Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, has taken part in a video conference with the new US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, the Vice President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, and the Foreign Ministers of the European Countries. The dialogue has focused on the prospects for climate diplomacy, especially the transition to clean energy and combating climate change. Special Envoy Kerry mentioned President Biden’s intention to call a global Summit on the climate and environment in the coming months, expressing the hope that the European Countries would take part.
Minister Di Maio has expressed his great appreciation of the US President’s renewed attention to multilateral initiatives to combat climate change, which take concrete form in the USA rejoining the Paris Agreement, and confirmed by the announcement of an upcoming global Summit on the climate and environment. The Foreign Minister therefore hopes there will be constant collaboration between the EU and USA in this regard, expressing Italy’s utmost commitment to the same, also in its G20 Presidency and COP26 Co-Presidency roles.
Minister Di Maio has illustrated the priorities on the Italian agenda, stressing that safeguarding the environment, combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and sustainable development, are at the core of Italy’s Presidency of the G20. In particular, Minister Di Maio has pointed out the link between technology, energy, and climate, as well as the importance of technological development in attaining climatic neutrality by 2050, a goal shared by the European Union and the United States.
Finally, Minister Di Maio has outlined Italy’s commitment in its Co-Presidency of the COP26, highlighting the need to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources.