President Bachelet: “We are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by between 35% and 45% by 2030”
The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, arrived at the Marriott Hotel in the Santiago district of Las Condes this morning, accompanied by Environment Minister Pablo Badenier, to participate in the opening ceremony of the Regional Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) Conference in Latin America and the Caribbean. The conference was organized in collaboration with the Danish Embassy, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Environment Ministry.
3GF was initiated by the Danish Government in 2011, in collaboration with the Republic of Korea and Mexico. In 2012, China, Kenya and Qatar joined the partnership, followed by Ethiopia in 2014. It aims to act as a global platform which provides solutions for inclusive green growth. To achieve this, 3GF convenes governments, businesses, investors, international organizations and civil society in order to accelerate the transition to a green future, promote innovative co-operation for green growth, share strategic ideas for green growth and demonstrate how better collaboration between leaders from public, private and civil society institutions can drive market penetration and realize the potential for inclusive green growth.
In her speech, President Bachelet emphasized that “we are very pleased that this Forum is taking place in Chile, but it is also a powerful reminder that as a country we have to address the magnitude of both present and future challenges. The truth is that there is no other alternative; we share an urgent need to act decisively and with a long-term vision if we wish to ensure both economic progress and respect for our natural environment”.
The President also mentioned the consequences of climate change, which in Chile include the recent unexpected rainfall in the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, which caused landslides and floods affecting thousands of people, as well as the ongoing drought, desertification of a significant part of the country, numerous forest fires, the retreat of glaciers and extreme temperatures.
“This is a reality that we cannot deny, and it requires all of us to make a greater effort, because the living conditions of our population and our biodiversity are at stake. There are no easy or short-term solutions, but it is up to us to define a clear horizon and address these complex issues,” President Bachelet stressed, adding that “the commitment of the public sector alone is not enough; there must be a partnership between the public and private sectors, and with society as a whole”.
In this regard, she highlighted that despite the fact that Chile generates just 0.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country “is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by between 35% and 45% by the year 2030, because we want to be part of the solution to this global problem”.
The President referred to the actions which her government has taken to address the issue of global warming, including the implementation of two carbon taxes in the context of the recently approved Tax Reform, a tax on new vehicles based on carbon emissions and a tax on polluters, particularly companies generating energy from coal.
She also spoke about the progress made in attracting increased investment in renewable energies. “We have achieved very positive results, and we are confident that we will meet our goal of generating 20% of our energy from renewable sources within the next five years,” the President said.
Concluding her speech, President Bachelet expressed her conviction that “green growth is possible, and that collaboration between public and private sectors can drive new markets which, in turn, increase productivity, employment, innovation and development. We can address climate change without sacrificing economic growth and, while creating a fairer society for everyone.”