Komšić at UN conference: Transition from coal in BiH must be just

(Patria) - The challenges are different for each of our countries, but regardless, it is necessary that in the fight against the climate crisis we are on the same side and act together. It is also necessary to set realistic and achievable goals, because implementation will require significant financial resources, especially in countries with lower GDP per capita, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Željko Komšić, Chairman of the Presidency of BiH at the UN climate change conference COP26.

"My country is making efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but in the coming period we will have to invest more energy and money to reach the goals we have set for ourselves. I am pleased to say today that Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in April this year, confirming its commitment to fulfilling the Paris Climate Agreement.

By submitting this document, Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the first Western Balkan countries to adopt an updated NDC with a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33.2% by 2030 and nearly 66% by 2050.

In order to meet the goals of preventing climate change, we are also working on enabling the transition to sustainability and creating a favorable environment for attracting private sector investments in clean, affordable energy. We will need significant international assistance when it comes to technology transfer, establishing financial mechanisms to encourage decarbonization, as well as financial support for projects related to climate issues," Komšić emphasized.

With the aim of further decarbonizing the energy sector, in November 2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Sofia Declaration, thereby committing to work together with the EU to make Europe a climate-neutral continent by 2050.

"In this regard, one of the most important activities we are currently working on is the development of the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for the period 2021-2030 (NECP BiH). This document aligns multiple goals: those of the European Union in the field of energy and climate, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and the Energy Community.

Our, Bosnian-Herzegovinian plan will define goals for increasing energy efficiency measures, increasing the share of renewable energy sources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, as well as the necessary policies and measures to achieve them. The goal is to set ambitious targets for each dimension of the Plan, which we believe are realistically achievable by 2030, and which will enable the further development of the energy sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Here I would emphasize that within the development of the National Energy and Climate Plan, Bosnia and Herzegovina is working on developing a Roadmap for the transition of coal-rich regions. Such a transition of coal-rich regions and the entire energy sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be just, and enable the shift from coal to renewable energy sources without job losses," Komšić noted.

When it comes to the energy sector, for Bosnia and Herzegovina it is of utmost importance, Komšić stressed, to define ways of financing the energy transition.

"The energy transition will require significant investments in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure. In this sense, Bosnia and Herzegovina, like a number of other countries, will need significant international financial assistance and support for the decarbonization of the energy sector by 2050, with a special focus on the planned closure of coal mines and the cessation of operation of coal-fired power plants.

There is no doubt that Bosnia and Herzegovina wants to contribute to the fight against climate change, but we will not be able to do it alone; we will need support and cooperation with countries that can accelerate this process with their knowledge and resources. And regardless of the fact that I do not represent a country with such a large population, in the efforts to stop climate change, it will be necessary for everyone to contribute, and you can count on us for that," he added.