President Klaus Iohannis conveyed Romania’s willingness to collaborate with those interested and with all those who need to reduce the risk of natural disasters, on the occasion of participating, on Tuesday, at the round table on the topic „Climate change and the sustainability of vulnerable communities”, on the sidelines of the Conference of the United Nations on Climate Change (COP27) which takes place in Egypt, in Sharm El-Sheikh, according to Agerpres.

According to the Presidential Administration, Klaus Iohannis pointed out, during the debate, that vulnerable communities are often the most affected by climate change and highlighted that this aspect should not be neglected in the process of adapting to climate change and in efforts to protect citizens from their consequences.

The President said that several measures can be applied, including the improvement of disaster risk management and early warning systems – essential to minimize human, natural and material losses, to reduce economic and social costs and at the same time protect citizens’ health and safety.

Klaus Iohannis welcomed the „Early Warnings for All” initiative, launched by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and emphasized that in Romania there are systems in operation that can transmit messages to warn the population about extreme weather phenomena, but these systems must be expanded globally.

The President specified that, in order to effectively respond to natural disasters, we must „exchange good practices and share resources”, Romania being successfully involved in several international missions to manage wildfires in Greece, North Macedonia, Slovenia and France.

President Iohannis also emphasized the need to improve access to education regarding the risks of climate change and their reduction, reiterating the fact that education is an essential part of the process of prevention, preparation and effective response to natural disasters amplified by climate change.

Agerpres