People all over the world turn their eyes to Glasgow, where the summit on climate change of heads of state and government of nearly 200 countries is taking place, said the director of the Climate Change Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Environment and Water Boryana Kamenova on the “Hristo Botev” programme of the Bulgarian National Radio. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is currently taking place in Glasgow.

In this leadership segment, more countries are expected to adopt ambitious climate targets globally. The EU has long stated its new more ambitious target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990, or the so-called Goal 55). Unlike other countries, the EU is also committed to adopting relevant legislation to meet these goals. “The Green Deal is the long-term strategy to this end and the recently released draft legislative package prepared by the EC for Goal 55 is the implementing legislation,” said Boryana Kamenova.

Negotiations have also begun on individual dossiers within this package, which includes many amendments to existing directives and regulations, as well as the development of new legislation in the field of the economy and energy, so that all sectors contribute to this goal. “This is important for Bulgaria, because this is how national commitments for each member state are determined - the right balance must be achieved between ambition and social tolerance, protection of competitiveness and protection of national interests,” explained Kamenova.

Experts from almost all ministries in Bulgaria are involved in the technical negotiations. Among the commitments offered by the EU are: revision of the European Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme; creation of a separate scheme for buildings and transport in order to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030 in these sectors; establishing a new carbon adjustment mechanism for the imposition of a levy on imports from non-EU countries of goods and materials in certain energy-intensive sectors; new standards for CO2 emissions from cars and vans; inclusion of shipping in the emissions trading scheme; changes in the aviation sector.

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the highest body of the Convention and is held at the end of each calendar year. At this year’s 26th Conference, chaired by the UK, world leaders are expected to announce more ambitious national contributions and to join forces to combat climate change in the unprecedented conditions of a global pandemic and increasing extreme weather events.

As an EU member state, Bulgaria does not negotiate independently in the framework of international climate negotiations, as negotiations are conducted on behalf of member states by the EU as a regional organization. Bulgaria and the other member states are developing a joint EU position on the negotiations.