The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, held a coordination meeting today with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia and Chairman of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Mr. Vladimir Pesevski, which was attended by the National Coordinators on Climate Change and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Macedonia and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the meeting, the participants exchanged views on the significance of the Paris agreement on climate change for the Republic of Macedonia and the impact that its implementation will have on the economy, energy, transport and industry in the country. The Republic of Macedonia was one of the 195 countries which in November 2015 adopted the first universal and legally-binding agreement to take effect in 2020. On April 22, 2016, the Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the United Nations signed the Paris agreement on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia.

It was concluded at the meeting that with the signing of the Paris agreement in New York, the Republic of Macedonia has demonstrated its commitment to join the global efforts to reduce climate change. At the meeting, President Ivanov stressed the need for ratification of the agreement on climate change, following the constitution of the new composition of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.

"Upon the adoption of the historic agreement on climate change in Paris last year and the formal accession to the agreement in New York, firm steps and measures to meet its provisions are necessary", President Ivanov said at the meeting.

The participants exchanged views on the possibilities for using money from the funds for adaptation and implementation of the obligations arising from the agreement on climate change.

The coordination meeting was held in the wake of the participation of President Ivanov at the Climate Change Summit COP22, which will be held in November in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco.