Radio România Internațional

Tag: Paris Agreement

November 4, 2020

COVID-19 RO. In Romania, the number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus has increased by 8,651 in the last 24 hours, a new unwanted record. To date, more than 267,000 cases of infection have been confirmed. 146 deaths have also been reported, and 1,001 patients are in intensive care. Meanwhile, authorities are constantly evaluating measures to manage the coronavirus epidemic and adapting them to the latest developments. President Klaus Iohannis has announced that the first tranche of COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in Romania in the first quarter of next year. The head of state has specified that those in the medical system and people in risk groups will have priority for vaccination. On the other hand, Klaus Iohaanis has stated that, at the moment, there are no reasons for imposing a state of emergency, but restrictions are needed in order to slow the spread of the pandemic.

PANDEMIC. The number of cases of infection with the new coronavirus has exceeded 47.25 million worldwide, and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 has reached 1,209,590. The United States, Brazil and India are the countries with the most cases of infections and deaths. In Europe, several states have imposed new restrictions amid a rapid increase in the number of new cases of coronavirus infection. France, Germany, Belgium and Austria have banned night traffic and closed museums, theaters and swimming pools. The Netherlands has announced similar measures. Greece has also closed non-essential restaurants and shops in Athens and other crowded areas. Britain will be in lockdown for four weeks as of Thursday. In Spain, several regions have closed non-essential activities, restaurants and gyms, but for the time being, the isolation of citizens at home is avoided.

VISIT. Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban is in Ramallah in the West Bank today, where he will discuss with his Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Shtayyeh ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation. On Tuesday, Orban held talks in Jerusalem with top Israeli officials. Ludovic Orban and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyhu, reconfirmed the privileged relations between the two countries and welcomed the recent launch of the Romania – Israel Working Group in the economic field.

CCR. In Bucharest, the Constitutional Court discusses the notifications filed by the governing National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Alliance regarding the appointment of the opposition Social Democrat Florin Iordache as president of the Legislative Council. The signatories claim that the necessary number of votes for Florin Iordache to be appointed president has not been met. On the other hand, they claim that he does not meet the condition of good professional and moral reputation provided by law. He promoted, as Minister of Justice, the Emergency Ordinance no. 13 and the amnesty and pardon bill. That ordinance generated widespread protests, in the winter of 2017, in Bucharest, in other cities in the country and in the Diaspora. The government at the time, formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, was accused of adopting an ordinance amending the Criminal Codes to clean up politicians with legal problems. Under street pressure, the Executive announced that it was renouncing the amendment of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

US ELECTION. The election for president of the United States has come to an end. The Americans had to choose between the current president, Republican Donald Trump, and his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Although the counting of votes has begun, the final results will be known later this year, due to the fact that most of the votes were cast by mail, and states have different ways of counting those votes. Some do it before counting the ones in the ballot boxes, others after. CNN reports that in terms of postal voting, Joe Biden seems to be the favorite. Donald Trump, however, has declared himself convinced of victory. The election was held against the background of a country severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with the highest number of infections and deaths in the world. However, according to Radio Romanias correspondent in Washington, the turnout was impressive, which shows the Americans interest in this presidential election.

CLIMATE. United States has become the first nation to officially withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate. Although the decision was announced by incumbent President Donald Trump in June 2017, according to the UN rules, the United States had to wait until November 4 to officially leave the agreement. Countries that have ratified the document so far are committed to keeping the rise in global temperatures below two degrees Celsius this century. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Donald Trump made leaving the Agreement a key goal, arguing that it was unfair to the United States. The agreement, he says, allows India, China and other states to continue using fossil fuels, while the United States has been asked to reduce carbon emissions.

MOURNING. The Austrian government has declared three days of national mourning for the victims of Mondays terrorist attack in Vienna, which left four dead and 22 wounded. Authorities are continuing the investigation, after the Austrian attacker of North Macedonian origin was shot dead by the police. 14 arrests were made after searches of 18 homes. Authorities believe he was a lone attacker, who ran the streets and opened fire on passers-by and customers in bars and restaurants, just before the national quarantine came into force. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has sent a message of unity to the people, promising that Austria will defend its democracy, fundamental rights and its liberal lifestyle.

