Nordic Declaration on reinforcing multilateral environmental governance

We, the Nordic Ministers for Climate and the Environment of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands and Åland, share a strong commitment to promoting the rules-based international order and engaging in the cooperation of the multilateral organisations and institutions, including the United Nations. 

We recognize that effective multilateralism is a necessity for tackling global, interconnected environmental crises that transcend borders, like climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution, and for achieving sustainable development and global security. Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) establish common standards and goals, facilitate coordinated action, and ensure more consistent enforcement across borders in times of uncertainty and accelerating change. MEAs also provide consistency and predictability and a level playing field for businesses to invest in and accelerate the global transition towards sustainable, climate neutral and nature-positive economies. Effective multilateralism ensures that no one is left behind in the transition, fostering trust, equality, and shared responsibility in global environmental governance.

We stay firm in calling for science-based policies and action. We welcome the work of international scientific institutions and panels, like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the International Resource Panel and the newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution in guiding the Governments to evidence-based, informed decision-making, including pointing out the systemic linkages between the three crises. We believe that scientific advice also contributes to public trust and policy legitimacy. It helps citizens and businesses to understand the co-benefits of consistent climate and environment action: healthier environments, new economic opportunities, and stronger resilience. 

We recall that the Nordic countries have demonstrated multiple benefits of climate and environment action and win-win outcomes of the environment and economy: 

• Ambitious climate policies can be combined with sustained economic development.
• Transitioning away from fossil fuels can be developed into a sound business case, while simultaneously supporting energy security.
• Nature-based solution initiatives can sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and increase climate resilience without compromising livelihoods.

Based on our Vision 2030, adopted by the Nordic Prime Ministers in 2019, we aim to become the most sustainable region in the world by 2030. The vision implies that the Nordic countries are active and trusted participants in the multilateral negotiations finding solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation, terrestrial and marine biodiversity loss, pollution from chemicals and plastics, water scarcity and air pollution, among others. Through stronger environmental multilateralism, we can align global ambition with local action. We bear our share of global responsibility also by sharing knowledge and best practices, providing scalable solutions and innovative technologies as well as committing to contributing towards the achievement of the collective finance goals.

Plastic pollution is a growing global environmental challenge, intricately linked to climate change and biodiversity loss, that requires an effective global instrument. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the development of an effective Global Plastic Pollution Treaty. Despite the setbacks at INC-5.2 in Geneva, the vision of a global treaty to end plastic pollution remains both necessary and achievable. We underline that a Global Plastic Pollution Treaty can accelerate the transition to a circular plastic economy and provide opportunities for business and innovation, including design for circularity. The circular economy also offers powerful tools for mitigating the harmful effects of e-commerce in reducing plastic waste and other waste generation. The growing public demand, driven by clear evidence of harm to ecosystems, economies, and human health, continues to fuel momentum that can—and must—be harnessed to advance negotiations.

Climate change poses an existential risk and therefore we need to act swiftly for the benefit of the planet, people, and long-term prosperity. Ten years after the Paris Agreement was adopted, this is more crucial than ever. COP30 in November in Belém will be a crucial milestone in demonstrating our continued commitment to the Paris Agreement and its goals. 

We call for political leadership at COP30 and encourage all Parties, especially all major emitters, to present new nationally determined contributions - NDCs - based on science, the outcome of the first Global Stocktake as well as the goal of the Paris Agreement and to keep 1,5°C within reach. Together with our partners, including in the European Union, we stand ready to do our part. The Nordic countries underline the need to phase out fossil fuels and stress that COP30 must address the collective level of ambition in the NDCs and send a clear message that we are accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and equitable manner and making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low-emission and climate resilient development.

We underline that global leadership can only be earned through deeds and action. All Nordic countries have set ambitious economy-wide targets to become climate neutral, carbon neutral or a net-zero or low emission society by or before 2050, consistent with the Paris Agreement and science. These national targets are anchored in binding legislation, ensuring full and timely implementation. The transition to climate neutral societies is well underway across sectors, including energy, industry, and transport. We are deploying renewable and fossil free energy at large-scale, and we foster innovation within new technologies such as CCS and biochar. National plans and progressing on implementation are important policy signals for attracting investments. To achieve a full implementation of our goals requires strong investment frameworks and enabling conditions. 

We emphasise the urgent and interconnected global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution. We highlight the need to advance coherent and coordinated responses across all these areas and welcome the work undertaken by many conventions and UNEP.  We are committed to finding solutions that support policy coherence and provide multiple benefits to the environment, people, and economy. To that end, we look forward to the seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December in Nairobi as a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action to advance sustainable solutions for a resilient planet. 

We, the Nordic Ministers, emphasise that the world possesses the necessary technologies, expertise, and institutions to overcome the triple planetary crises. What is now needed is political determination and strengthened environmental multilateralism that aligns global ambition with national implementation. We urge all political and economic leaders to scale up solutions and ensure that policies, measures, and finance flows support a just and green transition to climate neutral and nature-positive societies both in the Nordic Region and globally.