Georgian, Finnish officials discuss cooperation in environmental protection, climate change

Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, and Juhani Damski, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment of Finland, on Friday discussed cooperation in environmental protection and climate change.

The meeting emphasised the importance of a memorandum of understanding between the National Environmental Agency of Georgia and the Finnish Meteorological Institute on cooperation in meteorology, climatology and the environment, signed earlier today in Helsinki.

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During the meeting, Shamugia highlighted the country’s progress in aligning with international environmental standards and legislative convergence, particularly in environmental management, air quality, water resources management, waste management, industrial emissions management, biodiversity protection and climate change.

In his turn, Damski applauded reforms undertaken by the Georgian Government and expressed Finland’s readiness to support these efforts.

Our specialists will assist Georgia in developing modern systems. We are also prepared to support the ongoing reforms in environmental protection, including promoting the development of the green economy and implementing principles of circular economy, among others. It is crucial that Georgia commits to becoming a climate-neutral country by 2050, aligning with the European Union’s agenda. We are ready to share our expertise in this regard as well”, he said.

The Georgian Minister also met Petteri Taalas, the Director General of the Institute, who expressed commitment to collaborating and sharing expertise with professionals from the country.