Ilmasto- ja ympäristöministeri Sari Multalan puhe ilmaston ja turvallisuuden teemoista Etyjin puheenjohtajavaltiokonferenssissa 11.6.2025 Espoon Hanasaaressa

Speech by Ms. Sari Multala, Minister of Climate and the Environment OSCE Chairpersonship Conference on Climate and Security Hanasaari 11.6.2025

Excellencies, distinguished participants in the room and online,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the OSCE Chairpersonship’s Conference on Climate and Security.

My esteemed colleague, Minister Valtonen, has made a compelling case for why addressing climate change and environmental degradation is essential to national, regional, and global security. 
We are gathered here today because climate change should no longer be perceived solely as an environmental concern — it has proceeded to be a pressing security issue and a lived reality of millions today.

This was underscored in the latest report by the Munich Security Conference, the world’s leading forum for international security policy. 

This year, the report identified extreme weather, forest fires, the destruction of natural habitats, and climate change as the greatest risks facing countries around the world.

Climate change is a threat multiplier. It aggravates existing vulnerabilities, fuels instability, and undermines the foundations of peace and prosperity.

• It is a national security issue when rising sea levels threaten to submerge coastal cities and critical infrastructure and raging wildfires devastate local communities and livelihoods.
• It is a regional security issue when extreme droughts and water scarcity ignite tensions between neighboring states.
• And it is a global security issue when climate-induced disasters displace millions, triggering migration that strains borders, overwhelms humanitarian systems, and tests international cooperation.

Moreover, we must recognize that climate change is part of a broader triple planetary crisis — alongside biodiversity loss and pollution, accelerating land degradation and desertification.  
These interconnected threats are eroding the natural systems upon which our economies, livelihoods, health, and security depend.  They threaten food and energy security at all levels of society.  

Distinguished guests,

Environmental security is first and foremost the avoidance of harm to the environment, harm caused either through omission to protect the natural world or through violence and warfare. 
Which brings me to the acute and overwhelming situation in Ukraine. 

Russia´s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine has had a devastating toll on the environment.  
It has had tragic repercussions well beyond Ukraine and Europe, especially on global food and energy security.

The President of Ukraine has put focus on the environmental side of the damage caused by the war – in addition to the human suffering and material losses. 

In October last year Finland together with Ukraine organized an international conference on the follow up of President´s Zelenskyi´s peace plan as it relates to environmental security.  

The Helsinki joint communique on Environmental Security in Ukraine puts forth actionable items on impact assessment of damage and destruction to the natural environment with a view to ensuring environmental resilience and sustainability.     

Environment is often the silent victim of war, and we must make sure that more attention is paid to environmental crimes and ensuring accountability for these.  

What is now being highlighted in the context of Ukraine, will hopefully not be ignored in the context of conflicts elsewhere.    

Distinguished guests,

Let us also make sure that we protect the protectors.  

Civil society actors, including human rights and environmental defenders, work tirelessly to advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law. They should be granted the opportunities to take action. 

Distinguished audience,

Time is running out. The window for meaningful and impactful action is closing.

Our main arena for combating climate change remains the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. 
The global target is to limit the rise in average temperature to well below 2°C — and ideally to 1.5°C. Achieving this requires strong and immediate emission reductions. 

Finland is doing its part. We aim to be climate neutral by 2035 and the first fossil-free advanced economy.

Yet even with mitigation efforts, climate warming will continue. This makes adaptation essential.
Finland’s National Climate Change Adaptation Plan outlines strategies to enhance our resilience. It aims to ensure well-being, safety, and security in a changing climate.

We must also integrate climate risk into national security strategies. Our defense and intelligence communities must be equipped to anticipate and respond to climate-driven threats.

In Finland, the environment is embedded in our Security Strategy for Society (2025). 

It is based on the concept of comprehensive security — a uniquely Finnish model that emphasizes collaboration between authorities, businesses, civil society, and citizens to safeguard the vital functions of society.

It also underscores the role of individuals and communities in environmental stewardship and crisis response and integrates environmental security into the protection of health, infrastructure, and the economy. 

Risks such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are recognized as threats that can disrupt these vital functions.

The strategy makes clear we must invest in resilience — in infrastructure, early warning systems, and the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities. 

And we must commit to international cooperation, even in today’s challenging geopolitical environment. 

Climate security knows no borders. It demands a unified global response — through diplomacy, development, and defense.

Allow me some final thoughts,

In today’s multipolar and conflicted world, regional cooperation is crucial—for maintaining security and stability, fostering economic growth, and addressing transnational challenges.

The OSCE with its comprehensive security approach is well positioned to address climate and security from a holistic perspective. 

Security cooperation is at the core of the OSCE, and the climate emergency, as a global challenge, demands joint action.  

By fostering inclusive and participatory action, and by upholding the Helsinki Principles, we can enhance our resilience and adaptability in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. 
A healthy environment is a prerequisite for peace and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a human right.

Together, we can—and must—work toward a more sustainable, secure, and resilient future for all.

I wish you insightful and rewarding deliberations today, and I hope you also find time to enjoy the light and the budding beauty of the Nordic summer.

Thank you.