December 12, 2015
Statement delivered by Ambassador Hanna Simon of the State of Eritrea
Mr. President,
Please allow me to extend my deepest condolences to the people and the government of France and to all families of the victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and its surroundings. Since climate change constitutes one of the major challenges of our century, expectations are high from the Paris Climate Summit.
Eritrea fully aligns itself with the statements made on behalf of the African Group,LDCs, as well as G-77 and China.
Eritrea is convinced that a great deal of our Planet’s climate problems derive from human activities, and it supports the ultimate objective of the Convention which is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at science recommended level. This should be the highest global priority in order to prevent dangerous anthropogeniê interference with the global climate system.
The current critical stage of the threat of climate change is a reminder to all nations that we should drastically modify our unsustainable patterns of consumption and production. The reduction of GHG emission is essential to limit global warming to less than 1.5°C, and eventually achieve the UNFCCC zero emission goal. While mitigation of global warming and initiatives for substantial reduction of emissions are mostly the responsibility of the main polluters, developing countries should also assume responsibility commensurate with their capacity in the betterment and preservation of the environment.
Eritrea supports the basic principles of the Convention that require all parties to contribute to the protection of the global climate system on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
Mr. President,
Today, Eritrea’s GHG emission is negligible. However, the Government remains committed to international efforts to mitigate global warming and climate change. Environmental protection constitutes an essential component of Eritrea’s national development strategy. It has been giving prominent attention to adaptation and resilience enhancing measures and has already submitted its INDC with the full conviction that the threat of climate change requires urgent global action.
Mr. President,
I would like to close my brief remarks by expressing my sincere hope that the Paris Climate Summit would conclude by producing a legally binding climate regime that enjoys the support of all stakeholders in order to ensure the survival of the succeeding generations.
I thank you all for your kind attention
Paris, 8 December 2015
