philenews / ΚΥΠΕ
Today, the Government Spokesman Mr. Marios Pelekanos mentioned the participation of the President of the Republic in the Brest Summit as well as the contacts he had in the French city. He stressed that, among other things, President Anastasiadis invited the US President's Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, to a meeting at the leadership level next October as part of the Cypriot Government's Initiative for Coordinated Climate Action by the Eastern and Eastern Countries. of the Middle East.
In a statement to the media from France, the Government Spokesman said that “on the sidelines of his participation in the International Summit 'An Ocean', the President of the Republic had today a brief conversation with the President of France Mr. Emanuel Macron.
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Due to President Macron's busy schedule, which was the responsibility of the Summit, the two leaders agreed to meet again in the next few days, either next Wednesday in Paris or on the sidelines of the forthcoming EU-Africa Summit. Thursday and Friday in Brussels.
Earlier today, on the sidelines of the Summit, President Anastasiadis met with the US President's Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, underlining US support for President Anastasiadis' Climate Change Initiative.
The President invited Mr. Kerry to a meeting, at the level of leaders, next October in the framework of the Initiative of the Cypriot Government for undertaken coordinated climate actions by the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
At the same time, the President briefed Mr. Kerry on the developments in the Cyprus issue, the essential Confidence Building Measures proposed by our side, as well as on the ongoing challenges of Turkey against the Republic of Cyprus.
It should be recalled that last night, the President had a private meeting with the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel, whom he briefed on the developments in the Cyprus issue, asking for the European Union's assistance in promoting and implementing specific Confidence Building Measures. the undertaking of complementary United Nations initiatives by the Union for the settlement of the Cyprus problem.
During the meeting with Mr. Miciel, the President also denounced the unacceptable and provocative incident in Denia and in general the harassment of Greek Cypriot farmers by Turkish troops inside the Dead Zone.
Regarding the specific topic he participated in during the Summit, President Anastasiadis emphasized the importance of green shipping and referred mainly to the commitments made by Cyprus in the common approach of the Mediterranean countries to create a zone of low sulfur emissions throughout the basin.
It is important to note that this is the first International Conference on the Protection of the High Seas and Oceans, attended by Heads of State and Government from many countries around the world and covering a wide range of issues, such as the fight against illegal fishing. the reduction of marine pollution and other very important issues “.
It is noted that the President of the Republic returns to Cyprus late tonight.
President Anastasiadis is accompanied in France by the Government Spokesman Mr. Marios Pelekanos, the Undersecretary to the President Mr. Kyriakos Kousios, the Undersecretary of Shipping Mr. Vassilis Dimitriadis and officials.
“Holistic initiatives” and “solutions from the sea itself”, suggest Heads of State at the “One Ocean” Summit
Ideas for the better protection of the seas but also their commitment to actions and collaborations for this purpose were expressed on Friday by leaders of island and Mediterranean countries during a discussion at the “One Ocean” Summit in Brest, France.
The leaders of Ireland, Malta and Egypt, together with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis, as well as CEOs of large shipping companies, discussed during a panel, the future of the oceans and ways to make maritime transport greener.
The Prime Minister of Malta, Robert Abella, emphasized the importance of discussing initiatives to improve sea and air quality, but from a holistic perspective and without ignoring the realities of small island states such as Malta and Cyprus, which are based on the sea. for their economy and the well-being of their citizens.
Mr Abella said some proposed solutions, such as that of French President Emanuel Macron, on limiting the speed of cruise ships in certain areas were a good idea but would likely lead to increased shipping times and transport costs. and wondered if this would lead to increases for consumers.
He also wondered why ships in the Mediterranean still use very polluting oil when there is cleaner, low-sulfur fuel. “The answer is that it is more expensive,” he said, stressing that this step must be taken and that it is time for words to become deeds.
The Prime Minister of Ireland, Michael Martin, said that now was the time for solutions coming from the sea itself.
“The sea is in our blood,” Martin said, referring to his island country. He said that for his country, the opportunities they see for the future concern the production of offshore wind energy. Ireland currently uses up to 43% of its electricity from renewable sources and aims to reach 80% by 2030, he said, adding that this would depend on offshore wind technologies.
He also said that they hope to be able to export energy in the future and that they will soon be connected to France and Wales.
“We believe that our future is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. “We see that the sea offers us solutions to tackle the very broader challenge of climate change,” he said.
For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that early on, Egypt, which lies between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and has the Suez Canal, enacted legislation to ensure its longevity. fight pollution in all its forms, a real challenge especially for a developing country.
He also said that they are taking steps to be a pioneer in renewable energy sources, including green hydrogen, which can help the country reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. He also stressed that international efforts are still lagging behind in the protection of the seas, which is why Egypt, which will chair the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) this year, is calling for stronger international efforts to protect the seas. and the oceans. He also spoke about the need to mobilize for financing developing countries, especially in Africa on this issue. He said that they are working for a constructive dialogue through COP 27 on this issue based on the best available scientific methods and practices.
Shipowners and heads of shipping companies also spoke at the event, each expressing their commitment to getting rid of their industry 's carbon emissions for a sustainable future and for the seas.
Among their commitments were investing in new ships that will use green fuel, creating green corridors, where possible, investing in research and development, no longer carrying plastic packaging on their ships, and moving to a carbon-neutral balance.
For his part, the French President welcomed all the initiatives heard during the debate and called on governments to support the shipowners' efforts to reduce emissions.
He also spoke of the need for governments to redefine their fiscal and financial measures in order to support the transition to more environmentally friendly practices such as an agreement at European level, to use only low-sulfur fuels for all maritime transport in transit. from the Mediterranean. The goal is for the measure to cover the entire Mediterranean by January 1, 2025, he said.
Mr Macron also referred to his country's intention to protect Antarctica. He said France, along with the EU and other countries, would apply for some areas in Antarctica to be internationally protected.
