Premier Matteo Renzi told a
United Nations climate summit Tuesday that world leaders must
come up with joint action to save the planet for future
generations.
"We have the possibility of building a new world and a
sustainable future for our children," Renzi told assembled world
leaders, NGOs and representatives from all sectors of society
that have gathered at the invitation of UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon.
But this, said Renzi, must be done together through common
resolve.
"We must take joint action to stimulate sustainable
growth", the premier said, to replace the current destructive
use of natural resources and reliance on fossil fuels, which is
poisoning the planet at ever greater rates.
The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin by the UN World Meteorological
Organisation (WMO) showed that, far from falling, the
concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere actually
increased last year at the fastest rate for nearly 30 years.
"We must reduce carbon emissions through carbon pricing and
energy efficiency, by tapping renewable energy sources, and by
cutting back on fossil fuels," Renzi said.
As duty six-month president of the European Union, the
Italian premier went on to say that the EU is sticking to Tokyo
Protocol agreements, has agreed to a second, legally binding
commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and has
already set itself new targets for 2030.
As far as Italy, as of August 45% of its electricity was
being generated from renewable sources, and 22% of Italian
companies invested in the environment.
Those are the companies that export the most, innovate the
most, and create the most jobs, generating 40% of all new jobs
last year, Renzi said.
The children of Beijing, Copenhagen, Coney Island and
Shanghai "play on Italian-made amusement rides because they are
pretty, because they are fun, but also because they consume less
energy".
As well, leaders must find "a way out" of the damages
already being caused by climate change, the Italian premier
said.
This includes "mitigation, adaptation, and technology
transfer".
"Italy is ready to contribute to the UN fund to fight
climate change with a scientific endowment that will be
commensurate with the extent of our commitment," Renzi
concluded.
Also during his trip to New York, the Italian premier had
bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Chilean President Michelle
Bachelet.
After the climate summit, the premier lunched with Jordan's
King Abdullah II and met with former US secretary of state
Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as former US president Bill
Clinton in the afternoon.
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