As one of the first signatories of the Paris Agreement, during the last decades, Montenegro established a comprehensive legislative and institutional framework to support green policies, said the country's president, Jakov Milatović, who is participating in the United Nations Climate Change Summit COP29, which is being held in Baku this year. .
As announced by Milatović's Office for Public Relations, Milatović stated at the beginning of his presentation that the UN data that 2024 is on its way to becoming the hottest year in history, given that global warming temporarily reaches 1,5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
"The negative consequences of climate change are increasingly affecting communities around the world, and Montenegro is no exception, which emphasizes the urgent need for climate action. As one of the first signatories of the Paris Agreement, Montenegro established a comprehensive legislative and institutional framework to support green policies during the last decades. Since the early nineties, Montenegro's commitment to harmonizing national policies with international sustainability standards has been evident, especially when it became the first country to declare an ecological state in its Constitution, committing to the integration of ecological principles into all areas of state governance. Although our share in global CO2 emissions is minimal (0,009 percent) and Montenegro's contribution to environmental goals may seem modest in the global context, this does not release us from the responsibility to contribute to collective efforts towards achieving carbon neutrality," Milatović said.
He pointed out that as a candidate country for membership in the European Union, Montenegro is harmonizing its policies with the EU and has therefore committed itself to sharing the climate ambitions expressed in the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
"Through our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Montenegro has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Since this goal is estimated to have already been achieved, the country plans to increase the goal to 55 percent, while policy makers are actively exploring ways to further improve this goal. At the same time, Montenegro is actively investing in the infrastructure of renewable energy sources, including the development of wind farms and solar panels, while work is planned to increase the capacity of the submarine electric cable with Italy, which positions Montenegro as a unique connection between the Balkan and Italian power systems. said President Milatović.
He said that Montenegro is also accelerating the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives, especially within public institutions, and these efforts are supported by large international financial organizations operating in the country and the region.
"In addition, EU funds enabled Montenegro to start wider energy efficiency programs, supporting private households. These activities strengthen the country's efforts to increase energy efficiency at the national level. Montenegro has also established itself as a regional leader in innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable development. Relying on existing institutions, such as the Eco Fund and the Innovation Fund, Montenegro, in partnership with the UN Office in our country, established the Sustainable Development Goals Acceleration Fund, creating a unique and powerful tool for encouraging partnerships that represent a new generation of financing aimed at accelerating the implementation of the sustainable development agenda. The success of the Fund is largely the result of the national contribution of Montenegro, which is the largest per capita in the region, strengthened by donations from partner countries and open opportunities for the involvement of the private sector. This partnership approach made the Fund an exceptional platform for advancing the goals of the Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2030," said Milatović.
Milatović noted that on the way to carbon neutrality, we must remain committed to a just transition, and that in this sense, Montenegro is developing a Roadmap for a just transition in order to maximize the benefits and minimize socioeconomic risks in the transformation towards a green economy.
"Time is the most precious resource at our disposal and every day is crucial in our collective efforts towards a climate-resilient economy. Cooperation is essential in this endeavor. I invite everyone to leave this meeting with a renewed sense of commitment and true determination to act, and Montenegro remains firmly committed to achieving the goals of carbon neutrality, guided by the spirit of joint effort and solidarity," concluded Milatović.
As it was announced, on the sidelines of the Summit, in separate meetings, Milatović spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kuwait's Crown Prince Sabah Al-Halid Al-Sabah.
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