The EU has led the role of the green transition internationally, and we believe this must continue and be maintained, sending a clear message internationally that it retains this leadership role, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou has said.
In statements made in Brussels, on the sidelines of the EU-27 Council, Panayiotou on 18 September said that the Environment Council is particularly significant, as it "essentially sets the steps for the European Union to achieve the crucial 2040 climate target."
She outlined the agenda and the EU’s objectives from this meeting ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to the Minister, the discussion on the amended text for the EU’s 2040 Climate Target is "a precursor to the debate that will take place at the European Council in October, giving it special significance."
She noted that in the compromise text before them, Cyprus has managed to incorporate its priorities, such as references to the specificities of islands, the problems and challenges related to electrical interconnection, the impacts of climate change on forest fires, and food security issues. She described these as very important.
"We, as Cyprus, support Denmark’s efforts to reach a balanced text that ensures a just transition," she underlined.
According to the Cypriot Minister the second very important item on the agenda is the EU’s statement of intent ahead of the submission of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
"We want to reach an agreement—that is the goal we hope to achieve today—so that we have a strong, unified voice next week at the UN General Assembly in New York," she added.
"For us, it is very important that this joint statement of intent is presented in New York. The EU has led the role of the green transition internationally, and we believe this must continue and be maintained, sending a clear message internationally that [the EU] retains this leadership role," she stressed.
Regarding the remarks by Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, Panayiotou said that "the Climate Commissioner highlighted what we all experienced this summer with the major fires, a consequence of the climate crisis."
"He clearly stated that the areas lost across the entire European Union essentially correspond to the size of Cyprus," she added.
He mentioned this, she explained, "to give, if you will, an incentive, to send a clear message to Ministers to agree on a common text."
"We will support these efforts because what we are asking for is for the European Union to continue having this leading role in the green transition within a framework of balance, realism, and, of course, ambition,” Panayiotou concluded.
(Source: CNA)
