BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 20. Sweden is determined to achieve climate neutrality by 2045, with net negative emissions thereafter, said Romina Pourmokhtari, the country's Minister for Climate and Environment as she addressed the COP29 summit in Baku, Trend reports.
"Our strategy relies on harnessing the innovation and the dynamic of our business sector," Pourmokhtari said, pointing to Sweden's advancements in renewable energy, nuclear power, green steel, and sustainable finance.
"Climate change threatens our very existence," Pourmokhtari stated, underscoring the critical need for immediate action. "But I stand here before you not only with a message of urgency, but with one of hope and unparalleled opportunity." She pointed to the irrefutable science and warnings in countless IPCC reports as a call to action but also highlighted the potential for prosperity through a green transition.
Sweden commended the historic agreement made at COP28 in Dubai, which she called a "turning point towards a future liberated from fossil fuels." Pourmokhtari urged that at COP29, the international community must honor this progress. "Renewable energy will lead the way, and nuclear power too has a pivotal role in achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050," she emphasized, reiterating that tripling nuclear capacity worldwide would help keep the 1.5°C temperature goal within reach.
Looking to the future, Pourmokhtari called on all countries to submit new, ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP30. "We must have commitments that span our entire economies, cover all greenhouse gases, and align fully with the 1.5°C goal," she said, pledging Sweden’s support as a steadfast partner in shaping and implementing these goals.
In addition to domestic efforts, Pourmokhtari reaffirmed Sweden's commitment to international climate financing. "Between 2022 and 2023, we have increased our international climate financing by more than $80 million," she reported. "Sweden is proud to announce a pledge to the Green Climate Fund of more than $750 million, as well as a pledge of approximately $20 million for the fund responding to loss and damage."
However, Pourmokhtari stressed that achieving the Paris Agreement’s ambitions requires a fundamental transformation of both domestic and global economies and financial systems. "The new collective quantified goal on climate finance must be bold and it must be relevant," she said. "We want every country to commit to this new goal, with those in a position to do so contributing financially, and recipient countries delivering results on the ground."