Nordic climate and environment ministers have called for stronger international cooperation to turn existing climate and environmental commitments into measurable action, arguing that the main challenge is increasingly implementation rather than the absence of global goals.
In a joint ministerial declaration adopted on 28 September, the Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment and Climate placed multilateral cooperation at the centre of the region’s approach to climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
The document comes ahead of several major international negotiations on biodiversity and climate, while talks on a global plastics treaty and the implementation of the new agreement protecting biodiversity in international waters are also continuing.
From international agreements to implementation
The declaration argues that ambitious domestic policies and international cooperation should reinforce each other. Nordic countries say their experience can be used to demonstrate that climate and environmental policies can coexist with competitiveness, welfare, innovation and energy security.
The ministers also present the Nordic region as a potential bridge-builder at a time of geopolitical tensions and growing pressure on multilateral institutions.
The declaration states:
“We believe that ambitious national implementation and strong multilateral cooperation are mutually reinforcing.”
Its central message is that many of the international frameworks needed to address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution already exist. The challenge, according to the ministers, is to improve implementation, accountability, transparency and trust.
The Nordic countries also commit to sharing knowledge, technologies, policy solutions and experience with international partners.
Biodiversity, plastics and the oceans
Biodiversity will be one of the first major tests of this approach. Ahead of CBD COP17, the declaration calls for faster implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including stronger national action, more financing and better monitoring.
It also stresses the need to integrate biodiversity considerations across economic sectors and to protect ecosystems that are particularly exposed to climate change.
The Arctic receives particular attention. The ministers argue that environmental changes in the region have consequences far beyond the Arctic itself and say policies should recognise the rights, knowledge and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and the contribution of local communities.
The declaration also supports an ambitious and legally binding Global Plastics Treaty covering the full life cycle of plastics. Nordic governments want the negotiations to produce a framework that can prevent pollution at its source while supporting circular economy solutions and innovation.
Marine biodiversity is another priority. The ministers welcome the entry into force of the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, commonly known as the BBNJ Agreement, and call for its first Conference of the Parties to focus on effective implementation, science-based decision-making, capacity-building and equitable participation.
The Arctic remains central to Nordic climate policy
Climate policy is framed in similar terms ahead of COP31 and the next meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement.
The Nordic countries say the gap between current climate policies and the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C remains a central problem. They call for stronger nationally determined contributions, particularly from major emitters, as well as more effective national adaptation plans and increased climate finance.
The declaration also reiterates support for a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
For the Nordic region, the Arctic makes the issue particularly urgent. The declaration points to the much faster pace of warming in the Arctic and warns that every additional increase above 1.5°C would have disproportionate consequences for the region.
It also connects climate policy with human rights, calling on governments to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and gender equality when developing and implementing climate strategies.
The document does not establish new binding Nordic climate or biodiversity targets. Instead, it sets out a common political position for international negotiations: existing commitments need to be implemented more quickly, backed by science and supported by stronger international institutions.
For the Nordic governments, the credibility of multilateral environmental cooperation will increasingly depend on whether international agreements produce tangible results for climate, nature and people.