HANDBALL. Romanias mens handball team, on Thursday, will have its debut in Group VIII of the preliminaries of the 2022 European Championship, organized in Hungary and Slovakia, with a match against the team of Sweden. The match will be followed, on Sunday, by the one its home turf with Montenegro. The top two in the group that also includes Kosovo qualify for the next round. The four-time world champion in the 60s and 70s, Romanias mens team has not qualified for a continental final tournament since 1996. In the womens competition, Romania has qualified into the group that includes Norway, Germany and Poland, for Euro 2020, which will be held next month. (M. Ignatescu)

4 November 2020
The Paris Climate Agreement in the Trump era

The high fluctuations of temperatures alongside the decreasing number of chilly days and nights and the increase in the number of scorcher days and heat waves have been a constant reality of the past 50 years. According to specialists, in the future, extreme heat and heavy rains will most likely increase in frequency at higher latitudes, while their occurrence is expected to drop in most tropical regions. Scientific data shows that without applying adequate measures to curb these phenomena, the sea level is likely to increase by one meter or more by 2100.

Following these developments, some island countries and many coastal regions will be completely covered by water. Statistics point to an increase in the rate of deaths caused by heat or by frost, depending on the region. Also, changes have become visible related to the propagation of some diseases transmittable by means of water or viruses. Following these climate changes, many sea and land species have been relocated. Activities that are dependent on certain temperatures and levels of precipitation such as those in agriculture, forestry, energy and tourism have also been very affected. Many of the poor, developing countries are extremely vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. And this is because the inhabitants of those areas heavily rely on their natural habitat and have scarce resources at hand to be able to adapt to the changing climate.

In this context, the decision of the US President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, which was adopted in December 2015 under the UN aegis, places him on the wrong side of history, according to the former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. At the same time, Donald Trumps decision has raised new challenges for the other participants in the Agreement. An action plan targeting the period starting in 2020, the agreement is aimed at limiting the increase in the global temperature, on the long term, at below 2 degrees Celsius as compared to the reference temperature reported in the pre-industrial era. The Agreement was adopted by 195 countries. Consistent with the promises made in the election campaign but criticized by the international community, the new White House leader decided to withdraw the US from the Agreement arguing that it was not beneficial to his countrys economy and to the Americans interests. And reactions were not late to appear.

The French President Emmanuel Macron said the American Presidents decision was a “mistake for the future of our planet, while China has reiterated its commitment to fighting climate change. After the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, the EU became the promoter of sustained climate policies allocating to member states funds for investment, among other things. The funds are meant to help these countries replace the old industries with new, more environment-friendly ones. Since the measures for approaching climate change and for reducing green house gas emissions are priorities for the EU, the European leaders have committed to turning Europe into a very efficient economic power in terms of energy, with low carbon dioxide emissions. Another EU target is to decrease by 80 up to 95% the green house gas emissions by 2050 as compared to the level reported in 1990. Romania has from the very beginning participated in the international political process regarding climate change, being part of the framework convention on climate change and of the Kyoto Protocol. The president of the National Agency for Environmental Protection, Viorel Toma explains:

“Romania has met its target of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions for the first part the 2008 – 2012 period and meets the requirements for the second target period under the Doha amendment, 2013-2020. Romania does have a strategy on climate change and economic growth based on reduced carbon dioxide emissions as well as an action plan for the 2016-2020 period. The strategy is structured along two action lines, namely the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change. Planning for the current 2014-2020 framework stipulates that 27.53% of the European funds be earmarked for projects with a climatic component. The implementation of energy-efficient projects and the use of renewable energy resources at local level pose a real challenge for Romania in the coming period.

It is Bucharests policy to encourage the generation and use of renewable energy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially in big cities. Concurrently, schools, kindergartens and town hall buildings shall benefit from renewable energy, which means less expenses in terms of the local budget. (Translated by L. Simion & E. Nasta)

8 September 2017
August 5, 2017 UPDATE

HEAT WAVE – Romanian meteorologists have extended the code red alert against extreme heat for Sunday as well, but narrowed it from 12 to 2 counties in the south-west, where highs of 40 – 41 degrees Celsius are expected. Meanwhile, nearly 3-quarters of the country remain subject to a code orange alert, with temperatures of up to 39 degrees and lows between 22 and 25 degrees. The heat wave that has hit Romania these days will continue, and the thermal discomfort index will go over 80, to 82-84 units. On the other hand, starting on Sunday thunderstorms and heavy rainfalls are expected in the north-west and the north of the country, particularly in the mountains, and on Monday in the northern half of the country. Weather experts warn that the weather will remain extremely hot next week as well. Two people died because of the extreme heat, and hundreds required medical assistance. First-aid tents have been set up in all major cities. Speed restrictions are in place on the national railway network as well as on the countrys main roads, with heavy-duty vehicle traffic restricted during the afternoon.

ALERT – Extreme temperatures are also reported across Europe this weekend. Code red alerts are in place in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Hungary, in most of Slovenia, south of Poland, south of Slovakia, south of Switzerland, in central and south-eastern Italy as well as in the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. High wildfire risks are reported in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Albania, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. The Foreign Ministry recommends that areas under alert should be avoided, and says that Romanian diplomatic missions abroad are prepared to provide assistance to those who request it.

