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Minister Mikkonen to EU Environment Council in Luxembourg – European Climate Law and Biodiversity Strategy on the agenda

Ministry of the Environment
Publication date 22.10.2020 13.22 | Published in English on 22.10.2020 at 14.40
Press release

On 23 October, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen will attend the EU Environment Council in Luxembourg. The agenda includes the European Climate Law and conclusions on the EU Biodiversity Strategy.

The European Climate Law will turn the target of a climate neutral EU by 2050 agreed last December into a statutory obligation. The updated 2030 emission reduction target will be included in the law after the decision on this has been made, which should take place at the meeting of the European Council in December. The aim of the Environment Council is to reach an agreement on the other elements of the Climate Law and launch negotiations on these with the European Parliament.

Finland supports the emission reduction target of at least 55% by 2030 proposed by the Commission.

“An ambitious climate policy on the EU level is very much in the interest of Finland as we aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. Reducing emission by 55% by 2030 should be seen as a minimum target, and actions both in the EU and in the Member States should be tuned in such a way that this will be exceeded,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen says.

EU Biodiversity Strategy aims to halt biodiversity loss

The Environment Ministers will also adopt conclusions on the EU Biodiversity Strategy that aims to halt the loss of biodiversity. Finland considers the Commission’s proposal for the Biodiversity Strategy as ambitious and comprehensive. The strategy will contribute to achieving significant improvements in the state of biodiversity.

“The loss of biodiversity can be halted only if impacts on the natural environment are taken into account in all operations. This requires action in every sector,” Mikkonen says.

Next year, the countries of the world should agree on new objectives to halt the loss of biodiversity. Finland considers it important that the negotiations on the new objectives of the Biodiversity Convention will continue this year and early next year through virtual channels, despite the pandemic situation.

“Now that physical meetings are not possible, it is extremely important to make sure that the negotiations will continue. Nature cannot wait, and we cannot negotiate with nature,” Mikkonen says.

Inquiries:

Riikka Yliluoma
Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
[email protected]
tel. +358 50 414 1682

Climate policy
Merja Turunen
Senior Ministerial Adviser
[email protected]
tel. +358 295 250 387

Biodiversity policy
Olli Ojala
Senior Specialist
[email protected]
tel. +358 295 250 039

 

 
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