Western sanctions seen as damaging to global climate agenda

MOSCOW, 17 March (BelTA) – The Western sanctions have a negative impact on the global climate agenda, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko said at the international economic forum "Dialogue of Integrations: CIS, EAEU, SCO, BRICS" in Moscow on 17 March, BelTA has learned.

"The risks posed by climate change and environmental degradation are unprecedented in terms of the likelihood of occurrence and the expected amount of damage. The situation is further aggravated by Western policies, which negatively affect the implementation of climate commitments and ultimately nullify the efforts of the international community to form a new economic order based on low-carbon development. As a result of the sanctions policy the Global Environment Facility declined a project proposal to develop the electric vehicle market in Belarus," Igor Petrishenko said.

"Using the same grounds, the European Union suspended funding for the national part of the EU regional climate project, which negatively affected the implementation of international obligations under the Paris Agreement and which made the transition to a low-carbon economy more difficult," he added.

"Therefore, the climate agenda should become one of the unifying projects for the CIS, the EAEU, the SCO, BRICS and, of course, the Union State. It is advisable to use the strengths and accumulated experience of each integration association. We must speak with a common voice in international organizations to prevent the introduction of measures restricting trade and investment cooperation, to overcome the consequences of climate change and increase the share of the green economy," Igor Petrishenko said.