On 25 November at the European Information Bureau of the Seimas, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas took part in the round table discussion “Climate Change: from Kyoto to Copenhagen” and spoke about Lithuania’s contribution to combating climate change.
On 25 November at the European Information Bureau of the Seimas, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas took part in the round table discussion “Climate Change: from Kyoto to Copenhagen” and spoke about Lithuania’s contribution to combating climate change.
The Minister noted that Lithuania was determined to contribute to the EU’s effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent until 2020, or by 30 per cent, if other countries would undertake adequately ambitious commitments.
Minister V.Ušackas emphasized the resolution to develop a sustainable energy concept in Lithuania. According to him, climate change is becoming not only a priority of foreign policy, but also the priority of an internal policy.
“We have already taken certain steps to develop market mechanisms that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions in a cost-effective way. Recently, the Climate Change Act has been passed in the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) and the Lithuanian Renewable Energy Law is being discussed,” the Minister said.
According to Minister V.Ušackas, the global nature of climate change confirms that there is a strong need to engage as many other countries in the discussion as possible. Therefore, Lithuania has put climate and environmental issues high on its Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and EU’s Eastern Partnership agendas.
“There are many benefits to climate action, such as modernisation, increased efficiency of the energy industry and other parts of the economy, reduced pollution, possibilities for technology transfer and research cooperation. The developments in the Baltic Sea Region could also be a model for its Eastern neighbours, showing that it is possible to be globally competitive while at the same time taking social and environmental dimensions,” Minister V.Ušackas said.
On 7-18 December 2009, the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Copenhagen. It is expected that an ambitious political agreement on emissions reduction will be achieved for the next commitment period, as well as on the mechanism to curb climate change.
The round table discussion was organized at the initiative of the Seimas European Club. Members of the Seimas, representatives from Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, from foreign embassies and nongovernmental organisations, scientists and journalists attended the discussion.