COP28: Lithuania joins 7 international climate change initiatives
The Lithuanian delegation, led by Minister of the Environment Simonas Gentvilas, is actively participating in the COP28 negotiations to adopt ambitious decisions and engaging in side events of the Global Climate Change Action Agenda. In these events, Lithuania supports and collaborates with other countries' initiatives, sharing experiences and best practices.
Lithuania has joined four international initiatives under the Global Climate Change Action Agenda and three more on behalf of the European Union. Simonas Gentvilas, alongside Virgilijus Sinkevičius, EC Commissioner for Environment and Fisheries, and environment ministers from Sweden, New Zealand, Moldova, and other countries, participated in discussions on supporting Ukraine. They endorsed the Ukraine Environmental Declaration, aiming to establish a platform for assessing environmental damages and mobilizing countries' efforts to compensate for damages, set to be signed in 2024.
Lithuania has also joined the G7+ and the Government of Ukraine in the Declaration on Clean Energy Partnership for the Sustainable Restoration and Recovery of Ukraine's Energy System.
In support of the initiatives of the United Arab Emirates Presidency of COP28, two declarations were signed: one on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, and another on the Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Targets 2030, aligned with the EU's Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Targets 2030 initiative.
Simonas Gentvilas, Minister for the Environment, emphasized the importance of focusing on agriculture and food systems in mitigating and adapting to climate change. He highlighted that the EU and Lithuania are already fulfilling the main commitments of the Declaration. The updated National Energy and Climate Action Plan and the National Climate Change Agenda include measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a focus on integrating agriculture. Approximately one-third of the funds from the Common Agricultural Programme are allocated to green measures, and other funds also direct agricultural funding toward more sustainable, environmentally friendly practices and technologies.
The Declaration on Global Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Targets for 2030 calls on Heads of State and Government to reaffirm the need to limit the level of global warming as set out in the Paris Agreement. The Declaration emphasizes the urgent need to triple the use of renewable energy sources and double energy efficiency by 2030.
Simonas Gentvilas highlighted that Lithuania's targets align with the Declaration, demonstrating the country's rapid progress and high ambition in renewable energy. The installed renewable energy capacity increased by 53% this year, exceeding 2 GW.
On behalf of the EU, the United Arab Emirates Presidency of COP28 signed the Declaration on Climate Change Mitigation, Recovery, and Peace, the Charter on Disaster Prevention for a Better Future, and the German Climate Club initiative to promote cooperation between governments and non-governmental organizations on climate change.
The primary objective of the conference is to reach a global agreement to increase the ambition of all countries in mitigating climate change. This necessitates phasing out fossil fuels, adopting global renewable energy and energy efficiency targets for 2030, and implementing measures that increase financing for developing countries and provide support for the acquisition of technology.
Last updated: 12-12-2023
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