Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Swe : Remarks by Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström at Arctic Frontiers opening session in Tromsö

Let me first of all thank my Norwegian hosts for inviting me to this important event in wonderful Tromsö.

As a northerner myself, coming from Västerbotten, I feel a special affinity and commitment to this beautiful but fragile part of the world.

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The Arctic has in the past probably been considered a periphery by many.

This is now far from being true. Global developments have put the region at the centre of international attention.

So, when dealing with the Arctic of today we are dealing with high politics in the true sense of the concept.

The reasons are primarily: (1) climate change, (2) the vast economic potential in the Arctic, and (3) security related developments globally.

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The Arctic is the epicentre of the global climate crisis.

Last year, a new alarming record was set when the average November temperature approached 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level. The limits set out in the Paris Agreement have thus partially already been reached in this part of the world.

And compared to 2006, the November icecap has shrunk by 800 000 square kilometres, almost the size of two Swedens.

I could continue to give you more examples, like reminding you of those days last year when the temperature in parts of the Arctic approached 20 degrees above normal levels.

But we have enough examples, and the scientific findings are robust enough to conclude that a climate crisis in the Arctic is not a future scenario. It is going on as we speak.

So, let me be clear:

Global warming and its effects on the Arctic is not only a potential environmental and ecological disaster. It could also very well develop into a security threat of global proportions.

We must therefore step up our ambitions to combat climate change at all possible levels.

Sweden has taken concrete initiatives to strengthen the cooperation on climate issues in the Arctic Council.

I know that other countries, not least Norway and Finland, fully share our strong commitments.

The only sensible choice for the future is to embark on a paradigm shift in the development of societies and in our aspirations for providing a good life, not only for ourselves but for future generations.

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The people in the north, including the indigenous peoples, have the same right to economic and social development as the rest of our countries.

It is crucial however that this development is sustainable.

Supporting innovations in green technology and the use of best practices throughout the production cycle is therefore essential.

In this respect, I am rather optimistic. I think that we in many sectors have reached the point where there is a 'business case' for sustainable solutions.

Reopening coal mines belongs in the past. Producing steel without CO2-emissions, as done by our largest steel manufacturing company SSAB, is the future.

As politicians, our responsibility is to create proper incentives to strengthen this trend.

I am convinced that the Nordic countries, with their highly innovative Arctic regions, are ideally placed to assume global leadership in this respect.

In this context, I warmly welcome ongoing initiatives to further strengthen cooperation at various levels between the Arctic regions.

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Finally, I would like to highlight the importance of keeping the Arctic as a region of peace and stability built on the respect of international law including UNCLOS.

The Arctic Council is a unique platform for constructive dialogue and we should seek ways to strengthen the Council further.

But I also want to highlight the very important 'people to people' cooperation within the Barents framework.

To strengthen cross-border ties between civil societies in our Barents and Arctic regions is a true investment in peace and security.

Thank you.