Portugal
Statement by
H.E. THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF
PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS,
AMBASSADOR JOÃO SALGUEIRO
AT THE
HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE 14TH SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
New York, 11 May 2006
Check against delivery
1
Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates
Allow me first to express Portugal's support for the statement made by Austria on
behalf of the European Union.
The themes for the current CSD two year cycle are of key importance for
sustainable development as policymakers and stakeholders around the world
witness on a daily basis.
Finding reliable, affordable, and environmentally sound energy solutions is urgent
in a world in which rapid economic growth and other political circumstances
result in daily increases in the p rice of fossil fuels.
Nevertheless, we should look on this as an opportunity to place yet further
emphasis on energy efficiency, on the competitiveness of alternative, renewable
energy and on research and development of new, clean technologies.
What we see, however, is that ¼ of the world?s population still has no access to
electricity and, hence, to the well being provided by energy services.
Portugal considers that the right course consists of comprehensive and
cooperative approaches between developed and developing countries, both by
means of transferring new technologies and by supporting the improvement of
technical and institutional capacity.
The CSD can play an important role in this regard as a synergetic mechanism for
action.
As we have heard during these sessions, lessons can be learned from the widely
varying experiences and circumstances around the globe.
To focus a bit on our experience, Portugal recently updated its National
Sustainable Development Strategy. At its core is the commitment to promote
energy efficiency and increase the use of renewables. We are already seeing the
results of such an ambitious policy goal.
Indeed, in 2004, Portugal was ranked second in the world for wind power
capacity growth. We are on track to reach our 2010 renewable target of 39% in
electricity production.
Additionally, my Government has recently approved plans on energy and
technology which raise the renewable targets to 44% and allocate over 4 billion
euros for investment.
2
Strong support for renewable energy is a clear ?win-win? policy. Renewables
contribute to climate mitigation, local air pollution abatement, and ultimately
energy security.
We realise nonetheless that a balanced mix of private and public financing is
essential for the ?take-off? of energy projects, particularly in many developing
countries.
Mr. Chairman,
Climate Change poses enormous challenges to our societies. Its impacts are felt
daily both in developed and developing countries and require urgent mitigation
and adaptation action across the globe.
Portugal?s experience in implementing the Kyoto Protocol shows the paramount
importance ? and challenges ? of establishing policies and actions that are
genuinely coherent and interlinked in sectors such as energy, climate change
and transportation.
Portugal is also deeply committed to enhancing and streamlining climate
development cooperation with developing countries. In this regard, Portugal is an
active member of two innovative networks: the Portuguese-Speaking Countries
Network on Climate Change and the Ibero-American Network of Climate Change
Offices. These initiatives deal with a broad range of issues, focusing particularly
on capacity building and on adaptation to climate change.
Mr. Chairman,
Portugal attaches great importance on multilateral approaches to tackle the
global challenge of sustainable development. CSD 14 should prepare the ground
for substantive progress next year on the very important issues we have been
discussing.
H.E. THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF
PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS,
AMBASSADOR JOÃO SALGUEIRO
AT THE
HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE 14TH SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
New York, 11 May 2006
Check against delivery
1
Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates
Allow me first to express Portugal's support for the statement made by Austria on
behalf of the European Union.
The themes for the current CSD two year cycle are of key importance for
sustainable development as policymakers and stakeholders around the world
witness on a daily basis.
Finding reliable, affordable, and environmentally sound energy solutions is urgent
in a world in which rapid economic growth and other political circumstances
result in daily increases in the p rice of fossil fuels.
Nevertheless, we should look on this as an opportunity to place yet further
emphasis on energy efficiency, on the competitiveness of alternative, renewable
energy and on research and development of new, clean technologies.
What we see, however, is that ¼ of the world?s population still has no access to
electricity and, hence, to the well being provided by energy services.
Portugal considers that the right course consists of comprehensive and
cooperative approaches between developed and developing countries, both by
means of transferring new technologies and by supporting the improvement of
technical and institutional capacity.
The CSD can play an important role in this regard as a synergetic mechanism for
action.
As we have heard during these sessions, lessons can be learned from the widely
varying experiences and circumstances around the globe.
To focus a bit on our experience, Portugal recently updated its National
Sustainable Development Strategy. At its core is the commitment to promote
energy efficiency and increase the use of renewables. We are already seeing the
results of such an ambitious policy goal.
Indeed, in 2004, Portugal was ranked second in the world for wind power
capacity growth. We are on track to reach our 2010 renewable target of 39% in
electricity production.
Additionally, my Government has recently approved plans on energy and
technology which raise the renewable targets to 44% and allocate over 4 billion
euros for investment.
2
Strong support for renewable energy is a clear ?win-win? policy. Renewables
contribute to climate mitigation, local air pollution abatement, and ultimately
energy security.
We realise nonetheless that a balanced mix of private and public financing is
essential for the ?take-off? of energy projects, particularly in many developing
countries.
Mr. Chairman,
Climate Change poses enormous challenges to our societies. Its impacts are felt
daily both in developed and developing countries and require urgent mitigation
and adaptation action across the globe.
Portugal?s experience in implementing the Kyoto Protocol shows the paramount
importance ? and challenges ? of establishing policies and actions that are
genuinely coherent and interlinked in sectors such as energy, climate change
and transportation.
Portugal is also deeply committed to enhancing and streamlining climate
development cooperation with developing countries. In this regard, Portugal is an
active member of two innovative networks: the Portuguese-Speaking Countries
Network on Climate Change and the Ibero-American Network of Climate Change
Offices. These initiatives deal with a broad range of issues, focusing particularly
on capacity building and on adaptation to climate change.
Mr. Chairman,
Portugal attaches great importance on multilateral approaches to tackle the
global challenge of sustainable development. CSD 14 should prepare the ground
for substantive progress next year on the very important issues we have been
discussing.
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