FM calls for more commitments for Agenda 2030

Foreign Minister Timo Soini on Wednesday said rapid changes in climate and living conditions have raised global concerns about the Arctic, while the interests in the region, too, have grown.

“Global interest towards the Arctic has grown – and so have the concerns – when the climate and the living conditions are changing rapidly,” said Soini in his address in the ongoing Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference at the Lappia Hall of Rovaniemi.

The minister also called for increased international commitments from the Arctic countries to promote sustainability and the Agenda 2030.

He said combining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Arctic issues underlines the reality that the Arctic is both local and global at the same time. “It is a home to four million people. They have developed a way of life that is well-adapted to the Arctic circumstances,” said the foreign minister.

Referring to the international community’s commitment to implement the UN Agenda 2030 on sustainable development, Soini said, “Today, sustainable development is not just a wishful thinking. It is a survival strategy for us all.”

He also said that the agenda is meant not only for the governments, as the achievement of the time-bound goals requires active involvement of businesses, non-government organisations, local administrations, and cities down to individuals. What we need [for that] are innovative approaches in combining economic, social and environmental aspects of life and development.

“I am happy that the Arctic and sustainable development are being discussed increasingly together. This relates also to investments. Sustainable development goals (SDG’s) are being utilised by private companies across the world,” he added.

He said in Finland, all the sectors of the society–public and private organisations, businesses, and even private individuals–have been asked to make concrete commitments to implement the Agenda 2030. These commitments that number 700 at the moment are registered with the open Commitment 2050 database to inspire others.

“The local viewpoints should be taken into account when implementing the Agenda,” said the minister, adding that identifying common interests together provides the best success.

“In this, there must be a respect for the indigenous peoples’ cultural identity and languages. We at the Arctic Council are happy that indigenous peoples’ organisations across Europe, Asia and North America are taking active part in its work” said Soini.

Earlier, Timo Koivurova, director of the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, delivered the inaugural remarks in the conference.

Among others, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova, Sámi Parliament President Tiina Sanila-Aikio of Finland, the former minister of climate and environment and the former president of COP21 of France who is now the country’s Ambassador for the Arctic and the Antarctic Poles Ségolène Royal, Finnish Prime Minister’s State Secretary Paula Lehtomäki, State Secretary for Climate at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Eva Svedling, and State Secretary at the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway Lars Andreas Lunde also spoke in the opening session of the conference.

The first working session of the conference following the inauguration was a panel discussion on “Sustainable Development-What kind of Arctic do we want?” Finland’s Ambassador for Arctic Affairs Aleksi Härkönen and its Ambassador at Large for the Arctic at the European External Action Service Marie-Anne Coninsx, US Chargé d’Affaires in Finland Donna Ann Welton, Denmark’s Ambassador for Arctic Affairs Hanne Fugl Eskjaer, Ambassador ÁrniÞór Sigurðsson of Iceland for Arctic affairs, Norwegian Ambassador to Finland Åge B. Grutle, and Irish Ambassador Maeve Collins to Finland took part in the discussion moderated by Head of Science Communications Markku Heikkilä at the University of Lapland’s Arctic Centre.

The two-day conference that began on Tuesday with discussions, workshops, field trips, exhibitions, and receptions, among other things, on its programme ends on Thursday.