UN General Assembly
2018

Climate change is the prime example of the need for prompt global action. The upcoming report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will further underscore the urgency of our response. It will also show how much remains to be done. So far, the voluntary contributions from the States parties to the Paris Agreement are not enough to keep the global temperature rise well below 2°C. We must do a lot more, and more quickly. In the North, we are witnessing how the Arctic region is warming at an alarming pace. That is not just a regional problem, as it poses a threat to the entire global climate system. One important factor in accelerating the melting of sea ice in the Arctic is black carbon emissions. Reducing black carbon that lands on the white ice would have immediate positive effects in preventing melting. A commitment to curbing those emissions would be a key objective of an Arctic summit, which Finland, as the current Chair of the Arctic Council, is ready to host.