Who is to blame and what to do. Lukashenko's brief but poignant speech at the climate summit in Baku

Speech by President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko at the World Climate Change Summit in Baku

Dear friends,

Many speakers spoke a lot about how much they did to improve the climate. But I am looking at the period after our previous summit and I see that things got worse.

The war in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the war in southern Yemen. All in all, there are more than 50 conflicts in the world that are badly affecting the climate on our planet. So, have things gotten better? Has anyone began to pay for emissions?Those who were previously most concerned about the climate are absent from this conference. Moreover, they are sabotaging it. It is even hard to imagine how things will be after the presidential election in the United States of America. 

The question arises as to whether such summits are effective. Not long time ago the French president was very proud for the Paris Agreement. Where is the French president today? Is the climate change no longer relevant? This says a lot about the effectiveness of our work. So there is nothing to report yet.I would like to take this opportunity and congratulate my colleague [the president of Azerbaijan] on the excellent organization of this difficult summit.

Those who chose not to attend the summit thinking that they will avoid the consequences of the climate change. You will not. A storm in the United States of America, recent disaster in Valencia [the floods]. People died. This shows how effective we are in 'improving' our climate.

I am speaking frankly because there is nothing to reproach my country for in this regard. We are delivering on all our commitments. Due to the bureaucratic regulation of speech by the UN Secretariat, I will have to limit myself to a few sentences.

First. The climate has changed. It is already a reality. Therefore, the number one task is to recalibrate national economies, primarily agriculture and adapt it to the changes. Belarus is actively engaged in this and is ready to share best practices.

Second. It is important to give developing countries equal access to green technologies without harming their national interests. This assistance should not be a debt trap for them. We should abolish everything that hinders international trade in technologies, the exchange of innovations and best practices.

Third. Some new products that are touted as a more environmentally friendly alternative cause no less harm. Objectively, new approaches are needed to comprehensively assess the potential impact of innovations on the environment throughout the entire life cycle of a given product.

These and other areas require the consolidation of international efforts. It is time to translate words into action. And those who must pay must pay, and not sit out in their offices.

Thank you!

belta.by