Prime Minister Edi Rama is in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he participated in the World Leaders’ Summit on Climate Action, which precedes the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29).
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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Well, I decided to leave aside my well-prepared speech because, in the meantime, since yesterday, I was watching the silent TV screens in the leaders’ lounge, where the organizers have thoughtfully added green plants above the comfortable couches. People there eat, drink, meet, and take photos together, while images of voiceless speeches from leaders play on and on, in the background.
To me, this seems exactly like what happens in the real world every day. Life goes on with its old habits, and our speeches, full of good words about fighting climate change, change nothing. Worse, as the UN Secretary-General emphasized yesterday, carbon emissions actually increased last year compared to the previous COP, instead of decreasing.
Ambitious goals are once again postponed in a world increasingly confused and deeply divided.
I come here from a small country in the middle of Europe, Albania, where we are proud to have 100% renewable energy production. But what does it mean for the future of the world if the biggest polluters continue business as usual?
Far be it for me to lecture anyone—after all, we are used to being lectured, not lecturing others. But my point is, what on earth are we doing in this gathering over and over again if there is no common political will on the horizon to go beyond words and unite for meaningful action? And adding insult to injury, some major and minor players even boycotted this annual global event.
What does this mean?
For a long time we Albanians, lived under the curse of a brutal history that left us in complete isolation—no individual rights, no freedom of movement, no hope for the future.
Recently, we have been blessed with the company of the European Union, and for the first time in our history, freedom, individual rights, hopes, and dreams have become part of our lives. But what is happening in Europe and around the world today doesn’t leave much room for optimism—though optimism is the only way of survival, we Albanians know.
And while my voiceless image plays on the silent TV screens of the beautiful lounge next to this room, I want to end by evoking here a story from Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), and I’m a catholic by the way; who narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “If the Day of Judgment comes while one of you has a sapling in his hands, if he is able to plant it before it comes, let him plant it.”
Thank you very much.