Irakli Gharibashvili Addresses the 28th UN Climate Change Conference: Georgia's Commitment to Climate Action
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, December 4, 2023
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, delivered a speech at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. He emphasized that Georgia places a significant emphasis on addressing climate crises and has implemented important measures in that regard.
Gharibashvili stated that over 500 million US dollars have been allocated from Georgia's state budget this year for environmental impact mitigation and adaptation measures:
"In Georgia, we take the responsibility of dealing with climate crises seriously, and we have already taken important steps in this direction. This year, over 500 million US dollars have been allocated from the state budget for environmental impact mitigation and adaptation measures. Additionally, our national infrastructure development plan already includes low-carbon and climate change adaptation measures, totaling USD 300 million per year," Gharibashvili said.
Gharibashvili said that the severe effects of climate change require urgent action for resilience. He emphasized the need for major international efforts, including halving global emissions by 2030, sequential contributions to the loss and damage fund, and a framework for global climate adaptation. Gharibashvili also called for fulfilling the 100 billion USD per year pledge and doubling funding for climate change adaptation commitments.
"The visible effects of climate change, increasingly severe and with devastating impacts on both people and the environment, call for accelerated efforts to ensure resilience. Therefore, I firmly believe that major international efforts must be sustained worldwide to deal with climate crises. These efforts include:
Halving global emissions by 2030 and maintaining the 1.5°C limit in line with the Paris Agreement;Sequential implementation of contributions to the loss and damage fund;
Development of a framework for achieving the global goal of climate adaptation.
Additionally, the pledge to finance efforts to deal with climate change, in the amount of 100 billion USD per year, must be fulfilled. Commitments to double funding for climate change adaptation efforts must also be met," The Prime Minister stated.
Gharibashvili highlighted that almost 85% of the electricity consumed in the country is sourced from renewable sources. However, he emphasized that further increasing this share remains a strategic priority. Furthermore, he announced with pleasure that Georgia is joining the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference Global Pledge on Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency.
