The Georgian Minister of Environment and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, met with his German counterpart, Steffi Lemke, on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP 28) in Dubai on December 9, 2023.
The two ministers discussed the environmental protection projects that Georgia has implemented and planned and the country’s progress toward European integration.
Shamugia thanked Lemke for Germany’s support for several important projects in Georgia, such as developing renewable energy, waste management, and forest conservation.
He also informed Lemke about the recent legislative reforms that Georgia has undertaken in the field of environmental protection, such as the adoption of the law on water resources and industrial emissions and the preparation of the law on the protection of biodiversity.
Shamugia also expressed his satisfaction with the recommendation of the European Commission to grant Georgia the EU candidate status, which was announced on November 8, 2023.
He said this was a significant achievement for Georgia, showing its unshaken commitment to European values and standards. He added that Georgia was ready to meet the nine remaining criteria the EU set for the country to start the accession negotiations.
Lemke congratulated Shamugia on Georgia’s success and reaffirmed Germany’s support for Georgia’s EU integration process. He also praised Georgia’s efforts in addressing climate change and enhancing its environmental governance.
He said that Germany was interested in expanding its cooperation with Georgia in the areas of protected areas, ecotourism, and modern infrastructure, which would contribute to preserving biodiversity and attracting visitors.
Shamugia invited Lemke to visit Georgia and see the country’s unique nature. Lemke accepted the invitation and said he looked forward to visiting Georgia shortly.
The meeting between Shamugia and Lemke was one of the many bilateral meetings that took place at COP 28, which is the 28th annual UN climate meeting where governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change.
The summit, held in Dubai from November 30 until December 12, 2023, is expected to conclude the first-ever global stocktake of the implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and agree on the actions and solutions needed to achieve the Agreement’s goals.
