The adoption of the Appendix to the Montreal Protocol on reducing fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC) successfully concluded the 28th meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (10–14 October 2016, Kigali, Rwanda). The Slovak delegation led by the Slovak Minister for the Environment, László Sólymos, conducted the negotiations on behalf of the EU.
The minister considers the Montreal Protocol to be the most successful global environment agreement, which has made a substantial contribution to the recovery of the ozone layer by reducing the production and consumption of freons. ‘On the other hand, some fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC) that have replaced freons substantially contribute to global warming. Today, we have a great opportunity and responsibility to commit to specific objectives which will lead to the gradual reduction of HFC production and their replacement by energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives,’ said László Sólymos.
The negotiations resulted in the adoption of the Appendix to the Montreal Protocol, the implementation of which will contribute to reducing the increase in global temperature by 0.5 °C, which was agreed this April in Geneva. The Appendix is therefore one of the first concrete steps to fulfilment of the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement ratified by the EU last week.
[This article originally appeared on the website of the Slovak EU Council Presidency, www.eu2016.sk]
Initiated in 2015, the French Ministry for the Armed Forces organized the first international conference “Defence and climate: what are the stakes?”. Since then, the Ministry has been constantly adapting and developing its capacity of anticipation.
On 25 January 2019, the UN Security Council held an open debate to discuss the security implications of climate-related disaster events. The meeting, initiated by the Dominican Republic, underscored the global nature of climate-related disasters. Most speakers highlighted the need for better climate risk management as an important contribution to safeguarding international peace and security. The debate marks the beginning of a year in which climate security ranks high on the UN’s agenda.
Today, Friday 25th January 2019, the UN Security Council will hold an open debate addressing the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security (at 4pm CET and 10am EST). President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic will chair the meeting, which will also include the participation of several member states at ministerial level.
The unabated growth of natural resource consumption raises risks that we will outstrip the capacities of ecosystems and governance institutions. At the same time, to achieve important global goals related to poverty alleviation, public health, equity and economic development such as those embodied in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we will simultaneously need more resources and better management of natural resources everywhere.