SHABAN BILAL (CAIRO)

Luis Miguel Bueno, the spokesperson for the European Union (EU) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), emphasised the importance of collective action when addressing the impacts of climate change, pointing out the agreement between the EU and  COP28 Presidency, which entails working on multiple levels to drive a just energy transition and implement concrete measures.

Bueno said in an interview with Aletihad that no country or organisation can address climate change alone, and it is necessary to mobilise collective efforts to confront the phenomenon and achieve climate goals. He noted that this is especially true with G20 countries, which produce 80% of global emissions. The spokesperson considered the climate summit held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly an opportunity to move forward in this essential file.

Bueno also pointed out that the EU provides an estimated 23 billion euros annually in public funding for climate action, works in cooperation with the United Nations (UN) to implement the Paris Agreement. The EU also adopted a climate law that obliges member states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2050, which is called “Fit for 55”. In June 2023, the UN adopted the High Seas Treaty, and the EU supported this effort, which will be essential in protecting the oceans.

Regarding the importance of COP28 in addressing climate issues, in particular the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund, as well as adaptation and mitigation measures, he mentioned that losses and damages are a key issue for the EU, and that some countries, especially the least developed, are most affected by the impacts of climate change. At the same time, he added, these countries are not responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, they should receive assistance to help them address the climate change impacts they suffer.

Bueno explained that the EU has proposed the establishment of a special fund for losses and damages, provided that the group of donor countries to the fund is expanded beyond the traditional donors and that an agreement is reached to expand based on the economic facts, countries’ emissions, and their ability to contribute to these efforts. The bloc is working on this file through COP28.

The regional spokesperson clarified that the EU adopted its adaptation strategy in 2021 and supports partner countries through it to achieve nationally determined contributions, pointing out that the EU has increased its support for developing countries as well, including the MENA region.

Regarding the EU’s role in addressing the impacts of climate change, especially in the most affected countries, Bueno said that the EU works with developing countries to provide them with what they need to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to it. 

He also noted that the EU is the largest provider of developmental assistance in the world, with “more than 67 billion euros” invested. 

Bueno pointed out that the EU sponsored the Global Climate Change Alliance and, through the fund, supported many global projects and is still committed to achieving the goal of $100 billion every year until 2025. In addition to that, the EU is working on mobilising funding from public and private sources to achieve this goal and allocating revenues from carbon pricing for developing countries.

Bueno added that the EU supports projects of partner countries in the MENA region to help them transition to a low-carbon economy capable of adapting. It is also developing several climate and sustainable energy action plans through technical assistance, training, and workshops.

Regarding the most prominent issues that the EU will raise during COP28, the regional spokesperson for the EU mentioned that there is an agreement between the EU and the COP28 Presidency to work on multiple levels to drive a just transition to energy and implement concrete measures, including a global pledge on renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. He added that this pledge will be announced during the conference, with the necessity to triple the installed capacity of renewable energy sources to reach 11 terawatts by 2030 and double the global rate of energy efficiency.

Bueno concluded his statements to Aletihad by noting that the EU will invest 4 billion euros in renewable energy and hydrogen in developing economies over the next five years through the Global Gateway programme.