Georgian PM: climate change “challenge of our generation”, “swift, result-oriented” actions needed

Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday told the United Nations Climate Change Conference the environmental issue had become a “challenge of our generation”, with “swift and result-oriented action” needed to counter the threat.

Garibashvili said in his address to the gathering “as leaders of our countries, are responsible to find a solution for the sake of humanity and our future generations”, with “no time for deliberation” left in the challenge of climate change.

He also noted Georgia was considering turning its 2015 Paris Climate Accords commitments into “credible delivery” and increasing the ambition of its nationally determined contributions for 2025.

“We have developed a very comprehensive 2030 Climate Change Strategy and subsequent Action Plan to further facilitate the ambitious agenda for climate change mitigation”, he told the conference.

Additionally, Georgia, with its long-term low emission development strategy is targeting to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 with unifying national efforts and with international support”, the government head continued.

However, the efforts could only be “effective” if perspectives and contexts of developing countries in all regions are considered, the PM said, noting “equitable” geographical representation, sovereign equality, and dignity of member states was a “fundamental principle” of UN’s work. 

This principle - to ‘leave no one behind’- is echoed in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. [...] I encourage and remind all our colleagues that success cannot be achieved alone. Only with joint efforts, we will be able to reap the rewards. So let’s together translate the outcomes of COP 27 into prompt climate action”, Garibashvili concluded.