Climate change is a reality whose impact is increasingly visible in Romania too, head of the European Commission's Representation in Bucharest Ramona Chiriac said on Tuesday as she attended the Climate Change Summit in Bucharest.

"As you know, during its current term, the European Commission has comprehensively covered climate policy in its Green Deal agenda, which aims to address climate emergency while also ensuring sustainable economic growth, social and intergenerational equity. There are already a few outstanding examples of best practices in Romania too, that drive our climate policy agenda forward, from sustainable communities to actions to protect Romania's unique pristine forests or projects that bring together bright young minds to build the houses of the future. (...) The EU has set itself ambitious climate goals to be achieved by 2030 and 2050, specifically addressing the growing climate emergency as well as achieving prosperity and competitiveness. Climate change is a reality whose impact we see increasingly more here, in Romania, and that's why all the 27 EU member states have signed up to achieve the goals for 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050," said Chiriac.

In her intervention, she pointed out the fact that Romania has a balanced energy mix, a vast experience and a significant yet unexploited potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

"The regulatory framework for combating climate change has taken important steps forward and includes a political commitment to cooperate with stakeholders towards decarbonisation. Romania's RePowerEU chapter has a major component that focuses on renewable sources and energy efficiency, supported by European funding. All these are important premises that put Romania on track to 2050. In the coming years, it will be crucial for Romania to fully capitalize thereon, to maintain its level of commitment, to implement what is agreed at European level and not to back down," pointed out head of the EC Representation in Bucharest.

"In its journey towards decarbonisation, Romania has at its disposal solid financial instruments, such as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with a 44% financial allocation for environmental reforms and investments, the Cohesion Funds, the Modernization Fund, the Rural Development Fund, or the Just Transition Mechanism. Across Europe, 1 in every 3 euros spent goes towards environmental goals," Chiriac said.

She went on to remark that competence development or the support of SMEs are at the heart of the just transition mechanism - an instrument covering six counties in Romania, and which aims to support the regions, industries and workers that are most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality. "Vulnerable households, micro-enterprises and transport users will also get support through the Social Climate Fund, so that they are not left behind in this transition. Six billion euros will be available to Romania alone through this support mechanism until 2032," Ramona Chiriac explained.

The green transition, renewable energies, public policies and ESG are among the most important topics tackled at the Climate Change Summit taking place in Bucharest between October 15 - 17.

The debates in Bucharest bring together leaders from various fields, from biodiversity and circular economy, to public policies and natural resource management, creating a space for collaboration and action at regional and global level. Dozens of international experts and opinion leaders from various fields will debate essential topics such as: financing the energy transition, the crucial role of technological innovations for sustainable cities, the importance of intersectoral cooperation between governments, the private sector and civil society, as well as public policies needed to combat climate change at global level.

During the summit, related events are scheduled in over 30 locations in Bucharest and elsewhere in the region.

AGERPRES National News Agency is a media partner of the Climate Change Summit 2024, an event organized by Social Innovation Solutions together with BRD Groupe Societe Generale, as a founding partner.

The mission of Social Innovation Solutions (SIS) is to support individuals and organizations to understand the transformations of the future and to develop sustainable technology, public policy and entrepreneurial solutions.

SIS carries out several sustainability education programs in Romania and in three countries in Central and Eastern Europe, working with over 15,000 SMEs and NGOs in programs such as the Sustainability Academy, Transformer, and Sustainability Hub. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Badea, editor: Andreea Marinescu; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)