Gibraltar requests Paris Agreement extension

The Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Dr John Cortes, has requested that the British Government extend the Paris Agreement to Gibraltar.

In doing so Dr Cortes said that the Gibraltar Government’s environment and energy programme is consistent with the commitments of Paris and Gibraltar is ready to take its place in the community of nations ‘who are willing to make a difference to the future’.

UK Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, signed the United Kingdom’s acceptance of the Paris Agreement, which relates to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, last month.

While this does not extend the Agreement to the UK Overseas Territories, the UK Government is committed to consulting the Territories regarding extensions to include them, the Gibraltar Government said in a statement yesterday.

Notwithstanding this, and in order to expedite the process, Dr Cortes has written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Gregory Clark, requesting that HM Government extend the Agreement to Gibraltar with immediate effect.

Dr John Cortes stated: “Gibraltar takes the environment seriously, and its international responsibilities seriously too, in every area of its activity.”

“It is therefore important that we both be and be seen to be a party to this vitally important Agreement.”

He added: “Already the Government’s environment and energy programme, what it has done, and most important, what it is planning to do, are consistent with the commitments of Paris, and we are ready to take our place in the community of nations who are willing to make a difference to the future.”