Armenian President urges all countries to combine efforts to address climate change

On November 30, in Paris President Serzh Sargsyan participated at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.  The Conference, which is presided over by France, is attended by the Heads of state and government from 150 countries and by thousands of delegates, the president's press-office said.

At the beginning of the meeting, delegations present at this Conference with the unprecedented high level of participation paid a one minute silence tribute to the memory of the victims of the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris. According to the organizers, the presence of numerous world leaders at the Paris Conference in the wake of these tragic events proves that when it comes to confronting challenges presented to the entire humankind, civilization and solidarity are stronger than barbarity.  In their opening remarks the President of France Francois Hollande, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Laurent Fabius, who is presiding over the meeting, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Prince Charles of Great Britain and speakers after them underscored the importance of the 21st Conference for the future of planet Earth and humanity and noted that today people from all over the world are looking at Paris, expecting that as a result of the deliberations on the gravest challenge faced by the human kind - disastrous change of climate, with no delay there will be adopted a groundbreaking decision. The speakers concurred that the Final Agreement of the Conference to be adopted on December 11, should not be just about good intentions: in their statements the world leaders should come up with clear-cut and strong political messages to ensure that safe future of the humanity has no alternative.

In the statement made at the Conference, the President of Armenia first expressed gratitude to the President of France Francois Hollande for the excellent organization of the Conference on Climate Change and hospitality despite the terrorist attacks which shocked France and entire civilized world.  Considering climate change a global challenge, Serzh Sargsyan underscored that it threatens equally all states, regardless of their size or level of development. Even though Armenia's share in global emissions is not large and does not exceed two hundredth of a percent, according to the President Sargsyan Armenia attaches great importance to the need of combining efforts of all countries to address this issue and as a developing nation has committed herself to contribute to this global endeavor. 
"The Armenian national position was reflected in the "Plan of Actions defined at the National Level" adopted by our Government. It is built upon the following principles:  First, global emissions of the greenhouse gases shall be limited at the threshold, which would keep the temperature increase below the two degrees Celsius.  
Second, we shall adopt an approach that is "general but differentiated," and take into account the varying degree of the current and historical responsibility of the numerous countries.  Third, the responsibility and burden-sharing for limiting the emissions of greenhouse gases shall be distributed by taking into account the rights of the contemporary and future generations to utilize the climate resources.  

And, finally, four, not to do anything that would make the developing countries to slide back.  Armenia stands ready to undertake a commitment of a quantitative limitation to the increase of the emissions of greenhouse gases," said the President of Armenia. In conclusion, Serzh Sargsyan underlined that the challenge of climate change, as well as other contemporary global threats that are of concern to us, recognize neither national borders, nor international law, nor any civilizational norms. According to the President, a challenge that a country may face in the modern interdependent and globalizing world is, in a collective sense, a challenge to all of us. Therefore, the solutions shall be comprehensive, agreed upon, and coordinated. The President of Armenia said that it is important for us to evaluate anew foundations of the global cohabitation, and refine the toolbox at our disposal. According to President Sargsyan, joint response to the challenges of climate change, should it be successful, may become a precedent for a new kind of endeavor.