Category Archives: Finland

Arctic Council meeting of environment ministers ends with talks about future cooperation

10/13/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM， Oct. 13(Greenpost)– The Arctic Environment Ministers’ meeting held in Rovaniemi 11-12 October ended with discussions about cooperation in addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and preventing pollution in the Arctic region.

The two-day meeting brought together ministers and high-level representatives from the eight Arctic Council States and from six Permanent Participants representing the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. The Observer countries and organisations of the Arctic Council had also been invited.

Many participants noted with grave concern the rapid ongoing changes in the Arctic confirmed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming. The IPCC acknowledges that the Arctic is warming two to three times faster than the global average. Many countries presented their national actions, including plans to speed up the reductions of the greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions as well as reducing emissions through innovation. Observer states were invited to strengthen their actions to reduce black carbon emissions. The need to increase cooperation on adaptation in order to strengthen the resilience in changing climate was discussed.

Participants welcomed the Agreement to prevent unregulated commercial fishing on the High Seas of the Central Arctic Ocean signed on 3 October in Greenland. In order to strengthen ecosystem resilience in changing conditions, measures and mainstreaming are needed to promote ecosystem-based approaches to management, and conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; cooperation to develop a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in collaboration with indigenous peoples and reduce marine plastic litter was highlighted by many. It was noted that international cooperation is needed to address long-range pollution that ends up in the Arctic region, including new emerging contaminants. The need to strengthen and sustain Arctic monitoring and observations, and use the best available scientific and Indigenous knowledge was discussed.

“On behalf of Finland’s Chairmanship, I wish to thank the Member States, Permanent Participants and Working Groups of the Arctic Council for their valuable inputs in preparing for this meeting and what we have now achieved”, said the Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing, Mr. Kimmo Tiilikainen. Finland also announced its support for international and regional collaboration on reducing black carbon emissions. The preparation of the summary of the meeting by the Finnish Chairmanship will continue in cooperation with the Arctic States and Permanent Participants.

This was the first meeting of the Arctic Council Environment Ministers in five years. The outcome of the meeting will be shared with the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting to be held in May 2019 and contribute to future environmental cooperation of the Arctic Council.

source: Finlands environment ministry government.fi.

Exchange, Finland, Green-tech, News, 科技教育, 芬兰新闻

今日头条：北极监督评估署发布北冰洋海水酸化的社会经济影响报告

10/09/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

北欧绿色邮报网报道（记者陈雪霏）–北极监督评估署9日发布信息称北冰洋海水继续酸化将会对当地乃至全球未来几十年的生态和社会经济产生重大影响。

这是在2018年北极生物多样性大会上发布的酸化评估报告。报告指出，由于全球温室气体排放造成了化学，生物和社会经济的影响。不断提升的酸化条件可能通过各种方式来影响海洋生物。有些生物可能在低的PH值情况下变形增长。也可能是食物链结构或者是肉食动物的关系等会发生变化。