SAXONS – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis urged the Saxon ethnics attending a meeting in Sibiu on Saturday to pass on to younger generations the traditions and values of the community. The head of state, himself a German ethnic, gave a speech both in Romanian and German and attended a parade of Saxon traditional costumes. The city of Sibiu in central Romania is hosting, until Sunday, the 27th and largest so far meeting of Transylvanian Saxon ethnics, under the motto “Home around the world, heart in Transylvania. For this occasion, thousands of Saxon ethnics currently living in Germany, Austria and the USA returned to their home country. The agenda of the event includes 50 events, from exhibitions and book launches to music and dance performances. The Saxon ethnics, a German population, settled in Transylvania starting in the mid-12th Century.

HEROES Romania continues to commemorate its WWI heroes through a series of ceremonies held all over the country. The peak of these events organised by the National Defence Ministry and the Vrancea County Council will be on Sunday, when the country marks 100 years since the Battle of Marasesti, a watershed moment for Romania in the Great War. Regarded as one of the most impressive monuments in the country, the Mausoleum in Marasesti was built in the place where, in the summer of 1917, the Romanian soldiers stood their ground against a technically superior and better-trained German army, losing 480 officers and over 21,000 troops.

CLIMATE – The USA gave written notice to the UN of its intention to pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, but will continue to take part in international negotiations, the American State Department announced. Washington will take part in the forthcoming annual UN conference on climate, due in November in Bonn, Germany. On June 1, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the country from this agreement aimed at containing global warming and signed in 2015 by 195 states. Trump says the deal damages the American economy, but he does not rule out the US rejoining the process after renegotiations or even the signing of a new agreement able to protect the US. Under the Agreement, an official withdrawal notification can only take effect 3 years after the agreement has come into force, that is on November 4, 2016. Donald Trump will therefore be able to pull out from the deal only at the end of 2019, with a one-year notice, AFP reports.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

5 August 2017
June 2, 2017 UPDATE

UN – At the UN headquarters in New York, Romanias Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu deposited Romanias instrument of ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change, reads a communiqué issued by the Romanian Foreign Ministry on Friday. Melescanu has stated that a coordinated implementation of sustainable development and climate change strategies comes in line with Romanias commitments as a member of the EU and UN. In turn, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Miguel de Serpa Soares has stated that Romanias ratifying the Paris Agreement helps maintain the issue on the international agenda. Minister Melescanu is in New York to promote Romanias candidacy for a two-year office of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Since it joined NATO in 1995, Romania has held four such terms.

PARIS AGREEMENT – Climate changes represent a worldwide emergency, and the global solutions proposed by the Paris Agreement mustnt be turned down, according to actress Medeea Marinescu, Ambassador of the Agreement for Romania. Greenpeace International believes that the USs withdrawal from the agreement will turn the US from a climate leader at world level into an isolated society. The Romanian branch of Greenpeace too believes that this decision is one to be condemned, given that the US is one of the worlds biggest polluters. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has termed the decision a major disappointment for the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote international security. The White House leader has invoked the level of contributions and the effects on the economy, saying that the accord has had negative consequences for the US industry and its workers, placing them at a disadvantage as compared to China, India or other emerging powers. The Paris Agreement, signed by 195 states, is aimed at combating climate change by curbing greenhouse gas emissions and containing the increase in the global average temperature.

CONGRESS – The opposition Save Romania Union (USR), the third largest political group in Romanias Parliament, has announced its intention to hold a congress to elect its new leader, following the unexpected resignation on Thursday of its founding president Nicusor Dan. The USR vice-president Elek Levente, the head of the USR branch in Cluj, north-western Romania, has become the groups interim president. Nicusor Dan stepped down after the USR National Bureau had decided to oppose new Constitution amendments over redefining the family as the union between a man and a woman. The bill revising the Constitution has already been endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies and if the Senate endorses it too, the Romanians will be called to have their say in a referendum. The aforementioned Constitution amendments have been requested by three million Romanians.

TALKS – We are having a constructive dialogue at European Commission level to ensure a good preparation for Romanias taking over the EU Council Presidency in 2019, the Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs Ana Birchall has stated. The Romanian minister has held talks on the issue with Jean-Eric Paquet, Deputy Secretary General of the European Commission. “Holding the presidency of the EU Council is one of our priorities. Romania has been an EU member for 10 years now and I believe we have grown mature enough to turn a big challenge into an opportunity. Talks with European Commission officials are vital for ensuring a successful mandate at the helm of the EU Council in the first half of 2019”, Minister Birchall has also said.

