Southern EU Leaders Vow To Meet Paris Climate Targets

Southern EU leaders on Friday pledged their adherence to the climate targets of the Paris 2015 agreement in an Athens summit that also tackled migration and regional security challenges

Athens, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2021 ) :Southern EU leaders on Friday pledged their adherence to the climate targets of the Paris 2015 agreement in an Athens summit that also tackled migration and regional security challenges.

"Now, more than ever, (it is) necessary to tackle the escalating climate and environmental crisis and create a safe, secure prosperous, fair and sustainable future for our societies," Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain said in a joint statement.

With the Mediterranean already feeling the effects of climate change in violent weather swings, wildfires and floods, the participants agreed to "intensify" cooperation by sharing best practises in prevention measures.

The group, typically known as the Med7 but adding Croatia and Slovenia this year, also reiterated their "firm commitment" to the implementation of the Paris 2015 Agreement, limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 Celsius (34.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, and reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

And they pledged to work towards the protection of the Mediterranean's cultural and natural heritage, while advancing a shift from fossil fuels to renewables and low carbon technologies.