During the European Union’s process to determine climate goals, State Secretary Anikó Raisz said Hungary will remain committed to preserving utility price caps and other support for citizens.
After attending a meeting of the EU’s Environment Council (ENV), Raisz, the state secretary for the environment and sustainable economy, said the meeting failed to finalize a joint stance for the upcoming UN climate conference (COP28). The debate was “sharp” on ways for a green transition while maintaining competitiveness, she said. Hungary’s “realistic” stance aims to find the most effective way to fulfil all obligations, she said. It rejects to support commitments that seem unlikely to be implemented, she added. An especially important issue for Hungary is to thwart the “unrealistic expectation” to turn all city buses into zero emissions by 2035, Raisz said. She highlighted the importance of the agreement on global plastic waste and noted that Hungary was making efforts to clean its rivers, contributing to cleaner oceans. Meanwhile, Hungary has taken great strides in environmental protection by adopting its Climate and Nature Protection Action Plan, Raisz said.