Joint Statement of the Nordic Prime Ministers and the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future

20.08.19 | Declaration
Joint Statement of the Nordic Prime Ministers and the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future

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The Nordic Prime Ministers and the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future,

Agree that to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement[1]  on climate change by 2030, collaboration between the public and private sectors must be intensified.

Recognizing the importance of a gender equal society as a prerequisite for sustainable development and of integrating gender equality issues into decision-making and policy formulation. Thus, SDG 5 is both a stand-alone goal and is cross-cutting other SDG goals, including nr. 12 and 13.

Recognizing the Nordic Council of Ministers’ new vision, Our Vision 2030, formally agreed in August in Reykjavík, and the Helsinki Declaration on Nordic Carbon Neutrality from January 2019.

Welcoming the objective to make the Nordic Region a global leader in combating climate change and achieving a more sustainable society as well as becoming an even more integrated region.

Emphasizing that the 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York represents an important opportunity to ramp up global mitigation efforts in order to limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Welcoming the 2019 SDG Summit in New York as an important opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and to increase synergies between the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

Recognizing the Nordic CEOs for Sustainable Future collaboration to further the attainment of the SDGs, through the initial focus on diversity and inclusion and UN Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable consumption, production and climate impact in the value chain[2] (SDGs: 5,12 and 13), and welcoming the agreed principles and commitments.

Recognizing the enormous challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, that 2030 is approaching fast, and the Nordic region must lead by example.

Recognizing that for the Nordic region to continue to lead the way, a joint vision and immediate and tangible actions by the public and private sectors is an effective way forward.

Emphasizing the importance of a strong leadership by the private sector to contribute towards the delivery of Paris Agreement and the SDGs.

Recognizing the importance of a just transition to low emission societies through the greening of work life and the social dialogue.

Also emphasizing the importance of engaging the younger generation in our leadership efforts.

The Prime Ministers and the CEOs agree that collaboration and common actions focused on the areas of climate change, smarter climate-based consumption and production, and ensuring an equal and fairer society are the most pressing. Therefore, we commit to:

  • pursue climate diplomacy in international forums to deliver solutions with impact on global emissions and to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • getting more done, faster, in light of the importance of making progress towards 2030
  • being global leaders and advocates for climate action 
  • taking common steps to deliver towards SDGs 5, 12 and 13
  • explore a common action-led agenda at the meeting of the Nordic Prime Ministers in Stockholm October 2019

 

Reykjavík, 20 August 2019

 

Katrín Jakobsdóttir,

Prime Minister of Iceland

 

Antti Rinne,

Prime Minister of Finland

 

Mette Frederiksen,

Prime Minister of Denmark

 

Erna Solberg,

Prime Minister of Norway

 

Stefan Löfven,

Prime Minister of Sweden

 

Katrin Sjögren,

Premier of Åland

 

Aksel V. Johannesen,

Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands

 

Kim Kielsen,

Premier of Greenland

 

On behalf of the Nordic CEOs for Sustainable Future

 

Birna Einarsdóttir,

CEO of Íslandsbanki

 

Johan Dennelind,

President and CEO of Telia Company

 

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[1] "Kingdom of Denmark, on behalf of Greenland, made a territorial reservation on the Paris agreement".

[2] Value chain refers to the full lifecycle of a product or process, including material sourcing, production, consumption and disposal/recycling processes