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Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Carsten Schneider, has praised Armenia for the “truly tremendous” amount of work it has done in connection with COP17.
In an interview with Armenpress, Schneider said all COP17 delegates feel welcome in Armenia, and the way the negotiations are being led is also impressive.
Below is the full interview with the minister.
Armenpress – Mr. Minister, what are your impressions of the COP17 conference and, in particular, the meeting of environment ministers held in its framework?
Carsten Schneider – Armenia has hosted the conference wonderfully. I have known Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan for a year now, and we have had numerous bilateral discussions, including on the organizational work for COP. Compared with other countries, Armenia is a small but historically significant country. And it is truly special that such a country is hosting COP. You have done a tremendous amount of work: all guests feel welcome here and completely at ease and free. I think the way the negotiations are being led is also impressive, and I am confident that by the end of this week, we can achieve a very positive and good result.
– What practical benefits and dividends can COP17 bring in terms of bilateral and multilateral cooperation?
– Yesterday, my Armenian counterpart and I signed a declaration aimed at strengthening relations between Germany and Armenia and deepening our joint work. We want to further intensify this cooperation. It is a great honor for us to be hosted here, as well as to have the Armenian government’s trust. We are planning a number of other meetings with partners to prepare for upcoming COPs, conferences on climate change, and other events. This is an excellent platform for coming together, preparing decisions, and putting them into practice.
– What are the main points of the signed Armenian-German declaration?
– We consider nature restoration important. Armenia has magnificent nature, but so far, I have only seen it in photographs. I hope to have the opportunity to visit Lake Sevan in two days and see it in person. As the German government, we want to support Armenia in nature restoration by sharing our knowledge while also learning from Armenian experience. We aim to promote exchanges between scientists and non-governmental organizations for the benefit of our countries, and especially for the development of this beautiful country, Armenia.
– How are you addressing the environmental challenges facing Germany? And what observations can you share with your Armenian counterparts?
– Germany is a densely populated country, and over the centuries, our nature has, of course, undergone changes and has also been partly destroyed. Forests have been partly cut down, river courses have been altered, and the soil has degraded. We are now facing the consequences. Very few rivers with natural courses remain, and the effects of climate change are also being felt through floods and other climate-related phenomena. That is why nature restoration is so important. We must strengthen our natural environment in order to preserve it. This is certainly a serious challenge. Both Germany and Armenia must be able to reconcile different interests in industry, agriculture, rural communities, and infrastructure.
– Biodiversity protection requires substantial and sustained funding. What is the European Union prepared to do to help close the global biodiversity financing gap, particularly for countries with limited resources?
– The German government has decided to increase spending on biodiversity. Therefore, you can look to Germany as an example. We allocate more than one billion euros annually to biodiversity conservation, making us, so to speak, the world’s largest funder. My goal is to maintain this level of funding and encourage other countries to join in, especially high-income countries that are not currently making financial contributions. I am trying to persuade other countries to join this process and to strengthen the capacities of the least developed countries and small island states so that they can absorb the funds that may be provided, for example, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This will make it possible to implement policies aimed at restoring nature or preserving its existing natural state.
– How can governments ensure that economic growth, infrastructure development, and private investment do not come at the expense of biodiversity?
– We must ensure this because, if we do not, we will have to pay the price later. It is impossible to fight nature: you will lose. And that will lead to a decline in economic growth. Experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos have stated that five of the ten major risks facing the economy are related to nature. This can be seen in Germany’s case. If water levels in the Rhine River are insufficient due to drought, it cannot be used as a transport route. Seventy percent of our GDP, that is, the total output of our economy, is connected to and depends on nature. Therefore, we need an intact natural environment. And those people or governments that do not acknowledge or take this fact into account will have to pay dearly for it later.
– Mr. Minister, since this is your first visit to Armenia, how do you feel about it?
– Everything here has been organized wonderfully. Armenians are a very ancient and wonderful people. And the national cuisine is simply amazing. I hope that in the coming days, when I have some free time and the ministerial conference is over, I will manage to see Armenia’s beautiful landscapes, whether in the capital, Yerevan, or on the shores of Lake Sevan.