We must accelerate action to meet the goals jointly agreed in the Montreal Dec

Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala believes countries already have an initial global imperative and recognise the need to accelerate action to achieve the environmental goals jointly agreed in the Montreal Declaration.

Below is Sari Multala’s full interview with correspondents from Armenpress and Armenian Public Television.

Minister, how do you assess the progress of the COP17 international biodiversity conference?

I really must thank the Armenian authorities for organising and hosting this event. Hosting UN meetings always requires considerable effort and preparation. I have also heard that extensive work has been undertaken to build capacity, drawing on experience from previous events.

Conducting the negotiations is also a major responsibility, and everything seems to be going very well so far. I am very happy to be here. I have never been here before, so everything looks very beautiful, and the hospitality is simply wonderful. I am glad to be here and hope the negotiations will also proceed smoothly. In short, everything has been excellent so far.

You attended a very important event during COP17: the meeting of environment ministers. What were the main messages at that meeting?

Of course, we speak on behalf of our countries, and since Finland is a member of the European Union, we naturally align ourselves with the other EU countries’ position. Our message, however, is to accelerate action, which is essentially the main message of the entire COP.

We already have an initial global imperative and know that we need to accelerate action to achieve the environmental goals jointly agreed in the Montreal Declaration. We therefore support this, as well as the view that financing opportunities need to be broadened.

We noted that Finland has successful examples of lending to address nature-related challenges, demonstrating how the private sector can be involved alongside the public sector in important projects supporting nature conservation. This was our main emphasis during that discussion.

We also stressed the need to create positive incentives for action to protect nature and to eliminate existing negative factors. I think both are necessary, as is action at the global level. These were the main messages we conveyed to our counterparts.

How are you addressing challenges in Finland? What insights from your experience could you share with your Armenian counterparts?

There are several steps we are taking. As in other countries, we undertake nature conservation, but we also take action that benefits nature: we try to help restore it to its original state. We do this through practical work in nature, such as targeted restoration measures.

There are also smaller-scale actions, such as planting flowers or other plants that can benefit pollinating insects. There are therefore different types of action, but I think the key to success is the effective cooperation established between the public sector, landowners, including private owners, and other competent authorities. That is the main factor.

We have the public trust needed to take these actions forward. One longstanding problem is eutrophication in our marine areas: the enrichment of bodies of water with nutrients. We have launched a long-term programme involving landowners, farmers, public authorities, private companies and local residents.

We are trying to find solutions that benefit everyone, including nature and the stakeholders involved. I think this form of cooperation can help resolve complex problems. Questions of who should pay and who should do what are important, because success requires close cooperation and trust between the various actors.

What practical benefits and gains do you think COP17 can bring in terms of bilateral and multilateral cooperation?

All UN meetings are extremely important at a time when there are several conflicts around the world. I think it is important that we continue talking and try to find common solutions. Nature is something that every nation, every person and every living being on Earth needs.

I therefore think we are here with a long-term perspective, thinking about the planet’s long-term viability. That is why it is so important to find common solutions and understand how we can move closer to our goals, which, incidentally, are already very, very close.

Even if we do not achieve them fully by 2030, we must continue working towards them. We need to ensure that mechanisms remain in place beyond 2030 so that we can continue in the same direction and address nature-related challenges. Clearly, the world has already agreed on ambitious biodiversity goals.

But implementing solutions remains a major challenge, does it not?

It really is a major challenge. We have several mechanisms through which we can address it. We can apply local solutions, but we also need a multilateral approach.

We have already agreed on the goal, so now we must move to practical action. There are several aspects to this issue, all of which are currently on the negotiating table. I hope we can move forward and find common solutions acceptable to all parties.

Protecting biodiversity requires substantial, sustained financing. What is the European Union prepared to do to help close the global biodiversity funding gap, particularly for countries with limited resources?

As I mentioned, the European Union is one of the largest donors of biodiversity funding, and we want to continue this work and broaden the funding base. I also spoke about the private sector, so we need to involve it.

We are having productive discussions here about how to create credible international markets for nature credits that could be developed in more countries and continents. I think this is a promising step.

We also need mechanisms to ensure that funding reaches its intended destination and delivers measurable results. Transparency is, of course, important so that we can be sure funding is provided openly and transparently and ultimately produces tangible results.

What are your impressions of Yerevan? Are you planning to visit the capital’s sights?

Yesterday, I did find a little time to explore the city. I could not find the place by the river that I wanted to reach, but we had a meal at a very good riverside restaurant. The food was simply excellent.

Yerevan is quite a lively city, and the people are certainly very welcoming. The hospitality in Armenia is truly wonderful. I hope I will also have an opportunity to see Mount Ararat, but it is still cloudy. I have heard that when it is visible, the view is truly magnificent and breathtaking. In any case, I have very much enjoyed being here so far.