The effects of global warming impact us all equally, and this is particularly felt in agriculture. In the EU, this year we had a heatwave, a significant drought, and wildfires. You may say yes, we are familiar with that, it is common here. But for many of our countries this was something new – wildfires in Belgium, in the Austrian Alps, this is something new, said Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for the country Thomas Waitz during the second session Friday of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee on the topic of the environment.
“We can talk about limiting carbon dioxide emissions, but we have already surpassed the 1.5-degree Celsius limit agreed upon in Paris. That ship has sailed. We failed to meet that threshold, and we will not win that particular battle. We must fight for every tenth of a degree to prevent further warming and adapt to the new reality,” Waitz said.
He noted that approximately 35,000 people in the EU had died due to the impact of the heat.
“In the past, we used to have just one day with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees; this year, there were six such days. The situation is escalating, and politicians need to be aware, we all need to be aware, that we must prepare our societies, cities, agriculture, and transport systems. Even in Austria. a country with a highly organized railway system, trains stopped running because the infrastructure wasn’t equipped to handle 42-degree heat. Unfortunately, this is the reality we are facing,” said Waitz.
He called for society to adapt to what is already inevitable, noting that the cost of failing to adapt would be high.
“We could discuss many environmental issues: wastewater management, landfills, and air pollution, which, regrettably, remains a critical topic not only in Skopje and Tetovo but across the entire region, not just in Macedonia. We could talk about mining; there are many topics here. Look at the tourism development in Albania and Montenegro. I belong to the Green party; I advocate for the environment so that people can enjoy beautiful nature, show it to their children, and pass it on to future generations, but there is an economic aspect to this as well,” noted the EU official.
Waitz remarked that Macedonia abounds with natural beauty and urged that the country promote itself to showcase these assets to the world.
“If you look at how Montenegro and Albania are developing nature tourism, you will see that you have all the necessary prerequisites. Macedonia is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. I have gone hiking on Pelister and Galichica, and visited Mavrovo and Shara; I also commend you for having three national parks. How many people know about that? Promote yourselves; show the world the beauty you possess. Your country is full of natural beauty, which also represents an economic opportunity for the entire population, especially the local community,” added Waitz.
Waitz: N. Macedonia full of natural beauty, advertise it to the world