The continuing acidification of the Arctic Ocean is projected to have significant ecological and socio‐economic impacts over coming decades, with consequences both for local communities and globally. This is the overarching finding of the 2018 Arctic Ocean Acidification Assessment, presented today at the 2018 Arctic Biodiversity Congress. The assessment, conducted by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) of the Arctic Council, updates a 2013 assessment, and presents the chemical, biological and socio‐economic impacts of ocean acidification, which is driven primarily by global greenhouse gas emissions. Increasingly acidic ocean conditions can affect marine organisms in a variety of ways. Some may experience altered growth, development or behavior if exposed to low pH at certain life stages. Others may experience indirect effects, such as changes in their food web structures or predator–prey relationships. Falling ocean pH levels – which are changing most quickly in the Arctic – are acting in tandem with other environmental stressors, such as rising air and sea temperatures, to drive significant changes in marine ecosystems, with impacts on the communities that depend upon them. While some organisms will benefit and others will suffer negative effects, we can expect a complex array of impacts on marine ecosystems. To better understand the socio‐ economic consequences of these impacts, AMAP commissioned a series of regionally focused case studies to examine how shifts in ocean chemistry may affect valuable ocean resources and northern economies. The assessment presented the findings from five case studies:  Norwegian kelp and sea urchins: This study modeled how ocean acidification and warming might impact yields of sea urchins, of which there are large and currently unexploited stocks off the coast of northern Norway. The model simulations found that harvest yields declined sevenfold over the next 30 years, with warmer sea temperatures as the main driver, but with effects exacerbated by acidification.  Barents Sea cod: The case study developed a model to examine the combined effects of fishing, warming, and acidification on cod, which has been a commercially important fishery for centuries. It found that ocean acidification greatly increases the risk of the collapse of the fishery compared with the risk it faces from ocean warming alone.  Greenland shrimp fishery: Shrimp accounts for between one third and a half of the value of Greenland’s fisheries. This study involved building a bio‐economic model to better understand how the fishery might respond to acidification and other environmental stressors, and the socio‐economic implications of those changes. It showed that uncertainty at all stages of analysis, from the rate of acidification, to its biological, ecological and economic impacts, meant such modeling is of limited value. Nonetheless, it illustrates that actions can be taken to better manage stocks and build community resilience in the face of uncertainty.  Alaska’s fishery sector: Researchers developed an index to measure risk faced by different regions within Alaska from ocean acidification, the first time such an exercise has been conducted focused on a high‐latitude region such as the US state. It found uneven impacts, with southern Alaska facing the greater risk, due to its dependence on susceptible species, forecast rapid changes in chemical conditions in the region, and its low levels of socio‐economic resilience.  Arctic cod in Western Canadian Arctic: While it is not commercially fished, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida, also termed polar cod) is a key forage species for the food web that supports the region’s Indigenous communities, and there is already evidence of its distribution shifting northwards as the ocean rapidly warms. Modeling and analysis tools were combined with observations to identify the potential effects of climate change and ocean acidification, finding they will likely cause significant changes in species composition in the region. Overall, the case studies show that effects of acidification, in combination with other stressors, are highly uncertain. This uncertainty underscores the urgent need for increased monitoring in the region, and for research that looks at the effects on species of a number of environmental stressors acting in combination. It is not only ecosystems and societies in the Arctic that are set to be impacted by ocean acidification in the region. The assessment also reviewed evidence that low‐pH waters are being exported to shelf regions of the North Atlantic, which are biologically productive and support important commercial fisheries. ENDS

Finland

Prime Minister Sipilä prepares for Finland’s EU Presidency during visit to Portugal

10/02/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

ByXuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä commenced a tour of the EU member states in preparation for Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union with a meeting with the Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa on Tuesday, 2 October 2018. Prime Minister Sipilä plans to meet with the prime ministers of all EU members states prior to Finland assuming the Presidency in July 2019.

“The agenda for next autumn contains a number of significant elements, including the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, and negotiations on the multiannual financial framework and on migration are likely to remain ongoing,” Prime Minister Sipilä said.

“Finland’s Presidency comes at an important phase for the Union, as it coincides with the appointment of a new Commission and the time when new strategic priorities will be laid out. At our meeting, I highlighted the importance of investing in security and sustainable growth,” Prime Minister Sipilä said.

The prime ministers also discussed the Economic and Monetary Union, migration, climate and energy, the bioeconomy, digitalisation and articifical intelligence. The discussions also focused on the bi-lateral relations between the two countries.

“Finland and Portugal enjoy excellent relations, and there are many similarities between our two countries. We are both small nations on the edge of the European Union, which means that we tend to share the same perspective on a number of key European issues,” Prime Minister Sipilä said.

“We also discussed forestry with Prime Minister Costa. Forestry plays a key role in the Portuguese and Finnish economies. I believe there is significant scope for us to develop our cooperation in this sector too,” Prime Minister Sipilä said.

Prime Minister Sipilä and Prime Minister Costa also attended the inauguration of Nokia’s new head office and a joint seminar held by Finnish and Portuguese businesses. A total of 14 Finnish businesses are taking part in Team Finland’s export promotion visit focused on forestry and the bio and circular economies.

Following the conclusion of his visit to Portugal, Prime Minister Sipilä will travel to Spain, where he is due to meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Thursday, 4 October. At the meeting, Finland, Portugal and Spain will release a joint statement of cooperation on the bio and circular economies.

culture, Finland

Finland to send abroad four ambassadors of education and research

09/29/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, SEPT. 29(Greenpost) — The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are working together to increase the visibility of Finnish competence at four destinations abroad. The first ambassadors of Finnish education and research, or Team Finland Knowledge experts, have been appointed to Buenos Aires, Beijing, Singapore and Washington.

