By adopting amendments to the Law on Climate Change and Environmental Impact Assessment in the Parliament, a significant step has been taken towards improving the normative framework, harmonization with European regulations and ensuring sustainable development of infrastructure systems, said the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, Damjan Ćulafić.
He said that the amendments to the Law on Climate Change confirm Montenegro's strategic commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, in line with European Union (EU) policies and the Regulation on Establishing a Framework for Achieving Climate Neutrality.
"The adopted amendments more precisely define the obligation to establish a balance between total greenhouse gas emissions and their removal through sinks, thus further harmonizing the long-term goal of climate neutrality with European standards and the climate policies of the European Union," Ćulafić said in a statement.
According to him, a special segment of the changes relates to improving the system of monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions in maritime transport.
"This section specifies the obligations of shipping companies regarding the development and submission of emission monitoring plans, the methodology for their monitoring, as well as the procedures for verification and accreditation of verifiers, in accordance with relevant European standards in the field of MRVA systems," said Ćulafić.
He added that the amendment to the law was also carried out by adding a new article that defines the obligation to adopt bylaws regulating this area, which additionally ensures the full implementation of European regulations and the implementation of activities defined by the Roadmap within the negotiating Chapter 27.
Ćulafić especially thanked MPs Dejan Đurović and Momčilo Leković for their initiatives to align the Climate Change Law with the European acquis, emphasizing that such initiatives by MPs represent an important contribution to the European integration process and the improvement of the legislative framework in the field of environmental protection.
Speaking about the amendment to the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment, Ćulafić said that the adopted amendment ensured full harmonisation of national legislation with the Directive on the Assessment of the Impact of Certain Public and Private Projects on the Environment.
"The proposed regulation achieves full harmonization of national legislation with the aforementioned Directive, strengthens legal certainty and precision of the normative framework, enables the protection of sensitive information in the field of defense, as well as more efficient response in emergency situations," stated Ćulafić.
As he added, the proposed amendment contributes to the achievement of the general goal of achieving a high level of protection and improvement of environmental quality, as well as the application of the principle of integrating environmental protection policy into other sectoral policies.
Ćulafić also said that the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Regional Water Supply of the Montenegrin Littoral has received the green light from the relevant committee and is awaiting its adoption in parliament.
"With this set of laws, we are beginning the final phase of fulfilling obligations in Chapter 27 and I am certain that we will see the end of the year with the most demanding chapter closed," concluded Ćulafić.
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