Under the agreement on climate change all countries pledge to take long-term action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that the increase in the global average temperature is well below 2°C.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the President highlighted Lithuania’s experience – our country is a clear example that rapid economic growth and energy security are possible without harming the environment. EU countries are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030. Lithuania far exceeds this goal as it has reduced these gas emissions by 58 percent.
“Signing this agreement means the commitment of each and every one of us to live more responsibly, maintain a sustainable environment and not to pollute it. We all must make a great effort to ensure that this historic agreement, signed by world leaders, does not remain on paper. The world began to understand that an irresponsible and consumer-oriented approach to the gifts given to us by the Earth is turning against us – nature is punishing us with droughts and floods, famines and diseases. Only we ourselves can stop this – we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent. Lithuania is a model example for the world that economic growth, energy security and a clean environment are compatible,” the President said.
In the last 25 years, Lithuania’s emission levels have fallen by almost 60 percent while our economy has grown by 30 percent. Lithuania has also rapidly increased the use of renewables. This year our country will produce 24 percent of energy from renewable resources – this exceeds the EU’s target.
The President also focused world leaders’ attention on the construction of the Astravyets nuclear power plant which does not comply with international security requirements and on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project which increases the EU’s dependence on Gazprom and which has led 9 EU countries, including Lithuania, to turn to the President of the European Commission.
According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, unsafe nuclear energy has nothing to do with a component of a clean energy strategy. The consequences of a nuclear accident would affect much more than one country, and whole regions would risk contamination; therefore, all nuclear power projects must be implemented in line with international law, transparently and in cooperation with the neighboring countries.
