Hungarians can preserve their way of life in the Carpathian Basin “but to do so we must adopt a calm and methodical approach to climate change,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday.
Addressing an international press conference, the prime minister noted that the government had approved a national energy and climate protection strategy.
The government has a multi-phase plan in place under which 90 percent of the electricity generated in Hungary will be carbon-free by 2030, Orbán said. Under this plan, he said, most of Hungary’s electricity supply would be generated by the Paks nuclear power plant, with solar energy becoming the second-biggest source.
Hungary has what it takes to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, he said, adding, at the same time, that this would require funding of 50,000 billion forints (EUR 150.8bn). Orbán added that
Climate change is important but expensive”
He also said the government would draw up a climate and environmental protection action plan with specific measures. These would involve regulations mandating that new buses in public transport should all be electric, the elimination of illegal waste sites and the cleansing of rivers of plastic bottles, Orbán said.
Featured photo by Zsolt Szigetváry/MTI