• UNICEF and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change presented the "General Comment No. 26 on Children's Rights and the Environment, with a Focus on Climate Change"

Government, the industry, and individuals are doing much to mitigate the effects of climate change, but there is much more to be done. This was said by the Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov, who addressed participants at a discussion organized by UNICEF Bulgaria at the launch of this year's UN Committee on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 26 on the rights of children and the environment, with a focus on climate change.

Minister Popov noted that in the last 30 years infant mortality has decreased, life expectancy has increased, air quality in Sofia and across the country has improved, as well as food quality. He also sent a message to children: "Don't fall into the trap of so-called climate anxiety, it's important to focus on the solutions, and there are solutions - both to mitigate climate change by reducing and eliminating industrial greenhouse gases, and to adapt to climate change."

"One of the main priorities of the Bulgarian government internationally is to host COP 29, although Russia is blocking us. We are continuing our fight for this because it is a statement of Bulgaria's commitment to global climate diplomacy. We are also mobilising the Bulgarian business to present itself at COP 28 in Dubai this year - there are many industrial enterprises that are working hard to reduce their emissions," said Minister Julian Popov.

The Minister of Labour and Social Policy Ivanka Shalapatova also participated in the discussion, declaring the government's determination to continue the fight against child poverty, as well as to ensure a quality living environment and access to food and education for children.

"Children are the least responsible for the climate crisis, but suffer the most from its effects: every year 1.7 million children under the age of five lose their lives due to preventable environmental damage. Yet children and young people are under-represented in almost all environmental policy decision-making. With General Comment No. 26, we tried to change that: with more than 16,000 contributions from children in 121 countries, this was one of the most inclusive child participation processes ever at the UN level," said in turn Christina de Bruyn, UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria. Representatives of civil society and youth organizations working on environment and climate issues participated in the discussion.

For more information on this year's UNICEF commentary on children's rights and the environment, see the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child "General Comment No. 26 on the Rights of the Child and the Environment, with a Focus on Climate Change".