The Team Finland Knowledge experts will promote Finnish educational and research cooperation and the exports of Finnish knowledge, expertise and educational innovation. The experts will be working at Finnish Embassies as part of the Team Finland country teams as of 1 October. First, they will undergo training in Finland.

“The aim is a more open and international Finland. The first four ambassadors of education, research and education export will boost internationalisation and exports and reinforce Finland’s reputation as a leading country in education, science and innovation,” says Minister of Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

“Next year the Team Finland Knowledge network will expand as we will be sending our representatives to Pretoria, Moscow and New Delhi. Other postings will be discussed later on,” the Minister says.

Emilia Ahvenjärvi was appointed to Buenos Aires from the post of an expert of education export at the University of Lapland. She has also worked at EduCluster Finland and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and as an education expert in Latin America.

Mari-Anna Suurmunne, who was selected to represent the network in Beijing, was Head of International Relations at Aalto University. She has also worked as Director of International Relations at Helsinki School of Economics and as an expert at the Embassy of Canada to Finland.

Anna Korpi, who will be heading out to Singapore, worked as a Director at EduCluster Finland. She was in charge of EduCluster’s East and Southeast Asia operations in 2014–2017. She has also worked for Jyväskylä Joint Authority for Education as Development Coordinator and for UniServices Ltd.

Ilkka Turunen was appointed to Washington from the post of Senior Ministerial Adviser to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture. He has also served as Secretary-General of the Research and Innovation Council and worked at the Department for Higher Education and Science Policy where he was responsible for international cooperation in higher education, among other tasks. Turunen has worked as Counsellor in Finland’s embassies in Paris and Brussels.

The Team Finland Knowledge experts are appointed for a three-year term, with the option of two additional years. They will be posted at Finnish Embassies.

The Team Finland Knowledge network will implement Finland’s policies to promote the internationalisation of higher education and research. The policy aims to build up the quality of Finnish higher education and research, reach a globally acknowledged pioneering position by 2025 and boost the exports of Finnish knowledge, expertise and educational innovation

Business, China, Chinese circle, culture, Finland, News, Sport

China and Finland Promote Cultural and Tourism to Improve Trade and Tourism Industry

09/18/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 2 Comments

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 18 (Greenpost) — At a Tourism Promotion Conference held in Helsinki on Monday, both Chinese and Finnish Tourism officials expressed strong desire to promote cultural and tourism to China and Finland.

Zhai Yuhu, Vice Director of Hebei Tourism Development Commission said Hebei province has great advantages and rich cultural and tourism resources. The Great Wall is in Hebei which embraces both the beach and the mountains as well as skiing site in Zhangjiakou where the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held.

He said the purpose of this visit was to implement the strategic decision between the two countries’ governments.

“In 2017, the governments of Finland and China made the decision to promote cultural exchange with an emphasis on Winter Olympic, energy and tourism,” said Hebei Tourism Development Committee representative Zhai Yu Hu.

The Tourism Development Committee of Hebei Province in association with the Chinese embassy in Helsinki and Visit Finland organised the tourism promotion conference.

The conference was held marking the year 2018 as the EU-China tourism year aimed at promoting the less-known tourist destinations in a proactive way.

Similar to Finland, Hebei Province also enjoys great sightseeing and snow sport activities in winter. The province is an internationally renowned ice and snow sports and tourism resort in China. It has more than 80 skiing resorts, of which the largest one covers about 156 kilometres. In the 2017-2018 snow season the area received as many as 2.741 million visitors.

In an interview with Greenpost, Zhai Yuhu said that Finland has long been known as an experienced country in ice and snow activities and sports, Hebei Tourism Development Committee likes to learn from Finland. Besides, the province also aims at knowing more about winter sports equipment from Finnish companies to elevate itself to the international level in terms of manufacturing them.

Zhai Yu Hu said that Hebei has similar geographical features as Finland, having great forests and a large number of lakes. Embracing the capital city of Beijing and other neighbouring municipalities and facing the Bohai Sea with a 487km coastal line, Hebei Province enjoys great advantages in attracting tourists.

