The United Nations Climate Conference, COP31, is underway in Antalya, Turkey, with foreign dignitaries and world leaders in attendance, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The conference is being hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and runs until 20 November.
Malta’s Prime Minister, Robert Abela, attended the leaders’ summit and delivered a speech on Wednesday in which he reaffirmed Malta’s commitment to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. He also spoke about his government’s National Climate Resilience Plan, which will continue to be developed in 2027 and will cover ten sectors, including energy, water, healthcare, transport and food security.
The conference brings together delegates from around the world, but the commitments made by governments remain insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has submitted a new climate target for 2035, pledging to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by 7% to 10% from their peak levels. However, climate analysts have criticised the target as insufficiently ambitious.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of immediately addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She referred to Europe’s increasingly severe wildfires, describing the previous summer as one of the worst wildfire seasons on record, while warning that the consequences of climate change are being felt worldwide.
India, on the other hand, continues to insist that developed countries must first deliver the climate finance and technology transfers promised under the Paris Agreement. Its government argues that developing countries should not be expected to shoulder the same financial burden as wealthier industrialised nations. At the same time, India continues to expand its coal capacity to meet its growing energy demands, highlighting the tensions between economic development and climate commitments.
The conference is expected to continue with negotiations on climate finance, energy transition and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
STQARRIJA MILL-UFFIĊĊJU TAL-PRIM MINISTRU
“Ejjew flimkien inkunu ta’ salvagwardja għall-preżent u l-futur tal-popli tagħna” – Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela
- Il-Prim Ministru jindirizza l-Konferenza dwar it-Tibdil fil-Klima tan-Nazzjonijiet Uniti (COP31) fit-Turkija
“Hekk kif it-tibdil fil-klima u t-temp estrem qed jaċċelleraw, Malta se tkompli ssaħħaħ is-sigurtà fl-enerġija permezz ta’ titjib fil-grid u aktar investiment fl-enerġija rinnovabbli, inkluż proġetti ta’ teknoloġija offshore u potenzjalment solar PVs, fuq il-baħar ukoll. Dawn isaħħu r-reżiljenza klimatika kif ukoll l-aċċess għal enerġija aktar nadifa.”
Dan stqarru l-Prim Ministru Robert Abela waqt li kien qed jindirizza l-Konvenzjoni tan-Nazzjonijiet Uniti dwar it-Tibdil fil-Klima (UNFCCC – COP31), f’Antalya, it-Turkija.
Quddiem għexieren ta’ mexxejja internazzjonali, Dr Abela stqarr li r-reżiljenza klimatika jeħtieġ tibqa’ ċentrali fil-politika tal-Gvern u wiegħed li fl-2027 Malta se tibqa’ tiżviluppa l-Pjan Nazzjonali tar-Reżilejnza Klimatika b’azzjonijiet f’10 setturi meqjusin vulnerabbli.
“Dawn jinkludu infrastruttura kritika, bħall-enerġija, l-ilma, is-saħħa, it-trasport u s-sigurtà tal-ikel. Jeħtieġ illi nippreparaw b’mod effettiv għal din ir-realtà b’azzjonijiet immirati għal kull settur,” kompla jgħid il-Prim Ministru.
Fid-diskors tiegħu l-Prim Ministru rriafferma li Malta tibqa’ kommessa li tilħaq il-miri tal-Ftehim ta’ Pariġi kif ukoll li tikkontribwixxi għall-isforzi kollettivi u ambizzjużi sabiex ikunu mnaqqsa l-effetti tal-klima.
“Anke f’Malta, bħala Gvern qed nieħdu diversi inizjattivi biex jiġu megħjuna l-familji u n-negozji f’din it-tranżizzjoni,” kompla jgħid Dr Abela. Elenka diversi eżempji, fosthom l-investiment tax-Shore-to-ship għal ekonomija marittima aktar sostenibbli.
Kompla billi fakkar kif fuq livell globali Malta hija wkoll vuċi għal dawk il-pajjiżi li huma affettwati miż-żieda fil-livell tal-baħar u qal li l-Gvern Malti se jkompli jagħti prijorità lill-assistenza għal gżejjer stati żgħar bħal Malta li għandhom ċirkostanzi ġeografiċi u problemi klimatiċi komuni.
“Malta tappella għal finanzjament marbut mal-klima li jkun aċċessibbli għal dawk l-Istati li huma l-aktar vulnerabbli,” qal Dr Abela.
Il-Prim Ministru fakkar kif inizjattiva Maltija fl-1988 kienet iddikjarat it-tibdil fil-klima bħala sfida komuni tal-umanità. “Kważi 40 sena wara nħeġġeġ biex inkomplu f’din id-direzzjoni f’dan il-COP31 u agħtu prova li l-multilateriżmu huwa l-aqwa għodda biex niġġieldu din it-theddida. Ejjew nagħtu lill-popli tagħna dak li jixirqilhom.”
“Ejjew flimkien nissalvagwardjaw il-preżent u l-futur,” temm jgħid il-Prim Ministru.
Il-Konvenzjoni tlaqqgħet fil-kuntest ta’ żewġ avveniment ġeopolitiċi, jiġifieri l-għeluq tal-Istrett ta’ Hormuz li wassal għall-instabilità fis-suq tal-enerġija kif ukoll it-tisħiħ ta’ fenomeni marbuta mat-tibdil fil-klima, inkluż mewġiet rekord ta’ sħana.
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