reaching the common goal of preventing climate change.
A Belarusian delegation led by Andrei Khudyk is taking part in a UN conference on climate change in Katowice, Poland. A number of bilateral meetings have been scheduled. On 11 December the Belarusian natural resources and environmental protection minister met with the science, technology, and environment minister of Cuba and the Estonian environment minister. On 12 December Andrei Khudyk met with the heads of environmental protection agencies of Armenia, Egypt, and Ukraine.
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