We want to thank Kuwait as a whole and His Highness the Emir and other eminent representatives for your words of compassion and sympathy with the victims of the floods in Germany and neighboring European countries Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. We are truly grateful for the solidarity of the people of Kuwait in this hour of need and deeply appreciate this sign of togetherness.
The German Government will make €400 million available in direct assistance to mitigate the worst consequences of this unprecedented natural disaster. This will provide a breather, but more reflection will be needed as climate change is upon us.
This is the worst flooding we have seen in Germany and other European countries in a century. In the recent years Europe has also seen unprecedented disastrous fires. From California to China, extreme climate events are increasingly putting populations at risk. It is now scientifically proven that these unprecedented and recurring extreme weather conditions result in large part from climate change. Not to acknowledge that would be a grave mistake.
The Paris Climate Agreement shows the way forward. Recent events only serve to underline its importance and make clear that more immediate – and bolder action – will be needed to mitigate the effects of climate change for future generations and protect a biodiversity which is key to our survival. 2021 will be a critical year in this regard, with key international rendez-vous (Climate COP26 in the UK, UICN Congress in France, Biodoversity COP15 in Kunming, China) dedicated to these issues.
The EU has set itself ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and become the first climate neutral continent by 2050, as detailed in the 2050 long-term strategy and enshrined in the European Climate Law.
On 14 July 2021, the European Commission adopted a new series of legislative proposals setting out how it intends to achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050. The package which will be discussed proposes to revise several pieces of EU climate legislation, including the EU ETS, Effort Sharing Regulation, transport and land use legislation, setting out in real terms the ways in which the Commission intends to reach EU climate targets under the European Green Deal.
Germany and France are doing their part – aiming to cut their emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels – contributing in building international coalitions to protect biodiversity, for instance by supporting the fight against desertification in Africa or the preservation of rain forests and oceans.
We invite all stakeholders in Kuwait to join hands with us and all the other signatories of the Paris Agreement to develop and implement swift steps to fight climate change along ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions and to protect biodoversity. Private sector and finance have a critical role to play in adopting environmental standards and promoting environmental friendly investments – and we are grateful for KIA`s leading role in that respect along with the other members of the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds Group. Kuwait’s indigenous renewable energy resources – sun, wind and heat – are known to be plentiful. Let`s join hands. We are ready to work together with Kuwait in fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity!