Finland joins Glasgow declaration on forests, land use

Finland has joined the Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference on Tuesday, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release.

According to the declaration, more than one hundred signatory countries including Finland, Brazil, Russia, China and the USA commit to stopping deforestation by 2030.

President Sauli Niinistö spoke at the publication event of the Declaration on Forests in Glasgow.

“I hope this climate summit marks a moment where we put forests at the center of our efforts to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss,” said Niinistö in his keynote paper in the event.

The President said that for Finland, this topic is particularly close to heart. 75 percent of our area is covered with forests.

“In many ways, forests are our lifeline. They have been fundamental to our economic and social development – and are perhaps one of the reasons Finland is the happiest country in the world. Moreover, forests play a big role in achieving our target of climate neutrality by 2035,” the President added.

By this Declaration, the countries also commit to promoting sustainable development on the global scale, including the sustainable management and use of forests, and to strengthening local economies: small farmers, indigenous peoples and local communities whose livelihoods are dependent on forests need stronger support from others for the sustainable management and use of their forests.

Breakthrough Agenda aims at clean electricity, emission-free transport, zero-emission steel and low-carbon hydrogen by 2030

On Tuesday Finland also announced its support for the Breakthrough Agenda that consists of the four Glasgow Breakthroughs.

The Breakthrough Agenda outlines the global goals to 2030.

According to the Agenda, by that time clean energy should be cost-effective and accessible all over the world, and emission-free vehicles should be the new normal.

A further goal is that near zero-emission steel will be the most popular option in the global market and that affordable renewable and low-carbon hydrogen will be globally available by 2030.

The implementation of these breakthroughs would reduce emissions and contribute to developing new business models, creating new jobs and reaching different environmental objectives.

Finland is already a member or otherwise involved in processes that will be in a key position in implementing and monitoring the Breakthrough Agenda.

These include the International Energy Agency IEA, International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA, Mission Innovation MI and Clean Energy Ministerial CEM.

In addition, on Tuesday Finland will also join the Global Methane Pledge announced by the EU and United States that aims to reduce the global human-caused methane emissions by 30% by 2030. After carbon dioxide, methane is the most significant greenhouse gas that causes climate change.

Finland has for a long time been active in several international processes concerned with methane, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition CCAC, Global Methane Initiative GMI and work done in the Arctic Council. The pledge introduces a quantitative target that will support the work done in these processes as well.

Finland’s national methane emissions decreased by more than 40% in 1990-2019, and the decrease is expected to continue until 2030. The main sources of methane emissions in Finland are waste, agriculture and energy production.