The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, who will attend the opening part of the General Debate of the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly tomorrow in New York, at UN Headquarters today attended a high-level event on climate change called The Future in our Hands: Addressing the Leadership Challenge of Climate Change, convened by the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. Slovenia's participation at this session is all the more important in the light of the country's forthcoming EU Presidency, when climate change is expected to top agendas both in the EU and globally.

 

(Photo: Tina Kosec/Bobo)

 

The Slovenian PM and the President of East Timor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, José Manuel Ramos-Horta, co-chaired the morning session on the role of technology in tackling climate change. "Technology has caused most of these changes and technology is also the solution," said PM Janez Janša, stressing the need for a worldwide exchange of technological advancement, innovation and patents.

 

(Photo: Tina Kosec/Bobo)

 

In the afternoon session, which focused on adapting to climate change, the Slovenian PM Janez Janša took to the podium on behalf of the European Union and Slovenia. He also mentioned the recent storm that has hit Slovenia. "This shows that no part of the planet is safe from the negative consequences of climate change; which in turn shows that no one can be exempt from our joint mission," said the PM, stressing that the tasks of the joint mission should be distributed fairly. "Those who have contributed more to the climate change have a better opportunity to take part in the struggle against the negative consequences. Without the collaboration of the most developed countries, we cannot expect any significant progress in real time." The introductory remarks of the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, show that this view is shared by the majority. "I hope that the conference will allow for the construction of an efficient 'post-Kyoto' framework, with a new global approach to these commitments. In March, the European Union took certain commitments and showed the right way, which many other countries have acknowledged," said the PM. 

 

(Photo: Tina Kosec/Bobo)

 

PM Janez Janša also attended a working lunch at the UN Convention on Climate Change hosted by the Presidents of Indonesia and Poland, the Prime Minister of Denmark, and the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources of Kenya.

 

Address by the Prime Minister