TUNIS, Sept 23 (NNN-TAP) — The Tunisian strategy for carbon neutrality and resilience to climate change by 2050 will be unveiled at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) due on Nov 6-18, in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), said National Focal Point of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Mohamed Zmerli.
In an interview with TAP, the official recalled that the Paris Climate Agreement states that all UNFCCC parties to prepare and table a long-term national low-carbon strategy before COP 27.
“The Paris Agreement seeks to enhance the global response to climate change and its effects by committing countries to accelerate the low-carbon transition,” Zmerli explained.
He added that the goal is to contain the rise in the global average temperature to well below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels by 2100, or even to limit it to1.5°C.
To achieve this goal, the Paris Agreement provides for achieving carbon neutrality at the global level from 2050, he pointed out.
Regarding the Tunisian strategy of carbon neutrality and resilience to climate change by 2050, Zmerli said that it is a rich and quantified document, whose development had taken two years.
“It represents Tunisia’s major orientations and projects aimed at establishing a development model guaranteeing economic growth and the general well-being of the country’s population in a totally new context imposing a strong reactivity to climate risks,” the official underlined.
The target is also to draw up GHG (greenhouse gas) trajectories in line with the recommendations of the Paris Agreement, and a promising investment niche which will be different, particularly for the private sector, by encouraging green and sustainable investments, he said.
Zmerli considered that this strategy is a worthwhile technological opportunity, especially since development is currently very much linked to technological innovation.
Zmerli announced that a Tunisian delegation composed to date of about 40 people will participate in COP27, including representatives of several ministries (Foreign Affairs, Environment, Finance, Economy, Industry, Agriculture, Health, Tourism, Higher Education, etc.), in addition to national organisations (UTICA and UGTT), civil society, national and international experts, and young negotiators, he specified.
“This delegation will travel to Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) to contribute to decision-making on the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the United Nations conventions on climate change, the official indicated.
As part of the side events scheduled for COP 27, Zmerli stated that Tunisia has so far planned to organise three technical workshops, indicating that the number of meetings may increase depending on the submitted requests.
The first workshop, which will be organised in partnership with the UNDP, will focus on the theme: “The participation of the private sector and the role of private investment in the implementation of environmental policies.”This workshop will be attended by several Tunisian operators, such as the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) and the General Authority for Public-Private Partnerships (IGPPP), etc.
Two other technical workshops are foreseen in the frame of the COP 27, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (OISA).
These events will focus on “The role of environmental structures and work plans to reinforce climate ambition” and “The impact of climate change on food security.”
These events will offer the opportunity to assess the needs and difficulties faced by Tunisia, notably the impacts of climate change, and to make the most of the expertise of other countries in this sector, he considered. — NNN-TAP
