Plenković: Climate change alarms are ringing louder than ever; we must all act without delay

"It is now clear that we can no longer reach the initial goal of the Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5°C. Without a radical shift, the cumulative CO2 emission, which inevitably leads to a warming of 2°C, will be reached in two decades,'' Prime Minister Plenković asserted today in his speech at the UN conference on climate change, warning of catastrophic consequences for the entire world if it is not prevented. He called for intensified efforts to keep global warming below 2°C, recalling that the richest 10% of the world are responsible for half of CO2 emissions, while the poorest half of humanity creates only 8% of emissions. "More than ever, we must act without delay and in proportion to our impact on global warming," he said.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was in Dubai, where he participated in the 28th UN conference on climate change.

"With a sense of urgency and a call to action, I am addressing you today on behalf of Croatia, which has experienced record floods, the most violent and destructive storm in history, exceptional tides on several occasions and the hottest year ever recorded. Unfortunately, climate change alarms are ringing louder than ever every day, and global warming is accelerating instead of slowing down,'' warned Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, addressing the heads of state and government.

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to grow, and it is necessary to reduce them, he added, and reminded that for the first time in the history of mankind, on November 17, the symbolic limit of global warming of 2°C was crossed since the beginning of the industrial era, which, not so long ago, seemed unimaginable.

This, the Prime Minister pointed out, is a clear warning that the world must do much more to combat climate change.

We must do everything to avoid a catastrophic scenario

"It is now clear that we can no longer reach the initial goal of the Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5°C. Without a radical shift, the cumulative emission, which inevitably leads to a warming of 2°C, will be reached in two decades,'' the Prime Minister asserted, adding that there is very little time left to act.

He emphasized the necessity of intensifying efforts to keep global warming below 2°C, which represents a huge challenge.

Scientists are unanimous in their opinion that it would cause migrations of unprecedented proportions, undermine the political and economic stability of the world, and threaten biological diversity, food security and peace in the world.
 
"We must do everything to avoid such a catastrophic scenario, which requires our joint action," said Plenković.
 
Croatia is committed to a sustainable future

He emphasized that Croatia stands out with its efforts within the European Union, pointing out that it is in fifth place in the production of electricity from renewable sources, and in eighth place in the gross consumption of energy from renewable sources, which shows its commitment to a sustainable future.
 
"Croatia is 12th in the world in implementing sustainable development goals, which reflects our determination to integrate sustainable growth into national priorities," said Prime Minister Plenković.
 
Prime Minister Plenković said that Croatia, as the 18th global tourist destination, is strongly committed to sustainable tourism.
 
Clean energy is the future, and Croatia has significant geothermal potential
 
Croatia has significant geothermal potential, and is preparing numerous projects that will serve as renewable, stable and independent sources of electricity production, because clean energy is the future, the Prime Minister reported.
 
The DONES project, a joint effort between Croatia and Spain, is exploring ways to harness fusion - clean nuclear energy, similar to the power that powers the Sun - within decades.
 
Croatia also participates in the "Hydrogen Valley Northern Adriatic" project, which brings together several countries of the northern Adriatic region.
 
"With the aim of strengthening cooperation in research and innovation, this initiative seeks to develop the green hydrogen supply chain, whereby Croatia intends to play a significant regional role in the future," he emphasized.
 
Everyone must act in proportion to their impact on global warming
 
Although Croatia is not a big polluter, said the Prime Minister, it still tends to redouble its efforts to reduce climate change because the future of our children is at stake.
 
"If Croatia, which has recovered from a devastating war three decades ago, can now do more than its share, the largest and richest nations should not do less," he said.
 
This is all the more important, he reminded, when we know that the 10% of the richest people in the world are responsible for half of CO2 emissions, while the poorest half of humanity creates only 8% of emissions.
 
"More than ever, we must act without delay and in proportion to our impact on global warming. Croatia is determined to play its role as a reliable partner within the COP Convention,'' the Croatian Prime Minister concluded his address.



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