The North Pole and its surroundings are melting rapidly. However, like that of other countries, Finland’s relationship to the catastrophe is conflicted.
We try to fight global warming with, for instance, climate treaties that restrict the use of fossil fuels. On the other hand, the opening of the Northern Sea Route and the underwater oil and gas fields that are freed from the polar ice are viewed as business opportunities.
“The same conflict is everywhere. Many countries try to stop climate change but allow, for instance, the drilling of oil in their own sea areas,” says Research Professor Timo Koivurova from the
Finnish Ambassador for the Arctic Hannu Halinen of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland points out that countries are in any case going to seize the business opportunities opening in the North. With regard to its
“When you’re operating in uncharted territory, you need to establish rules through international cooperation. In addition, maintaining stability is of paramount importance because without it, there would be no base for economic activity,” says Halinen.
Halinen and Koivurova present their views on 28 September in an impressive
Pachauri of the IPCC as the main speaker
The opening speech of the conference shall be given by Rajendra K. Pachauri, chair of the
How did we manage to get an international scientific celebrity to Helsinki at such an opportune moment? “Our cooperation with the
Helsinki Climate Forum: Arctic Urgency has been entirely organised by students. All 30 of the organisers are active in the Student Union Committee for Environmental Affairs at the University. Their ideological backgrounds range from green to left to right.