“Hungary is among the most effective environmental protectionists in Europe, and will be fulfilling its undertakings with relation to pollutant emissions”, Minister for Innovation and Technology László Palkovics said at the Climate Summit conference in Budapest on Friday.
Mr. Palkovics declared that Hungary will be reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent by 2030, in accordance with its undertakings.
“Based on our calculations, the 95 percent reduction planned to occur by 2050 may also be realised with 50 trillion forints (EUR 140 billion) in investment, but there can only be a chance of achieving this at EU level if all of the member states are capable of reducing their emissions by 40 percent within 10 years like Hungary”, he added.
The Minister said he doesn’t regard it as impossible that Hungary will succeed in exceeding this ratio domestically, in view of the fact that even parallel to the economic upturn of recent years Hungary’s emissions are still 33 percent lower than they were 30 years ago. Mr. Palkovics said efficient measures are the guarantors of sustainable development.
“The subject of climate protection has been pushed into the background within the public domain because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the government is continuing to perform its related responsibilities even at such a time. The drawing up of the strategy and legislation to facilitate environmental protection has not come to a halt, and the clean development strategy could be completed by the end of this year; the acquisition of electric buses is continuing, a new tender will soon be published for the purchasing of electric vehicles, and disadvantaged regions can count on receiving funding towards the purchasing of household solar panels”, he stated.
“Over 90 percent of Hungary’s electricity production will be becoming carbon dioxide-free, but to achieve this both Hungary and Europe need nuclear energy”, Mr. Palkovics emphasised.
“However, the most often voiced objection to nuclear power plants, the placement of nuclear waste, could become easier thanks to Hungarian research efforts, in view of the fact that it is possible that fuel rods will not have to be stored for millennia as a result of laser decomposition technology”, he added. The European Commission’s Vice President for the European Green Deal also welcomed the participants of the conference in an online speech. Frans Timmermans declared that the sustainability about-turn is not a question of choice, since the survival of humanity depends on it.
In his opinion, growth must be separated from unlimited energy use; this will be the central issue of the transformation. “The solutions are already available, and accordingly Europe must serve as an example to the world with relation to the fulfilment of climate goals”, he added.
The EU politician warned of grave consequences, and not only in the far future, because, as he explained, humanity is already being forced to face the signs. “Facts are stubborn things; young people are already fighting in the streets for their future”, Frans Timmermans said.