Malta launched a new initiative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) with the aim of strengthening the participation of young people in the discussions and decisions taken by the politicians to address climate change.
During a conference on climate change,
the Chairperson of the OSCE, the Minister for European Foreign Affairs and Trade Ian Borg, stressed that the urgency to take immediate action has never been so great.
The conference was held in Malta, which is currently in charge of leading the OSCE, the largest security organization in Europe
Malta launched the new initiative with the aim of strengthening the participation of young diplomats and technical experts in the discussions and political decisions that are being taken on climate change.
The initiative was brought by the Permanent Representation of Malta to the OSCE to the representatives of the 57 countries within this Organization, during a high-level conference of the Maltese Presidency of the OSCE on Climate Change.
The Special Representative for the Maltese Leadership of the OSCE on Climate Change, Ambassador Simone Borg, said that this initiative will help to train new diplomats with aspects that deal with climate change, about energy, water and the impact on nature. The fight against climate change requires diplomats who can steer agreements in the direction that make a difference. Training will also be given to young people in areas such as transport and agriculture who will train and learn how to address emissions from their sector.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chairperson of the OSCE Ian Borg said that the conference was being held at a time when the Mediterranean region is facing challenges linked to climate change, including heat waves, droughts and floods.
He described the launch of the initiative as significant to have officials, especially young people, who meet and train so that even in embassies, in international organizations each country has those experts which can lead to solutions.
The Minister for the Environment Miriam Dalli said governments should incentivize new technologies to push forward measures to combat climate change. She said that climate change was becoming more of a threat and extreme weather is intensifying, with great risks for people. Dalli emphasized the importance of research and said that in Malta researchers were coming up with innovative ideas that can be implemented in Malta.
