President Radev: Bulgaria Wishes to Host 29th COP Climate Summit

Jerusalem, 8 November, 2022 (TPS-IL) -- SHARM EL-SHEIKH, 08.11.2022 (BTA)
At the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) here Tuesday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said Bulgaria wishes to host the international forum in 2024, the head of State’s press secretariat reported. He told reporters Bulgaria is already actively working to get approved as host country, which would contribute greatly to Bulgaria’s economy and social system.

Radev also told reporters it is high time that Bulgaria adopted a national energy strategy focused on efforts to use to the fullest its rich natural resources and their inclusion in a green cycle for energy production and storage.

Radev said that COP27 is focused on the link between energy and climate, with an emphasis on the development of sustainable new technologies for low-carbon energy. “In that respect, Bulgaria has wonderful natural conditions of which it has not taken advantage,” he added. He noted the well-prepared Bulgarian experts in the energy sector, particularly the excellent specialists with experience in using nuclear power plants.

In his words, Bulgaria has wonderful conditions for the production of solar and wind energy as well as traditions in nuclear energy it should develop further. Bulgaria should use to the fullest its system of hydrotechnical installations, which is the most developed in Europe, to produce and store energy from pump-storage hydroelectric plants.

Radev noted the opportunities for incorporating new energy technologies in the Maritsa Basin. He listed as perspective for the development in the Maritsa Basin the conditions for the production of green hydrogen, as well as a project developed by the University of Mining and Geology and the Technical University – Sofia. The Bulgarian head of State discussed this topic at several meetings with the two universities’ leaders.

The universities are working on researching areas under this region for storing energy in big quantities in an ecological and environmentally friendly way. Through a photovoltaic system with power exceeding 12 GW and compression of air or water, there are prerequisites through the project to close the 24-hour cycle of solar energy production and store it in big quantities for a long time.