Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today in Paris, when we are gathered in order to find peace with Nature, what is worrying is that there is no peace among people. In a time when we are trying to reach the final agreement that should enable sustainable development, a serious security storm is looming, threatening to wipe away everything that has been done previously.

Just as it is necessary to be united in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and radicalism, we must also stand united in our efforts to reach a climate agreement.

In the same way that we need peace among peoples and nations, we need peace with Nature. Peace, on the other hand, is impossible without justice for people and Nature.

Justice has become an endangered species.
We declared ourselves masters of Nature, without being able to master our own sense of greed.
In spite of our virtually unlimited technological possibilities, we still remained limited in our sense of responsibility towards our common home.
We disturbed the fragile climate balance, the equilibrium between humankind and Nature, thus endangering the future of our descendants.

Today, we are here to try and avoid the abyss we are heading for.
Today, we are here to demonstrate that we have enough political will to face the reality of global warming.

The Republic of Macedonia has already established its national contributions to climate change.

Our position is clear. We advocate the adoption of an international, scientifically based and legally binding agreement that will be ambitious an applicable to all countries. This comprehensive agreement should contain specific steps for alleviating and adaptation to climate change, financing, capacity building and technology transfer. It should contain modalities for implementation and provide for transparency of activities, as well as support. We shall observe such a climate agreement within our capacities. This is also our position as Chairmanship of the Central European Initiative.

Here, in Paris, the circle of responsibility should finally be closed.
However, in order for this to be done, deeper changes are necessary.

We expect to see declarations transformed into specific action measures. We expect to see short term solutions being replaced with long term ones. Let us substitute the throwaway culture with a culture of sustainability. Let us move aside selfish interests for the benefit of the interests of humanity. Let us substitute superficial rhetoric with specific works. This, not because of us, but for the sake of our posterity.

Thank you.