Πέμπτη, 07 Ιουλίου 2022
Στην παρουσίαση της πρωτοβουλίας του Δικτύου Βιώσιμης Ανάπτυξης των Ηνωμένων Εθνών (SDSN Global Climate Hub) για την ίδρυση και την αποστολή του παγκόσμιου επιστημονικού Hub στην Αθήνα, με σκοπό την έρευνα για την προστασία του περιβάλλοντος και την αντιμετώπιση της κλιματικής αλλαγής, μίλησε ο Υπουργός Κλιματικής Κρίσης και Πολιτικής Προστασίας, κ. Χρήστος Στυλιανίδης.
Η παρουσίαση του SDSN Global Climate Hub πραγματοποιήθηκε χτες, 6 Ιουλίου, στην Ακαδημία Αθηνών, από τον διακεκριμένο οικονομολόγο, επικεφαλής του UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), Καθηγητή του Πανεπιστημίου Columbia, Jeffrey Sachs, και την Καθηγήτρια Οικονομικής Θεωρίας και Πολιτικής στην Οικονομική Σχολή του Οικονομικού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών, συμπρόεδρο του Δικτύου Αειφόρου Ανάπτυξης των Ηνωμένων Εθνών στην Ευρώπη (UN SDSN) και συμπρόεδρο του UN SDSN Greece, κυρία Φοίβη Κουντούρη.
Στην ομιλία του, ο κ. Στυλιανίδης υπογράμμισε τη σημασία της ίδρυσης επιστημονικού κόμβου για την κλιματική αλλαγή στην Ελλάδα, γεγονός που καθιστά τη χώρα μας πρωτοποριακό κέντρο έρευνας για την αντιμετώπιση της κλιματικής κρίσης και προωθητή της συλλογικής δράσης έναντι των επιπτώσεων του φαινομένου. Επιπλέον, ο κ. Υπουργός τόνισε τη συμβολή και το ρόλο του Υπουργείου Κλιματικής Κρίσης και Πολιτικής Προστασίας, προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση, έχοντας στο επίκεντρο του έργου του μια νέα ολιστική φιλοσοφία διαχείρισης κινδύνων, με έμφαση στο τρίπτυχο «Πρόληψη, Προετοιμασία/Ετοιμότητα, Ανθεκτικότητα», καθώς και τις συνέργειες -σε εθνικό, ευρωπαϊκό και παγκόσμιο επίπεδο- με οδηγό τα επιστημονικά δεδομένα και σε στενή συνεργασία με την επιστημονική κοινότητα.
Ακολουθεί ολόκληρο το κείμενο της ομιλίας:
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Professor Sachs,
Professor Koundouri,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great honor and pleasure to join you today. At the launch of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Climate Hub. My pleasure is even bigger as its headquarters will be here in Athens! This is a real honor for our country, for this city. Let me thank Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Professor Phoebe Koundouri for taking the initiative. And for making this a reality. Congratulations to the both of you!
We all know the important work that Jeffrey and Phoebe are doing all these years for a greener, for a sustainable future. And we are all grateful to Jeffrey Sachs (my former professor let me say) for recognizing Greece’s contribution to the efforts to tackle climate crisis.
Thank you for the invitation. Thank you for including me in this special event.
Dear friends,
The launch of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Global Climate Hub is an outstanding global initiative. No doubt, it will greatly contribute to our common efforts for a more sustainable future. To achieve our commitments deriving from the Paris Agreement. And which we reiterated in Glasgow, at COP26.
Now, in COP27 in Cairo, we need to develop a road map of implementation. Time is running out! Climate crisis is a reality. A fact. Extreme weather phenomena become more and more frequent. More and more intense. All over the globe. No region is left untouched. Our country, in particular, is located in a climate crisis hotspot. The Mediterranean is one of the most affected regions. Evidence speaks for itself.
Last month -for example- we were faced with a strange phenomenon: hail and floods in the north of the country. Forest fires in the South. Last week, more than three hundred (300) fires broke out. More than forty fires per day. It’s obvious that we are living in a climate crisis. That impacts our environment, our societies, our lives. And scientific predictions are more than alarming. So, we need to act. And we need to act now. Time is of the essence!
For Prime Minister Mitsotakis and the Greek Government tackling climate crisis and its repercussions is a priority. Greece is committed to being at the forefront of global efforts to address the issue.
The launch of the SDSN Global Climate Hub in Athens highlights the role of Greece in this global effort. And, of course, as a research hub for climate crisis. A knowledge hub. With a holistic scope. Having the headquarters of this global initiative here in Athens, will give to the Greek scientific community and policy making institutions a key purpose: to examine, analyze and propose specific actions. This is truly a recognition of the high-level expertise of our country’s scientific and research community. Also, it is an acknowledgement that our country has the scientific capacity to lead and coordinate projects and actions related to climate crisis.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Every aspect of our efforts to address climate change must be grounded on scientific data. On scientific knowledge and analysis. This is a prerequisite for an effective response to the climate change challenges. It is a prerequisite to better understand climate crisis. To better implement policies regarding biodiversity or civil protection. After all, the climate crisis and natural disasters are interrelated. And this is something we cannot ignore.
This is the philosophy, the approach of the new Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection: Bridging the “traditional”, response-focused risk management approach with the three key pillars:
These pillars are at the “heart” of our approach. They are guiding all our actions and initiatives. They are an integral part of an efficient risk management. They are the compass to put into place a more effective civil protection mechanism. A mechanism which will contribute to enhancing our country’s resilience and adaptability. At the core of our efforts lies collaboration. Synergies. Because climate crisis is a complex issue that cannot be efficiently addressed by one country or institution alone. Cooperation is needed.
Dear friends,
I have no doubt that the new SDSN Global Climate Hub here in Athens will greatly contribute to the international community’s efforts toward a greener future. Including the efforts of the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection to enhance Greece’s resilience and adaptability to climate change.
Finally, let me congratulate once again everyone involved in this outstanding initiative. I want to assure you that my Ministry will support the work of the SDSN Global Climate Hub and your efforts. We consider you our partners!
Thank you for your attention. And I am looking forward to working with you.
