Switzerland has signed a bilateral agreement with Malawi on climate action under which Switzerland will assist Malawi reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the European country will count emission reductions in Malawi towards its own reduction target.
Swiss Ambassador for the Environment and Head of the International Affairs Division at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, Franz Perrez and the Malawi Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Hon. Eisenhower Mkaka signed the bilateral agreement between the two countries at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on Wednesday.
It is due to come into force in early 2023 until 31 December 2034 and will enable the development of a national support programme for energy efficiency that does not centre on fossil fuels. The many years of experience from Switzerland in the sector will be of particular benefit in that respect.
The agreement is part of the measures adopted by the Swiss government in 2019, which include cutting the government administration’s greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030.
“The current partnership will save more than one million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2034. Malawi will also benefit beyond that date through a better supply of climate-friendly products apart from the benefits of climate change mitigation,” the Embassy of Switzerland to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi said in a statement.
During the signing ceremony, the Swiss Ambassador for the Environment and Head of the International Affairs Division at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, Franz Perrez, stressed that “With these agreements, we have created a standard for international climate projects that respects human rights and nature.”
Under the Paris Climate Agreement, Switzerland has committed itself to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. This goal remains in place despite the rejection of the envisaged CO2 Act by a recent popular vote.
Switzerland will achieve this primarily through domestic measures. However, according to the Paris Agreement, it may also support climate projects abroad in order to achieve its climate goals. Switzerland can count the emission reductions achieved there towards its national reduction target.
Switzerland has similar agreements with Peru, Ghana, Georgia and Senegal.
Follow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/Malawi24
