Croatian Prime Minister on climate change in Paris.
“Although Croatia accounts for just 0.06 percent of global CO2 emissions, it can feel the negative consequences of climate change like the rest of the world”, said Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović yesterday in Paris, pointing out that countries which largely contribute to the emissions of gases must assume greater commitments. Milanović led the Croatian delegation at the opening of the Paris climate summit where 195 countries are trying to agree on reductions in emissions which are the main culprits for the warming of the planet with catastrophic consequences, reports Vecernji List on December 1, 2015.
“Droughts, catastrophic floods such as those in Eastern Slavonia and extreme temperatures are a threat to the environment, to health and safety of citizens and to the national economy. To mitigate and prevent climate changes, just in the past four years we have co-financed energy efficiency projects worth 2.5 billion kuna”, Milanović said in a speech to the conference.
The opening ceremony was attended by 150 heads of states and governments, including presidents of the United States, China, India and the EU Member States, the countries responsible for the highest emissions of harmful carbon gases. After their departure, 195 negotiating teams will remain in Paris until 11 December to seek a common position. “The responsibilities and obligations should be allocated not only on the basis of greenhouse gas emissions, but also on the basis of the capacities and GDPs of individual countries. Countries which significantly contribute to emissions of gases and have the economic power must assume greater commitments”, Milanović said in his speech.
After decades of difficult negotiations that have finished with a failure at a summit in Copenhagen in 2009, starting positions are now much closer, but it is far from certain that the historic agreement will be reached. Scientists warn that the situation is alarming. They say politicians must reach a global climate agreement that would limit the increase in temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
