Presidents of Hungary and France consult on Paris climate accord implementation

President János Áder held consultations with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on implementation of the Paris climate accord on Tuesday, before the opening of the One Planet Summit.

Áder told MTI after the half-hour meeting that he was in agreement with Macron concerning the five conditions that must be met in order to fulfil the goal of keeping global temperatures from rising 2 C. above pre-industrial levels. They were also in agreement about the need to extend the agreement to subnational organisations, including cities, regions and federal states and to incorporate climate protection movements as participants in the accord.

Áder added that the agreement also needs to be extended to freight transport by sea because “maritime transport results in a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emission” which must be reduced “most urgently and most radically.”

The presidents were in agreement about the importance of raising the price of carbon dioxide quotas in the European Union.

Hungary supports the French proposal to increase them from the current 8 euros to 25-30 euros, Áder said.

Áder and Macron were in agreement that nuclear power stations are needed until energy storage is resolved.

Áder said he had also suggested that the G20 countries should be convinced to increase their contribution to the fight against global warming because these countries are responsible for around 80 percent of emmissions.

Áder reaffirmed Macron’s invitation to Hungary. The French president said he would gladly accept and travel to Budapest in the first half of next year.

Source: MTI