Pere Joan Pons, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Special Representative on Climate Change, addresses Panel I: Critical infrastructure: boosting resilience, including in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Malta, 21 June 2024VALLETTA, 21 June 2024 – Pere Joan Pons (Spain), OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President and Special Representative on Climate Change, spoke today at the Maltese OSCE Chairpersonship’s high-level conference on climate change, “Strengthening Resilience through Innovation and Preparedness.” Highlighting the need to keep climate change high on the international agenda during these challenging times, Special Representative Pons stressed that the climate crisis is accelerating and requires an urgent and concerted response.
“The current state of play is obvious,” Pons said. “We are transitioning from climate emergency to climate collapse. So, our first mandate here should be to tackle this emergency. We need more political will, because we know the causes, we know the consequences, and we have the solutions.”
He emphasized that it is important to ensure the transition to a sustainable, net-zero future is social and fair, and that the working and middle classes do not bear a disproportionate share of the burden, particularly in the poorest countries. The Special Representative urged for a collaborative approach involving all international stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, and civil society. This, he said, is crucial for planning and implementing resilient infrastructure projects.
“Speeding up investments in innovative and sustainable technologies, clean energy, and robust climate adaptation strategies are key to building infrastructure that can withstand environmental and man-made impacts,” Pons said. “These investments not only enhance resilience, but also promote long-term sustainability, reduce carbon footprints, and support economic growth.”
The Special Representative spoke at the panel on critical infrastructure and boosting resilience, including in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Arguing that it is necessary to work diligently towards a zero emissions commitment, Pons stressed that for current and future generations, it is essential to accelerate progress.
The conference, which brought together high-level representatives from OSCE participating States and OSCE institutions, is aimed at advancing multilateral dialogue on climate change, particularly by recognizing the impact of climate change on security and co-operation as one of the most pressing challenges affecting humanity.
Today’s conference follows the OSCE High-Level Conference on Climate Change held last July in Vienna, where OSCE PA President Pia Kauma (Finland) emphasized the need for collective action to tackle climate change effectively.
Special Representative Pons is expected to report on his recent activities at the OSCE PA’s Annual Session in Bucharest, beginning on 29 June. Climate change and environmental protection in armed conflicts will feature high on the agenda in Bucharest, with two supplementary items dealing with these topics.
For more information on the work of the Special Representative on Climate Change, please click here.
