Tal
Köpenhamn 6 maj 2011
Andreas Carlgren, Miljöminister

Tal av Andreas Carlgren vid konferensen "The Arctic as a Messenger for the Global Processes - Climate Change and Pollution"

Det talade ordet gäller

Four years ago I hosted a meeting for environment ministers from all around the world up in the most northern part of Sweden. The Swedish indigenous people, the Sami, shared with us how global warming effected their own lives and the nature. It made a huge impression on everyone. I experienced something similar two years later within another group of ministers, then visiting Greenland. I think everyone of us felt a deep commitment to act.

The Arctic is one of the most sensitive ecosystems in the world. At the same time, the region is rich in natural resources. It is a great challenge to realize opportunities and - at the same time - avoid and minimize the risks.

This is a balancing act that the whole international community is facing. But especially visible in this part of the world. It tests our ability to work together. How shall it be done?

My colleague, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Carl Bildt, will present the Swedish programme for our Chairmanship in the Arctic Council in Nuuk next week.

But here I would like to outline some important parts of the programme. I see three basic challenges:

- Firstly, we need increased knowledge of the sensitive environment of the Arctic.
- Secondly, we need tools to protect the Arctic and to use its resources in a sustainable way.
- Thirdly, specially sensitive areas needs to be protected from exploitation.

Over the last 20 years AMAP has had an important role to provide policy-makers and others with research and analysis on the current state of the Arctic.

The recent new assessments in the SWIPA-report (Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic) shows the alarming state of climate change and teaches us that changes are severe and interlinked.

Changes in the cryosphere of the Arctic - with the rapid melting of for example snow and sea ice - leads to accelerated climate warming and changed ecosystems. Local effects on human life, wildlife and entire habitats. Global effects with rising sea levels.

The current state of the Arctic described in the SWIPA-report must send an urgent message to the rest of the world. And for us politicians the message is loud and clear. Actions can´t wait. Negotiations concerning the Arctic needs a climate perspective. And the climate negotiations needs an Arctic perspective.

It also shows that a holistic approach is needed - climate, chemicals, biodiversity - to fully understand the sensitive ecosystems of the Arctic and how human activities affect them.

Therefore, I would like to highlight some of the projects that the Swedish Chairmanship will focus on:

- Continue to focus on the SWIPA-project: It is essential to improve groundbased monitoring and develop remote sensing methods.

- Make the Task Force on SLCF (Short Lived Climate Forcers), established at the meeting in Tromsö in 2009, a priority. Black carbon and other short lived climate forcers are especially potent as drivers of climate change in the Arctic. Urgent actions are needed. Therefore, the Arctic countries have a certain responsibility to minimize emissions from these sources. A meeting will be held in Stockholm on May 10th to further discuss necessary actions.

- Initiate a resilience project, as part of the Arctic Change Assessment. The project shall address questions on how the Arctic is affected by current and planned activities, how negative effects can be minimized, and how resilience can be strengthen. AMAP will have an important role as the facilitator of the project.

- Complete the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment at the end of our Chairmanship in 2013. This will give us better understanding of the current situation and trends for Arctic biodiversity.

- Focus on the spreading of contaminants in and throughout the Arctic has attracted attention, but more knowledge is needed. The AMAP Mercury Assessment, which is to be presented at the Arctic Council in Nuuk next week, will be an important part of the work to improve research and analysis. The Swedish Chairmanship will continue to support the negotiations for an ambitious international agreement to phase out the use of mercury.

A warmer Arctic creates greater pressure on the environment from increased activities, such as transports, fishing and drilling. This demands great cautiousness and improved environmental assessments of different activities.

Therefore, the Swedish Chairmanship stresses the need to improve environmental assessments in connection to activities like transports and drilling. Minimum requirements or standards needs to be developed in this area.

There is also a need to protect especially sensitive areas from exploitation in order to save threatened ecosystems. Here, the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Working Group (PAME), has an important role.

The ambition of the Swedish Chairmanship is to strengthen the Arctic Council. It should continue to be a platform for discussions and agreements, but also for developing minimum standards in different areas, like environmental assessments.

This is necessary in order to protect the unique environment of the Arctic and to use its resources in a sustainable way. As a consequence, new commitments from the Arctic countries to raise the environmental issues on the agenda is needed.

It is my ambition to arrange an informal high-level meeting for my colleagues and fellow Ministers in the Arctic countries at the beginning of 2013.

I would like to thank Denmark for initiating important projects and initiatives during your chairmanship. Our intention is to continue your efforts and to take further action during the coming two years.

As our understanding of the Arctic, and its importance, increases the work of AMAP will become even more important.

Your work helps us to address the challenges of the Arctic, which is necessary to tackle our joint global challenges.