Brincat calls for accelerated negotiations for climate change deal

Malta’s climate action agenda was raised at the United Nations in an intervention by environment minister Leo Brincat while addressing a high-level event on climate change held at the UN headquarters at the invitation of the President of the UN General Assembly.

Brincat berated the fact that progress in Bonn on climate issues had been far too slow, and called for an acceleration of the negotiation process for a deal to be struck in December in Paris.

“Together with other EU member states, Malta has been at the forefront in scaling up mitigation and adaptation measures while being on track to deliver its 2020 climate target, according to the 2008 EU Climate and Energy Package,” Brincat said.

“To consolidate Malta’s position at a national level, we have just promulgated a Climate Action Act to fulfill national mitigation and adaptation strategies and obligations, while the act will provide the necessary legal framework to support the upcoming National Low Carbon Development Strategy which will further mainstream climate capacity building.”

Brincat said knowledge-sharing could spread new skills and promotes innovative solutions to problems.

He also said that in addition to empowering human resources through capacity building, Malta had contributed to the Green Climate Fund and would continue to do so.

Referring to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta, Brincat said that  as part of the 2015 Malta summit, it will organise a special executive session on climate action aimed at generating support for an ambitious equitable and inclusive outcome at the Paris COP.

“Malta considers the Commonwealth as a platform that will help mobilise capacity building and technical assistance between its considerations into all national plans and actions, ensuring low carbon and climate resilient sustainable development.”