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President Niinistö at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow: Combatting climate change is one of our weightiest human responsibilities

President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom on 1–2 November 2021.

President Niinistö delivered Finland’s National Statement at the World Leaders’ Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference on Tuesday, 2 November. In addition, President Niinistö was also one of the keynote speakers at the World Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests and Land Use, at which the Forest Declaration of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference was published.

In his National Statement at the Climate Change Conference, President Niinistö said that the Paris Climate Agreement was a historic milestone and much has already been done to combat climate change. “But we have reached a point where we need to move beyond goals and pledges. Change may seem inconceivable, but only until we act. Combatting climate change is one of our weightiest human responsibilities.”

According to the President, ensuring adequate climate finance is crucial. As an Arctic country, Finland is particularly concerned about the fast-warming Arctic region. “Reducing black carbon and methane emissions is essential to mitigating climate change in the Arctic region.”

Forests at the centre of efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss

In his speeches at the Climate Change Conference, President Niinistö also emphasised the need to take care of carbon sinks, because without them no emission reduction measures will be enough. In the Glasgow Climate Change Conference’s Declaration on Forests and Land Use, more than 100 countries pledged to end deforestation by the year 2030.

At the World Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests and Land Use, President Niinistö highlighted how the example of Finland shows that it is possible to benefit from our forests economically while also increasing their positive climate impact.

“We will continue to invest in our forests. We are currently running a EUR 96 million programme to investigate and pilot climate mitigation and adaptation measures in the land use sector. We are also cooperating with numerous countries on how to use forests for the benefit of both the economy and climate.”

In addition to the Forest Declaration, Finland announced at the conference that it supported the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda and Global Methane Pledge.

Important discussions between world leaders

This year, the UN Climate Change Conference gathered a large number of world leaders in Glasgow. The meeting therefore provided an excellent framework for bilateral discussions between the heads of state. Over two days, President Niinistö spoke with President of the United States Joe Biden, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President of France Emmanuel Macron and several other heads of state.

The Climate Change Conference bring states together to accelerate measures aimed at achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. It will continue in Glasgow until 12 November. The Finnish delegation led by President Niinistö also includes Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen.

  • Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres received President Niinistö at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Screenshot of COP26 live stream

    Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres received President Niinistö at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Screenshot of COP26 live stream

  • President Niinistö and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

    President Niinistö and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

  • President Niinistö in discussion with President of the European Council Charles Michel at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö in discussion with President of the European Council Charles Michel at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö in discussions with President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö in discussions with President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö in discussions with Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö in discussions with Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and former Vice President of the United States Al Gore. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

    President Niinistö and former Vice President of the United States Al Gore. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

  • President Niinistö in discussions with Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Liz Truss at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö in discussions with Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Liz Truss at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and President of Argentina Alberto Fernández. Photo: Aliisa Tornberg/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö and President of Argentina Alberto Fernández. Photo: Aliisa Tornberg/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

    President Niinistö and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

  • President Niinistö and Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization WMO. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

    President Niinistö and Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization WMO. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

  • At the Climate Change Conference, President Niinistö met with Lord Nicholas Stern, who in 2006 published the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    At the Climate Change Conference, President Niinistö met with Lord Nicholas Stern, who in 2006 published the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö and President of France Emmanuel Macron at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

    President Niinistö and President of France Emmanuel Macron at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Jukka Siukosaari/Embassy of Finland in London

  • President Niinistö and Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö and Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö in discussions with President of the United States Joe Biden at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: The White House

    President Niinistö in discussions with President of the United States Joe Biden at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: The White House

  • President Niinistö met with Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 2 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö met with Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 2 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö in discussions with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö in discussions with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 1 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö speaking at the World Leaders’ Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference on 2 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

    President Niinistö speaking at the World Leaders’ Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference on 2 November 2021. Photo: Tino Savolainen/Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

  • President Niinistö speaking at the World Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests and Land Use at the UN Climate Change Conference on 2 November 2021. Photo: Karwai Tang / UK Government

    President Niinistö speaking at the World Leaders’ Summit Event on Forests and Land Use at the UN Climate Change Conference on 2 November 2021. Photo: Karwai Tang / UK Government

Tags climate changeUN Climate Change Conference