Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

High Hopes and the Highest Representation for Hungary at COP26

High Hopes and the Highest Representation for Hungary at COP26

Ahead of the COP26 UN climate change conference in Glasgow, the Budapest Business Journal interviewed Attila Steiner, State Secretary for the Development of Circular Economy, Energy, and Climate Policy at the Ministry for Innovation and Technology, about his expectations.
BBJ: Hungary is sending its biggest delegation to date to Glasgow. Why such a large party?


Attila Steiner: Yes, our COP26 delegation consists of 44 delegates, of which 17 represent civil society and the scientific sector. Compared to previous years, the number of participants from the civil and scientific sectors (the so-called Party Overflow delegates) has increased substantially. Hungary will be represented at the highest possible level at this year’s COP, as our Head of State, President János Áder, took part at the World Leaders Summit, delivering our national statement at the conference. Our negotiation team, as part of the EU group, will participate throughout the conference. COP26 is taking place at a globally crucial moment to enhance the green recovery and commit to ambitious climate action to achieve Paris Agreement goals.

BBJ: What does Hungary hope to see from COP26 for itself, the region, and the planet?


AS: According to the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), approved in August 2021, reaching climate neutrality is a precondition for capping global warming between 1.5 °C and 2°C, and for the major, sustained, and large-scale reduction in all greenhouse gases. We hope that this aspiration of the European Union and its Member States will inspire other countries, especially major emitter economies, to commit themselves to reach climate neutrality by mid-century (along with more ambitious climate action). Thus, we hope to come to an agreement on outstanding issues on the implementation of the Paris Agreement aiming to keep global warming below 1.5°C, including the rules of a new emissions trading system; plus on advancement regarding climate adaptation and funding the fight against climate change that could step up climate action throughout the world.

BBJ: Do you have any concerns that environmental regulation might harm Hungary’s competitiveness?


AS: Over the past decade, our economic growth has been decoupled from greenhouse gas emissions, which means we achieve GDP growth while we keep reducing our emissions. According to projections, this tendency is set to continue through investment in our economy’s just and green transition; we are approaching climate neutrality, to which goal Hungary is fully committed.

All in all, a gradual green transition is an absolute necessity. However, it can only occur if the industrial and economic changes required do not impose a disproportionate burden on society and do not impair the competitiveness of EU businesses or endanger thousands of jobs. It is crucial that the transition to sustainable technologies does not disproportionately hamper economic growth or lead to mass shutdowns. This would affect the entire society, and there is a risk that we may lose its support, which is otherwise a source of pressure to stimulate change. I believe that industries facing a significant risk of losing competitiveness need to be effectively protected. If we make people exasperated with climate policy, that could cause an end to all climate action. We should not risk our future by choosing the wrong measures to reach our targets. Hungarian people and companies believe it is essential to act against climate change; we have to make it possible for them to make headway.

BBJ: What are the most significant environmental challenges facing Hungary?


AS: Global climate change affects Hungary and the Carpathian Basin region with above-average warming levels. We already see unexpected, extreme weather events, more frequent and longer-lasting heatwaves, sometimes heavy precipitation, then drought, for example. Forests, which are supposed to absorb more and more carbon dioxide, are highly vulnerable to changes in climate zones. Complex issues also need to be addressed in water management, agriculture, public utilities, food security, and many other sectors. The Hungarian Government adopted a comprehensive report on the effects of climate change in the Carpathian Basin in January 2020, which provides a significant scientific base and foundation for all our major strategies and action plans in energy and climate policy.

BBJ: Which areas present the most significant opportunities for the country?


AS: We see great opportunities in green investments as we are committed to achieving our ambitious goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050. We especially welcome the priorities of the British COP Presidency, such as the ending of carbon dioxide phase-out and a just transition, as well as green mobility. We aim to phase out our last remaining coal-fired units of the Mátra Power Plant by 2030 at the latest. To ensure a sustainable and just transition for the region, we are implementing a strategic project through EU- and national co-financing and the partnership of 22 stakeholders. The Hungarian Green Bus Program is one of the most ambitious green mobility programs in Central Europe, which enhances green mobility solutions in cities and broader areas, such as the Mátra region.

BBJ: The government has made great efforts to boost the contribution of solar power to the energy mix. There seems no such enthusiasm for wind. Why is this so?


AS: Our country is particularly well-suited to generate large quantities of electricity from solar panels, so with the Climate and Environmental Protection Action Plan announced last year, our goal is to increase the output capacity of solar power plants six-fold in 10 years. In mid-October, the government launched a large-scale HUF 201 billion grant application program for enterprises, and one for households will start in December. The tender is the largest EU Recovery Instrument program in Hungary, pre-financed by the government from the newly-established National Recovery Fund.

The call for tender will help sustain the results of the energy consumption cuts by enabling families, who otherwise would not be able to invest in solar panels, to become more self-sufficient in electricity generation. Almost 35,000 households earning less than the national average income will benefit from this incentive, 11,600 of which will be eligible to receive funding for heating system upgrades.

Wind energy already comprises a part of our renewable energy mix, but due to our natural conditions, weather-dependent renewable energies can be exploited to varying degrees across the country. A comparison of solar and wind energy shows that we are better off with the former than with the latter.

BBJ: Are there any uniquely Hungarian approaches to environmental issues?


AS: Hungary used to be unique in opposing the idea that the most vulnerable groups should pay the cost of ambitious climate policies; however, now our example seems to be followed by more and more countries, both in Eastern and Western Europe, and they opt for regulating gas and electricity prices.

The fact that our country is making earnest efforts to protect the climate is even recognized by KPMG’s recent study, the Net Zero Readiness Index (NZRI), which assesses the performance of countries according to their decarbonization strategies. In this list, Hungary ranks 13th, ahead of countries such as the United States, Singapore, and Australia. Even better, we are one of the top five countries with the highest scores in the area of legislative action. Of course, the occasion for this survey was the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, where I believe we have nothing to be ashamed of; quite the contrary.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
×