The European Union and Myanmar government have pledged to strengthen cooperation on climate change ahead of the adoption of a new global climate deal in Paris this December

The European Union and the Myanmar government has pledged to strengthen cooperation on climate change ahead of the adoption of a new global climate deal in Paris this December.

In a workshop on climate change, the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry together with other ministries, civil society representatives, the private sector, and the EU and other development partners, discussed the draft National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan in Myanmar.

The Plan is supported by the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance, a flagship programme of the government to increase its institutional and technical capacities to address climate change.

In addition to taking stock of the progress so far, key elements of the strategy and action plan were agreed upon by the participants with a view of presenting these at the Paris conference.

This EU-funded program which is being jointly implemented by United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) stretches over four years and focuses on raising the awareness around climate change and making sure government policies, plans and activities take climate change into consideration.

Isabel Faria de Almeida, EU Head of Development Cooperation in Myanmar, said: “The effects of climate change are felt all over the world as the weather gets more extreme. The Paris conference is a historic opportunity to combat this by accelerating the shift to a low-carbon, climate-resilient global economy.

“People around the world are looking to their leaders for a signal that they are ready and willing to take decisive action to tackle climate change. The EU and its Member States are committed to taking on a leading role and we are working with our partners, including Myanmar, to ensure that Paris is a success.”

Countries of the world will gather together at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December to conclude a new global climate change agreement.

The EU was the first major economy to put forward its intended contribution to the new agreement – a target of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

​