MOLDOVA – The Republic of Moldovas values are different from those of the Western countries, and the former Soviet state is now resuming its strategic partnership with Russia, said on Friday the Moldovan President Igor Dodon at the economic forum in Sankt Petersburg. “After eight years of pro-European and clearly anti-Russian policy, following last years presidential elections we have started to remedy this situation” the President added. He also said that his country cannot join the EU as it is today, questioning the benefits of such an integration, given that even Great Britain has decided to leave it. In turn, the Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia and NATO must cooperate in the fight against terror, because, otherwise more attacks will follow. However, Putin has also stated that to him NATO is one of the USs political instruments, also voicing concern over NATO military infrastructure getting closer to the Russian borders.

NOBLE JUMP – A 50 strong Norwegian contingent has come to Romania to take part in the multinational exercise Noble Jump 2017 at the Cincu shooting range in Brasov Country, central Romania. On Thursday, eight NATO convoys also arrived in Romania, to participate in the exercise. The convoys are made up of some 300 soldiers and 150 battle vehicles and carriers. Noble Jump 2017, which started on May 26^th, includes drills that are carried out on Romanian, Green and Bulgarian soil. 4000 Romanian soldiers and military staff from 11 NATO member countries are taking part in the exercise.

CENTRAL BANK – Romanias foreign currency reserves dropped in May this year by 477 million Euros as compared to April, down to some 35.5 billion, according to date made public by the National Bank of Romania on Friday. As regards its gold reserve, last month it stood at some 104 tons. Against the latest price developments across the world, the value of this reserve is now 3.8 billion Euros. The Central Bank has also announced that over May 24th – June 23rd 2017, the minimum reserve requirement ratio on foreign currency-denominated liabilities will be reduced from 10 to 8%.

TIFF – Some 200 feature films and short reels will be screened in Cluj Napoca, north-western Romania, at the 16th Transylvania International Film Festival – TIFF 2017, which started on Friday. Over 12 hundred Romanian and foreign guests are attending the screenings, concerts, workshops, debates and launches held during the countrys most important cinema event, which has Radio Romania as its partner. Romanian actress Tora Vasilescu is to be awarded an excellence award at the festival, whose special guest this year is the French film star Alain Delon, on his first visit to Romania.

TENNIS – The worlds fourth tennis player Simona Halep of Romania will be playing Russian Daria Kasatkina, no. 28 WTA, in the third round of the Grand Slam tournament of Roland Garros on Saturday. Halep has clinched a two-set win against Tatjana Maria of Germany in the second round. Another Romanian in the competition, Sorana Cirstea has conceded defeat to Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain. In the doubles, the Romanian-Dutch pair made up of Horia Tecau and Jean Julien Rojer will be playing in the round of 16 against the winners of the game pitching Tunisian-Italian pair Jaziri/Seppi against Croatian-Spanish pair Dodig/Granollers.

2 June 2017
May 21, 2017

HEARINGS – A parliamentary committee that probes into the presidential election of 2009 is to start hearings on Monday, and the first to be heard is the journalist and former political adviser Dan Andronic. He has recently stated that the heads of major public institutions at that time, including the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Prosecutor Generals Office, influenced the outcome of the vote to the benefit of Traian Basescu. The latter won a second presidential term in office in 2009, after a very narrow victory against the Social Democrat Mircea Geoana. Prosecutors have initiated criminal proceedings in this case, for suspected abuse of office and forgery of documents and election records.

EU – The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Ana Birchall, takes part in Brussels on Monday in a meeting of the General Affairs Council held in an EU27 format, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. The participants will adopt a decision authorising the opening of the Brexit negotiations with the UK and nominating the Commission as the EU negotiator, and will endorse negotiating directives. On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Ana Birchall will have talks with her Estonian counterpart, Matti Maasikas, about the priorities of the Estonian presidency of the EU Council and the main topics of discussion at EU level. The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs mentioned that Bucharest attaches great importance to protecting the rights and interests of the Romanians living in UK.

FRANCE – The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, receives the PM of Italy Paolo Gentiloni in Paris today. According to AFP, the meeting takes place days ahead the G7 summit that brings together the leaders of the USA, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Italy and Canada in Sicily, southern Italy. A major topic on the agenda will be the Paris Agreement on climate change, at a time when the US President Donald Trump, who will attend the meeting in Sicily, threatens to take his country out of this process, AFP also notes.

