|
It is a pleasure to participate
to this First Global Stocktake High Level Event on Adaptation.
The first Global Stocktake has
to show what the Parties to the Paris Agreement have so far delivered and how
they will continue to do so, on the collectively agreed long-term goals.
For this reason, I believe that
the outcomes need to be more ambitious and tangible, including setting
milestones and benchmarks as part of roadmaps. This will set us to a course
for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, as well as enhancing preparedness
in terms of adaptation.
Furthermore, the Global
Stocktake should record adaptation actions for developing countries through
transparent and robust mechanisms, which allow for accountability. We should
also make sure that expertise and capacity by these countries should be enhanced,
with a goal to improve the design and implementation of their domestic
climate policies.
Cyprus is in the heart of a
global hotspot where climate change impacts are much more intense than in the
rest of the world and the need for adaptation is a priority. For this reason,
extensive work has been done both on a national and regional level to map the
impacts and to find appropriate adaptation policies and measures.
The Republic of Cyprus,
recognising the need for better understanding and adaptation to climate
change on a regional level, decided in 2019 to initiate a regional climate
cooperation mechanism. What became known as the Cyprus Initiative, which up
to date has been joined by a number of countries in our region, such as
Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and Palestine,
aims, through regional synergies, to combat and mitigate the impacts of
climate change in the vulnerable Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East
region. The initiative, having undertaken a “Regional Stocktake”, adopted at
COP27 a Regional Action plan.
This Regional Action Plan adds
value to national and local adaptation efforts. It is a policy instrument
with little administrative implications for most stakeholders and has
succeeded in focusing attention of our regional partners on the need to
prepare for climate hazards.
Throughout the preparation
process, the countries of our region have gained valuable insights. The added
value of the regional research and innovation actions has been strongly
appreciated by all stakeholders. We now aim to switch focus from generating knowledge,
to utilising it in the decision-making process, particularly in economic
sectors or areas that are potentially more vulnerable in the Mediterranean
region, such as agriculture.
The utilisation of the Regional
Action Plan by Cyprus. towards the fulfilment of its’ national obligations is
an example of how the outcome of the Initiative could be utilised by other
countries in the region.
In the same context, I would
like to note that we also took the decision to make a significant
contribution to the second replenishment of the Green Climate Fund, in
support of developing countries to reduce their Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
adapt to the impacts of climate change.
I am hopeful that our regional
cooperation will further evolve to integrate the international dimension of
adaptation and to synchronise with global collective policy and actions on
sustainable development, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction, to name
just a few.
(RM/NG/IA)
|
