Cyprus will accept its share of the EU`s greenhouse gas reduction targets, but the EU has to support Cyprus, as the costs for this endeavour may be higher than what other Member States face, stated Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nikos Kougialis during the Council of Environment Ministers in Luxembourg.
More specifically, during his intervention in the proceedings of the meeting, the Minister informed his counterparts that “Cyprus takes its share in the total effort required, accepting the national target assigned to it”, but added that “the national effort must be based on appropriate Community tools”. The Minister explained in his speech that the EU should take into account the possible higher costs for some Member States in moving to a low-carbon economy.
Today the Council adopted a general position on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the sectors of industry, transport and agriculture by 30% by 2030.
Additionally the minister endorsed the Council`s approach to the relevant legislative acts on the distribution of efforts and the inclusion of emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry in the context of climate and energy.
Finally the Council adopted specific Conclusions with a view to the Meeting of the COP23 Climate Convention participants (to be held on 6-17 November in Bonn) and also approved a text of Conclusions on EU priorities ahead of UNEA-3 Third United Nations Conference on Environment (to be held in Nairobi, 4-6 December).