Double Challenge: The Decline of Biodiversity Is No Less a Problem than Climate Change

How was your visit to Kenya and meeting with representatives from UNEP?

We experienced a lot in a week. I have done development cooperation projects in the past in Asia and the Middle East, but this was my first trip to sub-Saharan Africa.

During the trip, my view of Kenya and the work of the United Nations has become more diverse and expanded. I’m really happy with the delegation’s trip and I am glad that I have been able to deepen my understanding of international cooperation.

Meeting with UNEP was important to me personally because, in my work, I focus specifically on climate and environmental issues. However, I was also pleased that climate and environmental policy was raised at every meeting with other United Nations organizations.

What are the most pressing environmental challenges we face today and how do you think we can solve them?

I think the biggest challenge is that we are facing many huge challenges at the same time. Even though climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing human history, the alarming decline of biodiversity is no less a problem. We are in a hurry, and yet we still do not take these challenges with the seriousness they require.

As we are changing our societies to be more ecologically sustainable, we need to address the social justice questions simultaneously. For example, the transition to climate sustainability must be fair and reduce inequality. At the global level, the challenge is immense. However, our only alternative is that we must do everything to succeed in this.

In addition, it is important that issues related to animal rights be addressed at the same time because the exploitation of the animals is also one of the biggest injustices of our time. At the heart of all these issues is how we succeed in development policy and especially in the policy coherence for development. In other words, the Sustainable Development Goals must be cross-cutting across all policies, not a separate sector.

What can you tell about Finland’s new government’s policy on environment?

I was negotiating the Finnish government’s climate and environmental policy goals, and I am satisfied with the level of ambition which the government has on climate and environmental objectives. Finland’s target is to be carbon neutral in 2035 and carbon negative soon thereafter. We are committed to stopping the loss of biodiversity.

We have agreed that we will promptly implement emission reduction measures, double the allocation for nature conservation and promote the circular economy, for the overconsumption of natural resources to be tackled.

At the same time, I would have wanted an even more ambitious programme, and especially more concrete decisions, to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals are met. It is important for all of us!

*SOURCE: UN Environment. Go to ORIGINAL. 2020 Human Wrongs Watch