In a ground-breaking moment for Finland in the global fight against climate change, the Nordic country officially opened its first-ever United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) pavilion at COP28 on December 1, 2023. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo welcomed Finnish partner companies and conference delegates to the pavilion, which, over the course of its two-week program of interactive sessions, will showcase the contributions Finnish companies have made to the ongoing battle against climate change.
In his address, Orpo reaffirmed Finland’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 and called for actions, not words: “This is the first time ever Finland has a national pavilion at COP. In this pavilion, we want to share Finland’s journey. We want to highlight what we can achieve when actions speak louder than words.”
Finland, a leader in the fight against climate change through innovation, will shine a spotlight on the positive impact its companies have made in creating a more sustainable and resilient future. Having set itself one of the most ambitious climate targets in the world, Finland will achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and has cut carbon emissions by 36 per cent since 1990. The country is already producing 95 per cent of its electricity through renewable and clean sources of power and plans to double clean electricity production by 2035. Over the course of COP28, the 26 Finnish partners, including 23 Finnish companies, will share insights into actions they are taking to help achieve these targets.
Orpo expressed his enthusiasm about the role Finnish companies play in the global fight against climate change and how collaboration between the public and private sectors has enabled the country to make significant progress in the green transition. A strong focus on partnerships, combined with Finland’s expertise, skilled labor force and know-how across a diverse range of sectors has made Finland an attractive investment hub, with planned green investments surpassing €200 billion — over 70 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Orpo said, “Our clear environment and climate policy’s objectives underscore our dedication to investing in clean and renewable energy solutions. We invest heavily in clean technologies, sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy practices. We aim to allocate 4 per cent of our annual GDP to research and innovations by 2030.”
Business Finland’s Director General, Nina Kopola, underscored Orpo’s message, explaining how the pavilion and its comprehensive program demonstrate Finland’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and fostering international cooperation. She said: “After months of preparation and the combined efforts of Business Finland, our core team and Finnish partner companies, it is wonderful to see all the hard work come to fruition with the opening of Finland’s first dedicated pavilion at COP28. We look forward to welcoming delegates from all over the world to learn more about Finnish innovations, expertise and world-class know-how, which we are proud to share globally. Finland is a small country, but we are having a big impact through our actions, and we hope others will join us in committing to making a difference and fighting climate change.”
The official opening ceremony also featured addresses by Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO of Climate Leadership Coalition, Melissa Schoeb, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Nokia, and Heidi Peltonen, Vice President Sustainability at Outokumpu. The session was moderated by Severi Keinälä, Director, COP28 Finland Pavilion at Business Finland.
To view a recording of the official opening ceremony, please visit: https://businessfinland.icareus.com/event/192932457/267978046
For more information about the Finland Pavilion and Finnish partner companies, please visit: https://www.businessfinland.fi/en/cop28
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