site.btaBulgaria Contributes to EU’s Goal of Reducing Greenhouse Gases - Environment Ministry

Bulgaria, as part of the European Union, contributes to achieving the Union’s overall goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is on track to meet the 2030 target for total emissions, but faces challenges that could slow its green transition, the Environment and Water Ministry (MOEW) told BTA in connection with the UN Climate Conference COP30, which begins on Monday in Belem, Brazil, and will continue until November 21. The event will mark ten years since the Paris Agreement. The Bulgarian delegation is led by Environment and Water Deputy Minister Atanas Kostadinov.

According to the Ministry, the European Union will pursue a high level of ambition at COP30. The main objective is to reach a political agreement defining a clear and operational path for implementing the Paris Agreement and keeping global warming within the 1.5°C limit compared with pre-industrial levels. In this context, the EU will call on all countries to present updated, science-based nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that reflect the results of the first Global Stocktake and are consistent with mid-century climate neutrality goals, the ministry said.

Progress in Bulgaria’s emission reductions since the Paris Agreement is tracked through national reports and EU monitoring mechanisms. According to the latest greenhouse gas inventory, national emissions in 2023 were down 60% compared with the 1988 baseline and 22% lower than in 2022. Bulgaria also submits regular Biennial Transparency Reports under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, detailing progress in implementing effective policies, MOEW said.

The Ministry said Bulgaria’s positions on adaptation, financing, and the just transition are fully aligned with the EU framework adopted on October 21, 2025. The country will work for balanced, achievable and socially fair outcomes at COP30 that strengthen global trust and turn the Paris commitments into concrete action. Positions may be adjusted during the conference in coordination meetings of the European Union.

National efforts will focus on contributing to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target by accelerating the energy transition, developing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and strengthening adaptation policies in agriculture, water management and urban development. Measures include prioritising water and disaster-risk management, building green urban infrastructure, integrating climate risk into spatial planning, and financing municipalities to create more green areas, urban forests and blue zones.

According to MOEW, measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions focus on cutting emissions from transport, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems, and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. Financial flows will be aligned with climate-neutral and sustainable projects. Revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System will be used to support low- and zero-carbon technologies through the Innovation Fund and to modernise energy systems through the Modernisation Fund.

Bulgaria supports the EU’s active role in developing the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) as an inclusive climate policy instrument based on the principle that “no one is left behind”. The country sees added value in creating a Just Transition Action Plan (JTAP) focused on knowledge exchange, capacity building and stakeholder engagement, provided that it remains pragmatic and does not lead to new institutional burdens or unrealistic financial expectations. At the national level, Bulgaria applies the principles of a just transition through social protection mechanisms, retraining programmes and support for regions affected by the transformation of carbon-dependent industries.

The main financial instruments available to municipalities include the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, EU operational programmes for 2021–2027, the Just Transition Mechanism and the LIFE Programme. Businesses can access funding through the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Sources Fund, the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, the EU Innovation Fund and other EU-level investment tools.

The Ministry emphasized that the European Union participates in international climate negotiations as a single bloc. Member states do not negotiate individually but express a common, pre-agreed position approved by the EU Council. The European Commission, together with the rotating presidency, represents the EU in negotiations and coordinates positions throughout the conference to ensure consistency within the agreed mandate. This approach allows the Union to speak with one voice and maintain a strong role in promoting ambitious action on emissions reduction, climate finance and sustainable development.

The Council conclusions adopted on October 21, 2025, set the EU’s overall framework and priorities for COP30. They reaffirm the Union’s determination to remain a global leader in climate action and to ensure full implementation of the Paris Agreement. The conclusions highlight climate change as an existential threat requiring decisive, coordinated and fair global action. On climate finance, the EU will advocate the establishment of a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) to mobilise substantial public and private resources and ensure fair access for vulnerable countries. In adaptation, the EU will call for measurable progress, including through the UAE–Belem initiative and clearer adaptation indicators to help countries assess progress and build resilience, MOEW further said.