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Ympäristöministeri Ville Niinistön puhe Durbanin ilmastokokouksen täysistunnossa 7.12.2011 • 7.12.2011DurbanhiilinielutKioton pöytäkirjanaisten osallistuminen

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Alla ympäristöministeri Ville Niinistön puhe tekstinä.

Statement by Mr. Ville Niinistö, Minister of the Environment of Finland
at the 17th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and CMP7 of the Kyoto Protocol.

7 December 2011, Durban, South Africa
Distinguished Mr. President, Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen

I would like to first thank our South African hosts for the great hospitality we have received here in the beautiful city of Durban.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Time is running out. Durban needs to deliver a roadmap for a future comprehensive climate regime. Peaking of global emissions in 2020 is far too late to limit the environmental crisis caused to us all. This has been clearly demonstrated in the recent UNEP and IEA studies.

We need to achieve concrete and balanced results to regain trust in the multilateral system to solve the climate challenge and to keep the 2 degree target achievable. It is our responsibility to future generations.

This process must be able to give answers and solutions to those serious challenges we are faced with – not to give excuses for shortcomings.

The message of science is strong and it has to be the cornerstone of the political decisions. The gap between the pledges by different countries and the actions needed to mitigate climate change is still too wide.

I am confident that we can work out such a balanced package that we all can accept and work further with. It means flexibility and compromises by all of us – to the common benefit of us all.

It also means being true to the ultimate objective. That is, tackling the climate change.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Finland fully understands the great importance of the Kyoto Protocol. It is at the moment the only legally binding instrument to tackle climate change. In our view, it is very important to maintain the essential elements of the Kyoto Protocol and the multilateral rules-based system that we have built.

However, the problem with the Kyoto Protocol is that it doesn’t cover enough global emissions as it is and some current Parties are maybe leaving the Protocol. With the remaining participation, we cannot reach the two degree target. This is why there is an urgent need for a more meaningful and broader regime in combination with a 2nd commitment period – a regime that all major economies are participating in with more ambitious targets.

A roadmap to a global and comprehensive, binding agreement has to be part of the decisions made in Durban.

We are also ready to commit to implementing the Cancun decisions and are convinced that this can be achieved in Durban.

As a forested nation we understand the multiple benefits and the important role of forests. Therefore, we think it is important that the accounting rules for forests encourage parties to genuinely protect and enhance global carbon reservoirs. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

In order to intensify our climate policy implementation, Finland has appointed an independent climate panel to support the Government’s decision making in climate policy. The panel represents several areas of science with high relevance to climate policy. The panel is expected to have a significant role in bringing solid scientific basis to the debate for improving our national policies, for example to launch new climate and energy legislation to effectively reduce emissions.

In accordance with the Bali Action Plan, the Copenhagen Accord and the Cancun Agreements, the Nordic countries, through the Nordic Council of Ministers, have launched a Nordic Partnership Initiative in Peru in the waste sector and in Vietnam in the cement sector. This initiative is to pave the way for cost-efficient and effective implementation of scaled up Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). We hope that this initiative will serve as a useful input to the international community as encouragement to take similar actions.

In the international negotiations, Finland has underlined and strongly supported the role of women in climate change decision making and practices. Development policy should take into consideration climate change issues also in the future. However, efforts to increase climate financing should not weaken the contributions for education and health in the developing countries.

Mr. President,

Those most affected by the effects of climate change are often the ones who have least to do with causing it. Finland and EU are ready to lead in climate action – but to lead, others have to follow.

Finland is seeking a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced outcome in Durban. The outcome of Durban should provide us with both immediate, concrete results and a clear vision for the next steps towards a legally binding regime.