Finland to participate in IEA-COP26 Net Zero Summit ahead of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference

News - Published 30.3.2021

On 31 March 2021, Finland will participate in the IEA-COP26 Net Zero Summit, which will discuss measures to speed up the transition to clean energy as well as means for States to cooperate more effectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 in order to achieve international climate goals. Finland’s representative at the virtual meeting will be Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

The summit precedes the publication of the special report “The World’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050” on 18 May, which the International Energy Agency (IEA) describes as the world’s first comprehensive roadmap towards zero emissions by 2050. The Summit will also serve as preparation for the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Glasgow in November.

The meeting will be hosted by the IEA’s Executive Director Fatih Birol and the President of the COP26 Alok Sharma. Participants of the Summit include energy and climate ministers from more than 40 countries, whose gross domestic product and greenhouse gas emissions account for the majority of the world’s economy and emissions. A number of NGOs and companies have also been invited to the meeting.

At the meeting, Finland will participate in a thematic group that will consider ways to build international trust in order to achieve long-term climate objectives.

According to Minister Lintilä, ambitious climate goals require rapid and determined implementation globally. In this, using all clean forms of energy, promoting new climate-friendly business opportunities and planning policies based on the best information available are key issues, Lintilä says.

The Summit is also available on the following Twitter accounts: @IEA, @fbirol, @COP26 and @Alok_SharmaRDG

Inquiries:
Riku Huttunen, Director-General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 431 6518
Nina Alatalo, Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs (EU and International Affairs), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 431 8015
Juho Korteniemi, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 567 0715
Eero Karjalainen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 501 7746

Press release from Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment 30.3.2021