The Deputy Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Hristina Odzaklieska is participating today in the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development of the Union of the Mediterranean (UfM), organized by the EU co-chairs, the Kingdom of Jordan and the Secretariat of “Union for the Mediterranean” takes place in Zagreb, Croatia.
The holding of this Ministerial Conference represents a significant opportunity for the member states of the “Union for the Mediterranean” to encourage regional dialogue and cooperation and to coordinate regional efforts to use funds to finance national sustainable programs, in the field of sustainable and integrated urban development. The main focus of the conference is on the practical support for the implementation of the national plans already approved by the UfM that refer to the achievement of the goals for sustainable urban development, as well as on the dialogue on the main challenges and solutions relevant for the entire Mediterranean region, to achieve the global goal of sustainable development 11 (Sustainable cities and communities).
During her speech, Odzaklieska emphasized that the leading idea in all urban development activities in the world, including in Republic of North Macedonia, is the concept of sustainability with all its derivates (sustainable development, sustainable use of natural resources and preservation of biological and cultural diversity). In December 2015, the Republic of North Macedonia started including the global “Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030”, in its “National Plan for Sustainable Development”, with the aim of developin the “Plan of Sustainable Development Goals” SDG (2016 – 2030). Environmental sustainability is one of the priority areas for our country and all our development plans include the global sustainable development goal 11 – Sustainable cities and communities.
In order to establish the foundations for the implementation of the global “Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030”, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia undertook a joint initiative with the UN to integrate the SDGs into the process of nation al planning.
Currently, we are developing a new “National Spatial Plan” and a new Methodology for integrating climate change in spatial planning has already been developed, which provides guidelines for taking appropriate adaptation measures in urban planning. The Law on Urban Greenery is particularly important for urban planning, and it mandates at least 20% green areas in urban areas. In the new Law of the Spatial Planning (which is in the drafting stage) we also integrate Green Infrastructure, the concept of which is particularly significant for achieving the goal of sustainable cities and humane housing.
At the same time, Republic of North Macedonia will continue to make efforts in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and reducing the pressures on the environment and people’s health from a national, European and global perspective, and in that sense we will continue to give our support to all initiatives, declarations, resolutions and agreements whenever necessary, in order to contribute on a global level to the acceleration of changes, Odzaklieska said.
At the Ministerial Conference, a ministerial declaration was adopted, and the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms at the European Commission, Elisa Ferreira, the Minister of Public Works and Housing of the Kingdom of Jordan, Ahmad Maher Hamdi Tawfiq Abuelsamen, addressed their welcoming speeches, then the Secretary General of the “Union for the Mediterranean”, Nasser Kamel, and the Croatian Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, Branko Bacic.