Energy Minister Csaba Lantos said Hungary has made significant achievements in the fight against climate change in recent years.
Minister Lantos told an informal meeting of EU energy and environment ministers in Valladolid on Tuesday that Hungary has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by nearly 28% since 2010. Meanwhile, the share of renewable energy sources in electricity consumption rose to almost 14% from 7.7% between 2010 and 2021, he said. The minister pointed out, however, that the ongoing war in Ukraine had endangered energy security and pushed global energy market prices to historic highs. Hungary responded to these challenges by focusing on supply security, affordable energy prices and utility price caps, he said. Hungary is committed to meeting its climate goals and preserving its environmental assets as evidenced by its review of its National Energy and Climate Plan, the ministry said. Lantos at the meeting reaffirmed the Hungarian government’s commitment to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality strategy but said it did not support Brussels significantly accelerating the climate goals and the phasing out of fossil fuels. Tuesday’s meeting was held in preparation for the UN’s upcoming COP28 global climate conference.