Georgian Agriculture Minister, Finnish Ambassador to South Caucasus discuss climate change
The Minister highlighted progress achieved by the country in water resource management and air quality monitoring, noted existing challenges and extended his gratitude to the Finnish side for their support. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture
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Otar Shamugia, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia on Wednesday met Kirsti Narinen, Finland’s Ambassador to the South Caucasus, to discuss prospects of cooperation for reducing risks and disasters posed by climate change.
The meeting also featured representatives of the Finnish Meteorological Institute and saw the participants discuss water supplies and air quality, the Agriculture Ministry said.
Shamugia said long-term relations with the Institute and sharing of its experience would bring “significant results” and noted proper maintenance of early warning systems in the country was his office’s “main priority”.
It is essential to design a system as quickly as possible that will mitigate the dangers caused by climate change to the greatest extent. Georgia received the European Union candidate status last year. The Agriculture Ministry [...] is actively working towards the fulfilment of its obligations. The support of our partners in these processes is very important”, he added.
The Minister highlighted progress achieved by the country in water resource management and air quality monitoring, noted existing challenges and extended his gratitude to the Finnish side for their support.
On her part, Narinen said Finland supported Georgia on its path to European integration - in which she said environmental issues played an “important role” - and would assist the country in achieving its goals.
Nino Tandilashvili, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, on Thursday announced nine new monitoring stations would be installed across the country to improve air quality monitoring.
Georgian Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia on Monday said up to 150 new meteorological and hydrological monitoring stations would be set up across Georgia over the next year.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday summarised the Government's efforts to strengthen hydrometeorological monitoring systems throughout the country at a press briefing held following Monday’s Government meeting.
In about three years early warning systems will be installed throughout Georgia, enabling the population to receive relevant and timely information in a systematic way prior to disasters in order to make informed decisions and take action.
Georgian Deputy Agriculture Minister Tengiz Nasaridze last week told the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin the agricultural production of the country was “actively growing”, with export indicators also on rise both worldwide and to the European Union.
Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, on Thursday discussed the “significant success” of the country on the path of European integration during his meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries in Brussels.
Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, on Friday met Janusz Wojciechowski, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, to provide information about reforms and “unprecedented steps” taken by the Government since 2012 to develop agriculture.