Laos has announced it has successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent over the last ten years.
Prime Minister of Laos, Dr. Phankham Viphavanh, spoke via remote communication at the UN General Assembly in New York last month, saying that Laos had been able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent between 2000 and 2020, KPL reports.
He said that the Government of Laos has prioritized climate change as a key issue, incorporating the objectives of the Paris Agreement into its National Socio-Economic Development Plan and National Green Growth Strategy.
“Our government has also submitted our Nationally Determined Contributions to the United Nations, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2030,” said Dr. Phankham.
“This is a significant step for Laos as part of its contribution to addressing climate change, as well as following the commitments under the Paris Agreement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Prime Minister Phankham added.
Laos has called on all countries to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement’s goals to prevent and reduce natural disasters that are now occurring and have a serious impact on the world.
In 2018, Laos ranked 42nd most vulnerable country to climate change according to a UNDP report, owing to the country’s proneness to climate-related hazards such as drought, landslides, and widespread flooding.
Similarly, an increase in the prevalence of tropical diseases such as Typhus has been linked to changing weather patterns in Laos, with warmer temperatures providing conditions for certain bacteria to thrive.
