Nordic ministers for climate and environment agree common ground ahead of COP26
De nordiske miljø- og klimaministre er samlet under Nordisk Råds Session 2021.
The Nordic ministers for climate and the environment met at the Nordic Council Session 2021.
The Nordic ministers prioritised meeting ahead of the COP26 negotiations during the Nordic Council Session in order to exchange views and take stock prior to the climate summit’s political negotiations. The ministers revisited their common basis for negotiation and discussed how the Nordic countries can joint contribute to an ambitious outcome at COP26. The discussion was led by Sweden’s Minister for Environment and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister, Per Bolund.
The outcome of the COP26 negotiations is crucial if we as a global society are to slow down climate change. That’s why it’s good news that we’re able to reaffirm that the Nordic Region is united in working purposefully to step up the ambitions of the negotiations.
The Nordic Council of Ministers will be present at the climate negotiations, with the Nordic Pavilion serving as a hub for a range of activities centred around Nordic co-operation on the environment and climate. One example is the event on the mobilisation of private climate investments, which is a follow-up to an initiative of the Nordic ministers for the environment and climate back in 2020.
The council of ministers’ activities at COP26 will be available for anyone in the Nordic Region to watch via livestream.
Huge impetus among young people in the Nordic Region
The ministers also discussed the potential for increasing youth involvement in political processes. In particular, plans were discussed for a meeting between Nordic young people and the Nordic ministers for the environment and climate in Stockholm next year.
Finland’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Krista Mikkonen explained that “youth involvement is something we want to prioritise in Nordic co-operation. The commitment and input of young people is a source of inspiration in our policy decision-making. In the field of climate and biodiversity in particular, I can see huge impetus among young people in the Nordic Region, and we need to be incredibly thankful for that”.
Nordic young people are also involved in several of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ activities at COP26. The programme includes a presentation of a mock COP treaty which contains 18 climate policies adopted by young people from more than 140 countries, as well as a Nordic Youth Position Paper on Biodiversity, with 19 action points to save biodiversity. The latter was presented at a ministerial meeting in May 2021.
