Delcy Rodríguez defends a just energy transition at COP31 without punishing vulnerable peoples

Published at: 12/11/2026 10:27 AM

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, defended this Thursday before the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP31) the sovereign right of nations to promote their energy development in balance with the preservation of nature.

During her speech, the president warned that international stability requires simultaneous attention to security of supply, affordable prices for economic growth and environmental sustainability, noting that 655 million people in the world still lack electricity and 2 billion do not have clean alternatives for cooking.

“Our country is also an energy country, we believe that there is no inevitable contradiction between energy development and environmental protection, because a just transition does not shut down economies, it transforms them; in this way we defend our sovereign right to empower, but we also recognize the importance of adaptation and mitigation measures,” said President Rodríguez and pointed out that “decarbonization cannot deepen energy poverty or punish the most vulnerable, it must be just, viable and accessible.”

The president stressed that Venezuela has reduced the intensity of burning per barrel for four consecutive years and demanded that world powers assume their historic debt to the planet. “We reiterate the call to developed countries to fulfill their commitments to climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities; developing countries need 310 billion dollars a year to adapt but receive less than 26 billion, that gap is also an emergency.”

In this regard, he warned about the critical situation of marine ecosystems, recalling that the oceans absorb 91% of the planet's excess heat, that nearly 90% of its surface experienced marine heat waves in 2025 and that plastic threatens biodiversity, fishing and food security. Faced with this scenario, he reaffirmed Venezuela's determination to advocate for equitable and effective climate justice to guarantee the well-being of Peoples and harmony with Mother Earth.

Mazo News Team