President: Ignoring the Risks Has Led to Weaknesses in Europe's Transition to Green Economy
2024-06-26 13:45:00
Radev opens forum on prospects for Central and Eastern European countries in reducing carbon emissions and building a green economy
Ignoring the risks of excessive ambition and the pressure to implement green policies as quickly as possible, without taking into account country specificities and in-depth expert analysis, has led to a number of weaknesses in the process of transition to a green economy in Europe. This is what President Rumen Radev said at the opening of the Green Transition Forum, dedicated to the prospects of the Central and Eastern European countries for reducing carbon emissions and building a green economy.
If a few years ago the streets of Europe were full of angry eco-activists, now they are full of angry farmers and an increasing number of European citizens are more concerned about political, economic and geopolitical instability, migration, war and the rising cost of living than about climate change, the head of state said. Rumen Radev reiterated his position, also expressed during his participation in the European Council meetings, that countries should not be pressured to quickly abandon base capacities before they have affordable and rational renewable energy storage systems, as this would put their social systems and competitiveness at risk. The President drew attention to the warnings issued by him and a number of European leaders in this regard, as well as the ensuing energy, economic, social and political turmoil in EU member states.
The debate on green transition goes far beyond the conversation on climate neutrality, the stakes are now much higher and are about our level of ambition - at national, regional and European level, the head of state said, expressing satisfaction that the conversation on green transformation is becoming more in-depth at the Green Transition Forum, which is being held for the fourth consecutive year. The scope of the participants in the event is expanding with each edition, with representatives of national, regional, European institutions business people, representative of employers', trade union, and non-governmental organisations.
Every citizen, every small and medium-sized business should benefit from the green transition and this requires serious communication, policies aimed at the individual and the business, and serious investments in science, education and innovation, Radev emphasised and highlighted the need for a comprehensive, well-thought-out and well-communicated approach with society, which would mobilise politicians and the administration, science and education and promote regional and cross-border cooperation. In Rumen Radev's words, one of the main tasks of the new European Parliament and the European Commission is to win the trust of Europe's citizens and convince them of the real possibilities of the Green Deal to lead to the modernisation of the countries in order to overcome prejudice on the subject.
If the Green Deal is the nice picture of our future, then we must be clear that it is a complex process, continuous and comprehensive, which affects all aspects of our lives, the president said, adding that the process involves the way we produce and consume energy, goods and services, the way we move around, spend our leisure time and treat nature. In fact, this is a process of profound personal transformation, which encompasses upbringing, education and self-awareness, and if we want to be successful in this process, we must very carefully identify the risks at an early stage and learn how to manage them, the president concluded.
