Ratas: countries must increase joint efforts to implement the Paris Agreement

03.12.2018 | 14:51

News

Katowice, Poland, 3 December 2018 – today, at the meeting for heads of state at the United Nations Climate Change Convention, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas stressed the importance of striving to prevent climate changes and agreeing on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.


“All countries must jointly increase their efforts to successfully manage the climate changes. By agreeing on common rules for performing the agreement, we can show that the international community is dedicated to act. Maintaining a clean environment is our obligation before future generations,” said Prime Minister Jüri Ratas. Estonia along with other Member States of the European Union is determined to work towards low emission economy.


“This transition will surely not be easy, but it will give us a good opportunity to redesign our economy the way it benefits all. It allows us to vivify the economy and increase environment preservation,” Ratas said. By 2050, Estonia aims to lower their greenhouse gas emission by 80% compared to the level of 1990.


According to the prime minister, Estonia contributes to controlling the climate changes by cooperating with developing countries. “We focuse on enterprises and non-governmental organisations who implement green technologies and export their solutions and professional knowledge to developing countries. In the past, Estonia has helped small islands of the Pacific Ocean by increasing their capabilities of emergency satellite communication and providing them solar panels,” the prime minister said.


Ratas also brought an example of the World Clean-up Day, Estonia’s anniversary gift to the world that was held in 158 countries in September. “The 15 million people who were cleaning our common living environment in unison sent a strong message of a great cooperation for a good cause,” Ratas said.


Estonia also supported the Poland-initiated Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration whose purpose is to maintain the rights and opportunities of employees while involving all parties of the labour market in planning and implementing the climate policy.


If we transition to an economy with a low greenhouse gas emission, then, according to Ratas, we must make sure that employees are fully equipped to adapt to change. “If some jobs are lost, we must create new jobs and offer people a chance to retrain. This will maintain and raise our living standards avoid the social issues that arise from losing jobs,” Prime Minister Ratas said.


During the Climate Convention, Prime Minister Ratas had bilateral meetings with several heads of states and governments. Longer meetings were held with Baron Divavesi Waqa, President of Nauru, Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, and Bidya Devi Bhandari, President of Nepal, to discuss cooperation in performing the climate goals and developing relations between the states.


Approximately 30,000 people, including heads of states and representatives of regulatory agencies, local governments, entrepreneurs, and non-governmental organisations will attend the two-week convention in Katowice.


With the intention of stopping climate warming, 195 countries adopted an international agreement in the 2015 Paris Climate Conference COP21. The main objective of this agreement is, in the long term, to keep a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and thus prevent dangerous climate changes.



Photos (Government Communication Unit):  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8ng6i4e26atjs6/AADoHcrEVIw-8jGheWmHrki7a?dl=0

Government Communication Unit

-