“I hope that enough resources and capital will be mobilized to enable us to make the transition to a clean economy,” said John Kerry, former US Secretary of State (2013-2017) and US President's Special Envoy for Climate Action (2021-2024). He was speaking at a Green Transition Forum 4.0 - New Global Perspectives for the CEE Region. The three-day Green Transition Forum opened Wednesday at the Sofia Event Center. It is organized by Dir.bg and 3E News. BTA is a media partner of the event. John Kerry joined the discussion via videoconference.
Kerry expressed the expectation that the climate problems will be solved. He shared his experience of attending UN climate conferences in Paris, Glasgow and Dubai, where he had seen promises being made and heard moving speeches from representatives of many of the world's island states. “We know exactly what is going on, the challenge is not ideological, it is not political, we just have to roll up our sleeves and do what is necessary,” the US diplomat said. He added that man cannot live at the temperature we are witnessing today.
That is why, Kerry reminded, countries have agreed to prevent warming from exceeding 1.5 1.5 degrees Celsius. He pointed out that 20 of the most developed countries produce the most emissions. The US is one of them, Kerry said, pointing out that last year there was a 4% reduction in emissions and a 2.5% growth in the economy. “We have the opportunity to do what is necessary to what will produce positive results,” Kerry believes. He recalled that upon taking office, President Joe Biden immediately signed the Paris Agreement and tasked Kerry to be his climate envoy.
In his speech, Kerry pointed out that the maritime transport sector is also taking important initiatives to reduce emissions. He mentioned the target of reducing methane by 30 per cent by 2030, a commitment that 55 countries have made.
"If we use renewable energy, we will achieve the emissions reductions needed by 2030, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," Kerry also said. And he noted that the efforts are visible, but the question is whether the targets will be met in time to avoid the worst consequences of the crisis. Of the resources needed to meet the targets, Kerry suggested that Europe could be just as successful "if someone else devoted more resources to the incentives to get through this transition."
Speaking about technology development, Kerry noted that Bulgaria is leading the way in nuclear energy. "Without nuclear power, we cannot achieve the desired goals," he said. "In my state of Massachusetts, 17% of energy is nuclear, and the same goes for California. We need to produce small nuclear reactors as quickly as possible," Kerry also noted.
/NZ/
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