Skopje, 7 April 2026 (MIA) - Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a reality we live every day, said President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova addressing the “Climate Change – Risks and Challenges” event held in Skopje on Tuesday. The President stressed the country must move from a reactive to a preventive approach, with clearly defined policies and coordinated institutional response.

“Today, when we talk about climate change, we aren’t talking about something distant or abstract, but about the reality we live every day through the summers that last longer than we are used to, through the air – enriched with particulate matter, through the water that is becoming polluted and insufficient, through the disappearing forests,” the President said at the event held at the Villa Vodno presidential residence. 

She stressed that climate change is a risk multiplier and requires a coordinated institutional response.

“Climate change is described as a risk multiplier because it doesn’t only create new challenges but also boosts the existing ones: something that was an economic issue in the past is becoming a social issue today, and a security issue tomorrow. In recent years, extreme weather and climate events have caused significant economic harm and losses of resources, which is directly reflected on development opportunities,” the President stressed.

Siljanovska-Davkova also touched upon the constitutional obligation to protect the environment.

“Our Constitution recognizes the protection and promotion of the environment and nature as a fundamental value of our constitutional order. Today, that value cannot be assessed in isolation, but also in the context of security, since the risks of climate change directly affect the functioning of society and the institutions,” Siljanovska-Davkova said. 

The event was also addressed by the national coordinator for climate change, Teodora Obradovikj-Grncharovska, who spoke about the institutional status, ongoing activities, and the Law on Climate Action. It brought together university professors, experts, representatives of the institutions and civil society to discuss concrete proposals and measures for preventive action and innovative solutions for adaptation to climate change. 

Photo: MIA