Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune addressed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, on Thursday, urging a global response grounded in cooperation and equity. According to AllAfrica, the President emphasized that no single nation can resolve the climate crisis in isolation, calling for a unified approach that respects the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities among countries. The speech, delivered by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb on Tebboune's behalf, stressed that climate action must be just and fair, ensuring that development pathways for all nations are safeguarded.
The President highlighted that the first global stocktake, conducted a decade after the Paris Agreement, revealed that collective efforts remain insufficient to meet established goals. He noted that the funding gap is as critical as the gap in emissions reduction. Tebboune argued that the energy transition can only be sustainable if it is equitable and respects national sovereignty and development circumstances. He stated that there is no alternative but to move forward together, fulfilling commitments while leaving no one behind.
Addressing Algeria's specific challenges, the President described climate change as a present reality that directly threatens the country's water and food security. He explained that Algeria faces the complex task of meeting its people's aspirations for development and employment while contributing to global emissions cuts, despite its minimal share in historical emissions. Tebboune affirmed that development and climate action are not contradictory, provided the transition is smooth, gradual, and supported by the mechanisms stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
Algeria has placed the fight against climate change at the center of its public policies, supported by a reinforcing institutional framework. The President outlined several national projects, including an initial phase of a state-funded program targeting 15,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2035. Additionally, Algeria has adopted a national hydrogen strategy and is focusing on energy efficiency, mass transit development, and curbing gas flaring and methane emissions.
To bolster water security, the country is advancing seawater desalination and treated wastewater reuse projects. Tebboune also mentioned the relaunch of the Green Dam project, which combines desertification control with rural development, and the completion of a national climate change adaptation plan. Algeria has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution, featuring an unconditional target to reduce emissions by 14 percent by 2035, financed entirely by national resources. The country may increase this target to 31 percent with international support.