site.btaPresident Radev Meets Head of UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Jim Skea, WMO President Abdulla Al Mandous

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev said here on Tuesday that tackling climate change is a long-term strategic process that requires political leadership and broad public consensus based on scientific data and experience, as well as innovative approaches and cutting-edge technological achievements. Radev was speaking during a meeting at the Presidential Institution with the Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations, Jim Skea, and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) President Abdulla Al Mandous, the President's Press Secretariat reported.

Jim Skea and Abdulla Al Mandous are visiting Bulgaria to attend the Sofia-hosted 61st Plenary Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which has brought together some 500 delegates from 150 member countries.

During Tuesday’s meeting, President Radev highlighted the key role of the IPCC in conducting scientific research and assessment of climate change data, which contribute to the development of effective climate-related policies. The participants in the discussion agreed that the frequency and intensity of disasters such as floods, droughts, and wildfires are increasing, which calls for not only adequate policies but also measures to raise public awareness of climate risks. The fact that climate change affects all aspects of social and economic life was highlighted. "This requires a thorough re-think of the vision for the development of the economy and necessitates the public being informed about the consequences. Young people must receive the necessary knowledge in the course of their education," President Radev said.

The sides also discussed prospects for further cooperation, including within the upcoming 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku, where Bulgaria will be represented by President Radev.

Jim Skea said that Bulgaria's hosting of the 61st IPCC Plenary Session confirms this country's role as an active participant in global efforts on climate change. WMO President Abdulla Al Mandous praised the good cooperation with the Bulgarian scientific community within the international organization’s activities and expressed readiness to build on the joint commitments in this area.