COP 26 is an Opportunity for Bulgaria, the World to Make Clear Commitments to Tackle Climate Change

In just a few weeks' time, heads of state and government, political representatives, and experts will meet in Scotland for one of the most important global forums this year - the UN's COP 26 Climate Change Conference, co-chaired by the UK and Italy. Countries, including Bulgaria, should use the summit to make clear commitments to limit global warming and preserve the Earth for future generations. It is important how our country intends to meet the EU-wide targets of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10 years by at least 55% compared to 1990 emission levels.

Driven by this motivation, MOVE.BG, together with the Embassies of the UK and Italy, has organized a special conference on our country's preparations for the UN International Climate Summit. The forum "The Road to COP 26: The Choice of Bulgaria", which took place on September 28, brought together ministers, scientists, business experts, and environmentalists, including Deputy Caretaker Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov. Among the topics discussed were the future of coal-fired power plants, cooperation between the state and scientists, the need to look at the climate in an integrated way, and the role of international cooperation.

The conference comes just weeks after a UN report warned that climate change could become irreversible if we do not take immediate action to curb global warming, and a BBC study with scientists from Oxford and Berkeley showed that Eastern Europe is one of the regions most affected by global warming.

His Excellency Rob Dixon, UK Ambassador to Bulgaria, said:

"Over the last 30 years, the UK has halved its emissions, grown its economy by 75%, and created almost half a million green jobs. In 2012 almost half of our electricity came from coal, now it's less than two percent.

Despite the challenges, I believe that Bulgaria can also adopt and achieve more ambitious targets and concrete plans for clean growth. I hope in the discussion today we can outline how this can happen."

Her Excellency Giuseppina Dzara, Ambassador of Italy in Bulgaria, said:

"As we rebuild the health of our economies, we must invest in the health of our planet and put people and nature at the center of the political agenda. It is essential that we encourage the commitment of the next generations and channel youth mobilization in a positive way because the future of our planet belongs to youth.

As Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Sasha Bezuhanova, founder of MOVE.BG, said:

"Together with the Embassies of the UK and Italy, the co-host countries of COP26, we are holding today's roundtable to put the topic of the Climate Crisis and our country's possible contribution to solving it higher on Bulgaria's public agenda.

The topic of climate is present in the public debate mainly through the social dimension of the closure of the mines in the Maritsa East complex. Formally accepted commitments within the European process do not have an integral, shared, publicly supported national plan of our country to achieve the goals of decarbonization of Europe. 

I believe that today's event will be a catalyst for a clear Climate Agenda for our country."

How is Bulgaria preparing for COP 26?

The statements of the Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, Boryana Kamenova, an expert from the Ministry of Environment and Waters, as well as of leading Bulgarian scientists, business and government representatives, can be found in the full recording of the conference "The Road to COP 26: The Choice of Bulgaria" here (in the Bulgarian language).

Coverage of the Roundtable with policymakers and scientists can be found here while an article about the 5x7 inspiring presentations by the experts is available here.

You can find photos from the event here.

About COP 26

COP 26 is the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The forum, organized by the UK in partnership with Italy, is the first conference to commit to the UNFCCC's new post-Kyoto protocol: this is the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 2 degrees by 2050 and aim for 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.

Learn more about COP 26 here.