INTERNATIONAL – While on his first international tour, the US President Donald Trump is to address in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today leaders of over 40 Muslim countries. BBC reports that the US President will mention the need to open a common front against religious extremism and against intolerant ideologies. On Saturday, the first day of the tour, the parties signed contracts amounting to 380 billion US dollars, primarily in the oil sector and in arms procurement.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 4 in the world, plays today the final of the tournament in Rome, which has 2.7 million US dollars in total prize money, against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (no. 11 WTA). In the semi-final, Halep outplayed the Dutch Kiki Bertens (20 WTA). Last week, the Romanian player won the Madrid tournament for the second consecutive year. This is the 24th tournament final for Halep, who has won 15 titles so far. If she wins today, Halep goes up to no. 3 in the world rankings.

FOOTBALL – Dinamo Bucharest won the Romanian Leagues Cup after Saturday nights 2-0 victory against ACS Poli Timisoara. The match was played in Bucharest. This is the second competition organised by the Romanian Professional Football League, after the championship. This year the League awarded the champions title to FC Viitorul. FCSB, formerly known as Steaua Bucharest, threatened however that it would challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Switzerland, on grounds that both teams finished the championship with the same score and that overall it won in the direct matches against Viitorul. Two other teams from southern Romania, FC Voluntari and Astra Giurgiu, will play for the Romanian Football Cup.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

21 May 2017
Agreement on climate change

Signed in 2015 by almost 200 countries with a view to curbing global warming, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is to come into effect in November. This international agreement, setting the guidelines for a global approach to climate change after 2020, is the third major document in this line, after the UN Convention on Climate Change of 1992 and the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. US president Barack Obama has confirmed the agreement will come into effect in November after having been adopted by some of the worlds major polluters.

President Obama said ‘the United States and China, the worlds two largest economies and largest emitters formally joined that agreement. And today the world has officially crossed the threshold for the Paris Agreement to take effect. Today, the world meets the moment. And if we follow through on the commitments that this agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet. The White House leader has described the accord as “the best possible shot to save the one planet weve got. In Bucharest professor PhD Mircea Dutu recalls the context on the conclusion of this accord by presenting the situation of the past years in terms of climate change.

We have to admit, in spite of some peoples opinions, that what we are actually witnessing now is a slowdown in the climate change process, in reality that process has been maintained. With the emergence of such global phenomena as El Nino or La Nina, the average temperatures oscillated, mainly rising above the known averages. Its common knowledge that since the year 2000 we have been witnessing the warmest period of more than one decade in recorded weather history and that extreme weather phenomena tend to become regular. That makes some people refer to the situation as climate derangement, others as climate change and the most pessimistic even speak of a change in the entire climate system, as we know it since mid-twentieth century, the 1960s. Worth noting is that with carbon dioxide emissions exceeding the critical threshold of 400 parts per million, well have to expect a rise in average temperatures at world level, unless, of course, major factors intervene. Under the circumstances, to prevent an unbalance that would lead to a wave of climate disturbances and radically alter human life as we know it, action has been taken for some time at an international level. The first firm signal and document in this respect was signed in Rio in 1992, namely the Framework Convention on Climate Change. This was followed by the Kyoto Protocol and the question has arisen in recent years as to what we do post-Kyoto.

Unlike the previous UN agreement on global warming, the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which needed 8 years to come into force and which only targeted the rich countries, the Paris Agreement will be enforced quickly. One reason for this may be the fact that according to the forecasts made by a number of UN studies, the world average temperature is expected to grow by 3 degrees Celsius or more by 2100 based on current trends. 2016 is expected to be the hottest in record since the 19th century. Academy member Mircea Dutu tells us about the novelties of the Paris Agreement:

“The Paris Agreement, which was signed by 195 member states, is the first success of a negotiation process held under the UN aegis beginning in 2000. The scope of the treaty is universal and a matter of international law, which means it also applies to domestic law, despite being of a political nature. What is unprecedented is the fact that civil society is engaged and has mobilized itself alongside the worlds states to carry out the goals set, namely limiting the rise in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, and if possible, to 1.5 degrees. Another objective has to do with making sure that greenhouse gas emissions are neutralized starting 2050. At the same time, the treaty sets voluntary national quotas to be revised every 5 years. Adopted by consensus, the Paris Treaty also has a number of major shortcomings. First of all, it is not mandatory, with national contributions remaining voluntary. Secondly, it does not contain any form of mechanism of verification, being instead based on transparency and the states own willingness to respect the commitment they have made.

As far as Romania is concerned, Professor Mircea Dutu says this country has wholeheartedly committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, has already exceeded the standards and proposed objectives with regard to the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption and has the ability to fulfill the European objectives in the field.

(Translated by D. Bilt and C. Mateescu)

14 October 2016