Moldovan president at COP29 says Moldova most vulnerable European country to climate changes' effects

Chisinau, 12 November /MOLDPRES/ - President Maia Sandu today participated in the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan.    

The head of state gave a speech at the event:

„Distinguished delegates,

It is an honour for me to address You on behalf of Moldova’s citizens. I express my deep gratitude to His Excellency, President Aliyev and the Government of Azerbaijan for the hosting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.     

Ladies and gentlemen,

Moldova is a telling example of injustice as regards the climate changes: although we contribute as little as 0.03 per cent to the global emissions, we are the most vulnerable country of Europe to the effects of the climate changes.   

For Moldova, the climate changes do not represent a far threat; they represent a present reality, which affects our daily life, the economy and, in particular, the rural communities which depend on agriculture. The increase of air temperatures, the prolonged droughts and the unpredictable and heavy precipitation reduce the yield of production of agricultural crops, such as the wheat and maize, while the vineyards of Moldova – essential for our economy and heritage – face new challenges. The access to water becomes more and more difficult, hitting both the agriculture and the daily life.        

The small and the emerging economies from all over the world share this burden, and often they do not have the resources needed to recover.  

This fact emphasizes the urgent necessity of a fair and accessible system of climate financing, which should prioritize the vulnerable nations and consolidate their resilience. It is fully equitable for us to expect the support of developed countries.   

To speed up the implementation of the climate actions, the present funds and programmes must also ease the bureaucratic processes, which currently last for years in a row.   

In Moldova, we bring our contribution to the diminution of the CO2 emissions. Despite multiple crises caused by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, which seriously hit our economy, we launched a national programme on afforestation – an effort to extend the afforested area by 5 per cent, proving our commitment for a greener future.   

Despite the limited resources, we pursue this goal for the health of the planet and of the next generations, in order to improve the quality of the air, the biodiversity and the soils.   

The recent global energy crises prompted us to act quickly. We reduce the consumption through energy efficiency and we extend the sources of renewable energy. Yet, the afforestation and the de-carbonization are costly, but with greater support, we might accelerate these existential efforts.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

The time passes – the global warming will not wait till we solve other crises. The history will judge us, if we fail to act, running the risk for extended areas of the planet to become uninhabitable. Our present solidarity will determine the future of the Earth.  

Thank you!”