Hungary’s President sends climate protection proposal to UN Secretary-General

President János Áder has written to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with a roundup of proposals on how to ensure the success of efforts to protect the climate.

The letter posted on the president’s official homepage on Thursday proposes expanding the international alliance fighting for climate protection.

The involvement of cities, regions and federal states is indispensable, since they have a key role to play in implementing the Paris agreement, the letter says.

Áder urged these players to get involved in quantifying and scheduling climate goals at this year’s round of negotiation in Bonn before the 2019 climate summit.

He also urged getting the leaders of the top ten emitting countries and their big cities on board since they could help expand their countries’ climate-related commitments before 2020.

Further, “sub-national” players will have to be convinced of the need to plan for emission reductions over the next ten years in addition to their long-term commitments, the letter says.

Underlining an earlier proposal, Áder said it would be worthwhile persuading the ten largest emitters to undertake a bigger target than their Paris undertakings for emission reductions in 2019. Scientific guidance is clear: in order to avoid irreversible climate change, emissions must be reduced every decade from 2020.

“The world needs determination, courage and encouragement given by the power of example.

I can assure you that at every forum on climate protection, I will continue to support the climate protection activities of sub-national players,” the letter said.

Source: MTI