--- title: "Moldova targets 75% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 " url: https://moldova1.md/p/90065/moldova-targets-75-cut-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-2035 published: 2026-11-12T14:24:29Z language: en author: "Dumitru Petruleac" section: "Political" source: moldova1.md --- # Moldova targets 75% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 > Moldova aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said at COP31 in Antalya, calling for greater international climate financing. ![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/c3577222-3e30-45b3-9684-28eaff9986ee.jpg) Moldova aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said at COP31 in Antalya, calling for greater international climate financing. **War in Ukraine and drought expose water security risks** Addressing the UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Tofan highlighted the impact of Russia's war against Ukraine and climate change on Moldova's water resources. He recalled the March 2026 pollution of the Dniester River, when a Russian attack on a Ukrainian hydropower facility caused petroleum products to spill into the water. Residents in northern Moldova were left relying on emergency drinking water supplies for several days. The prime minister also pointed to prolonged drought, which had reduced water levels in the main upstream reservoir to more than 10 metres below normal. Authorities were preparing for the possibility that water levels could fall too low for pumping operations to continue. *"For a small country like the Republic of Moldova, the consequences of war, climate change and environmental degradation do not stop at national borders. Neither should our response,"* Tofan said. **Renewables now account for nearly 30% of electricity** Tofan also outlined the progress Moldova has made in expanding renewable energy. Six years ago, renewable sources accounted for approximately 3% of the country's electricity supply. Their share has now risen to nearly 30%, he said. *"For a country that has experienced what it means to have energy used as a weapon, every kilowatt-hour we can generate from our own solar and wind resources gives us a little more freedom,"* the prime minister said. He stressed that expanding renewable generation must go hand in hand with investment in infrastructure capable of transmitting and integrating the electricity produced. In this context, he highlighted the Bălți–Suceava power line project, which involves Turkish company SA-RA and will strengthen Moldova's connection to the European electricity market. **Moldova plans to expand forest cover by 145,000 hectares** Another priority is increasing the country's forest cover. Under the National Forest Extension and Rehabilitation Programme, the authorities aim to plant and restore approximately 145,000 hectares of forest by 2032. The initiative is part of Moldova's broader climate commitments, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening the country's resilience to extreme weather events. **Tofan calls for more accessible international climate finance** Tofan said Moldova cannot address the consequences of climate change on its own. He called on countries with greater financial resources and historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions to contribute more to international climate financing. Although Moldova accounts for only a small share of global emissions, its farmers, households and communities are already bearing the consequences of climate change, he noted. *"Climate finance must become more accessible and predictable, and reach the countries and communities that need it most,"* Tofan said. He also referred to President Maia Sandu's address at COP29 in Baku in 2024, when she highlighted climate inequality and the disproportionate costs faced by vulnerable countries. *"We are investing our own resources, transforming our energy sector, protecting our forests and adapting to climate change. But countries with the greatest resources and the greatest historical responsibility for emissions must also do their part. Climate finance must become more accessible and predictable, and reach the countries and communities that need it most,"* the prime minister added. Tofan is in Antalya, Turkey, on a working visit on Wednesday, November 11. In addition to attending COP31, his agenda includes the Antalya Leaders' Summit, an event dedicated to water, energy and transport security, and meetings with senior officials and representatives of international financial institutions. The prime minister also visited Turkey in August 2026, when he met representatives of the Turkish business community and invited them to invest in Moldova. In April 2026, President Maia Sandu met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss regional security and expanding economic cooperation between the two countries. 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