News
Ministar Sarovic at Conference of Parties to UNFCCC in Doha
12/07/2012
Sarovic: “The disasters that have been happening in the world carry out a message about the necessity of turning the society toward renewable energy sources, which will ultimately lead to low carbon production, green economy and very controlled emissions of greenhouse gases...“
December 5 – 6, 2012 – The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol opened on Monday, 26 November and continued until Saturday, 8 December 2012 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar.
This event was attended by delegations from 194 countries, about 7000 representatives of non-governmental organizations, 1500 members of global and regional media outlets. The delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, headed by Minister Mirko Sarovic took an active part in this conference, which was opened by H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister of this country.
On December 5, Minister Sarovic and the BiH Delefation participated in an informal ministerial round table. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the keynote speaker in this meeting, attended also by Ms. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), among others. Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Ms. Figueres expressed their concern and stressed the importance of active work on climate change as reports and status on the global scene is getting worse. Minister Sarovic met with the executive director of the GEF (Global Environment Facility - CEO) Ms. Naoko Ishii, and the meeting was attended by Minister of Physical Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska, Ms. Srebrenka Golic.
Minister Sarovic expressed his gratitude to the GEF for the help and support they have provided (through regional and national projects) in the amount of over $ 150 million. He pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina has implemented a large part of these funds, and that BiH is expected to begin next year with the implementation of three projects worth about $ 6.6 million. Minister noted that BiH has a need for implementation of new projects, particularly those related to adaptation to climate change, as well as Emergency Risk Management. He explained this with data on floods, droughts and fires which affected BiH from 2009 to 2012, and said that the damage was estimated at over one billion U.S. dollars. Minister asked for support for the project of adaptation (which could ne up to $ 5 million), and expressed confidence that the cooperation between the GEF Secretariat and the GEF Council member from BiH would be on a high level. He invited Ms. Ishii to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina and to get personally acquainted with her natural beauty, but also its environmental problems.
Ms. Naoko Ishii thanked for the information, expressed satisfaction with the implementation of projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in particular with the support BiH gave in the process of her nomination and election as the executive director of the GEF, and said she was prepared to consider the project of adaptation for which she hoped to be sent for approval in BiH soon.
She also thanked for the invitation to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On December 6, Minister Sarovic gave his address at the conference, and stressed the importance of joint action and work to combat climate change. He pointed out that "Fulfilling its obligations under the Convention so far, Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown that it wants to play an active role in the fight against climate change...". He listed the current activities that are carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and noted that "We are currently finishing activities for the development of the Second National Report and Strategy for Low Carbon Development and Adaptation to Climate Change“ and that in this field the cooperation with the EU represents a long-term policy and part of everyday activities.
Minister confirmed the commitment of BiH to international cooperation and stressed that this Conference “will be a great opportunity for all the countries to act in synergy in order to achieve maximum impact in reducing greenhouse gases and adequate adaptation to changing climatic conditions.”
“The disasters that have been happening in the world carry out a message about the necessity of turning the society toward renewable energy sources, which will ultimately lead to low carbon production, green economy and very controlled emissions of greenhouse gases,” emphasized Minister Sarovic in his address.