Finland to channel EUR 114m for climate fund: PM

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä strongly highlighted Finland’s high motivation and front-running role in climate and environmental issues.

Speaking at the Paris climate summit the Prime Minister said Finland will channel a total of EUR 114 million of development cooperation financing into the climate fund. The aim is also to attract into the fund a large amount of private capital.

“Via the fund, money will be invested in the least developed countries, in projects aimed at combating climate change. At the same time, the goal is to increase the number of jobs and thereby reduce poverty,” said Sipilä.

The international “One Planet Summit” event, organised by the French Government, the United Nations and the World Bank in Paris on 12 December, was attended by more than 50 Heads of State and Government. The purpose of the summit, organised on the second anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, was to support the implementation of the agreement.

In his speech, Sipilä also reminded the summit that the international community really must act now in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

“In Finland, we are well on schedule with our national climate objectives. Our ambitious key objective is to stop using coal completely in energy production by 2030 and to become carbon neutral as a society by 2045,” said Sipilä.

“Finland’s experience shows that sustainable development and combating climate change go hand in hand. Our move towards a greener economy has already brought many benefits to the environment, society and the economy,” Sipilä added.