Excellency President,
Excellencies heads of state and government,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I at the onset extend my deep appreciation to the Government of France for hosting this important Conference.
Today’s Conference beyond doubt reaffirms our continued efforts to prevent an increase of greenhouse gas emissions, tackle the risks of global warming and an adverse impact of a climate change.
Republic of Tajikistan has expressed its national position towards provision of Paris Agreement and has undertaken due measures within Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP).
Tajikistan is ranked 135th in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite its small share in carbon dioxide emmission, our country remains vulnerable to climate change and our national economy is encountering its negative impact.
Our country 93 percent of the territory of which is mountains is a home for water source of whole Central Asia where almost 60 percent of an aggregate water resources of the region is originated.
However intensive and at the same time rapid melting of glaciers as a result of an impact of climate change poses serious threat to a preservation of water resources, while it deteriorated living conditions of the people. Over thousand massive glaciers out of fourteen thousand melted down and completely vanished during the period of last 30 years.
As a result, ice-cap melting caused an increase of natural disasters and slum of a water eco-system, which brings hundreds of millions of USD of material damage for the country every year and claims heavy casualties.
Tajikistan established productive cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat on elaboration of a draft of new Climate Change instrument and submitted its third national report yet in 2014.
Our country firmly believes that development of renewable energy, including hydro-energy would serve as an effective instrument to cut CO2 emissions and promote “green economy”.
Meanwhile, in view of economic, social and environmental aspects of renewable energy, an implementation of hydro-power projects aiming at adaptation to climate change would be essential.
In this context, Tajikistan as a pilot country is keen to set up and foster cooperation with Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund, whilst already maintains good partnership with the Climate Investment Fund.
A new decade entitled “Water for Sustainable Development” initiated by Tajikistan could open up opportunities for enhanced cooperation on effective water resources management.
At this crucial juncture, the international community needs to develop a new instrument to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote adaptation to climate change. We supported elaboration of a new document.
This document should first and foremost enshrine stubborn efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote its decline wolrdwide.
We do believe that developed economies, along with United Nations agencies and other parties concerned will spare no efforts to promote cooperation in this area. Tajikistan stands ready to contribute to achieve agreed goals.
Thank you.