• Potential areas of cooperation related to the implementation of the Declaration on Children, Youth, and Climate Action were discussed

The Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov met with Ms. Christina de Bruin, UNICEF Representative to Bulgaria.

Ms. de Bruin expressed high appreciation for the fruitful cooperation until the present moment and presented the work of the organization in Bulgaria, focusing on the main priority areas of the Cooperation Program for the period 2023-2027, implemented by the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and UNICEF.

Minister Genov welcomed UNICEF's commitment to issues related to the environment and climate change at the national level, with a focus on the health, development, and well-being of children. He emphasized the active participation of the Ministry of Environment and Water in various consultations and discussions under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, related to children's rights and the environment, with a special emphasis on climate change.

The two highlighted the successful activities and initiatives held within the framework of the 28th and 29th meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It was noted that the meetings led to the identification of concrete steps to achieve policy solutions, including for action and funding to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on children.

Potential areas for cooperation related to the implementation of the Declaration on Children, Youth, and Climate Action and the 2024 recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to Bulgaria were discussed, as well as opportunities for further engagement of children and youth in decision-making related to climate change and environmental protection.