The province has a variety of top tourism attractions, from the famous Great Wall, world-recognised geological parks and national reserves to the thousand-year historical complex of imperial gardens, ancient palaces and graveyards and temples, it is really worthwhile to visit, said Zhai Yu Hu.

Apart from a tourism promotion framework, Hebei also has a trade facilitation policy that allows 144-hour visa-free transit for visitors from 53 countries and tax rebate on shopping departures for overseas tourists. A new international airport near Hebei province will open to operation next year to facilitate travel.

Guo Xiaoguang, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Helsinki also spoke at the conference. He said China and Finland are really not far away from each other because there is only one country between the two countries, that is Russia.

Guo said that tourism is the best means to increase mutual understanding between the two countries. Therefore, the Chinese embassy to Finland also acts as a bridge between the agencies and companies of Finland and China in accelerating tourism cooperation.

To date, the Finnish national flag carrier Finnair has launched five direct flights from Helsinki to five different cities in China, thereby considerably increasing the number of Finnish tourists to China in recent years, while also adding a large number of Chinese visitors to Finland. Guo again and again introduced Hebei’s famous tourist destinations and warmly welcome Finnish tourists to visit Hebei.

The official tourism promotion board, Visit Finland representative Teemu Ahola, said currently Finnish officials are in China discussing further cooperation between China and Finland in snow sports in 2019 based on Xi jinping’s last year’s visit result. In December this year, Finland will go to Zhangjiakou to organise an opening event of the Winter Olympics 2022, which might become a good opportunity for promoting cooperation in sports and tourism between the two countries.

In an interview with Greenpost, Teemu Ahola said China is the fifth largest tourism market for Finnish tourism industry. They really like to tap the great potential of it and will organize promotion activities in China too.

During the promotion conference, the two sides also signed further agreements in deeper cooperation in the future.

About 100 people attended the event.

Finland

Finland is trying to improve referral of radicalised persons to services

08/20/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20(Greenpost)–Finland is trying to deal with radicalisation of youths and others and refer them to various services, according to senior specialist Milla Perukangas who leads the project.

Radicalisation is not a crime, but when it leads to violence, a radicalised person may be a threat to other people and society. The challenge is how to deal with radicalised persons who cannot be subjected to measures under the Criminal Code. The effective prevention of violent radicalisation requires not only that the police can take the necessary measures but also that the person can be referred to other relevant services, if necessary.

The Ministry of the Interior is carrying out a project which aims to improve referral to services and cooperation between authorities, NGOs and religious communities.

“Every public official or authority who receives a tip-off about a radicalised person should have the channel and networks through which the person can be referred to the right services. Nobody should think that “this is not my business” and ignore the matter. Cooperation, trust and partnerships must be built before any ‘crisis’ occur,” says Milla Perukangas.

Anchor model also prevents violent radicalisation

The project for improving the referral of radicalised persons to services was launched following the terrorist attack in Turku. The authorities had been warned of the man who then later stabbed several people in Turku. However, no measures were taken against him at the time because it was assessed that he would pose only a minor threat and the police had neither means nor opportunities to intervene in his actions. He was not referred to other relevant services, and therefore, his radicalisation continued up until the point where he committed a terrorist act. The report issued in June 2018 by the investigation team looking into the Turku stabbings states that in order to prevent radicalisation we need long-term measures covering the whole country and clear procedures.

The multiprofessional early intervention model — Anchor model — focuses on young people who act out by means of criminal behaviour. The aim of Anchor activities is to break the cycle of their criminal behaviour. Since 2016, the Anchor model has also been used to prevent radicalisation as decided in the National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violent Radicalisation and Extremism. Through Anchor activities, there is a direct link to municipal services. A multiprofessional Anchor team is made up of a police officer, a social worker, a psychiatric nurse and, in some parts of Finland, even a youth worker.

“In addition to those involved in Anchor activities, NGOs and communities play a significant role in the preventive work. Customers often find it easier to trust NGOs and communities than authorities. Local communities can help to reach out to those in a vulnerable position and guide them to the right services before they get involved in violent activities, for example. Extremist movements often offer individuals a community where they can belong and give them a purpose which they can promote and thus feel included. Religious communities, for example, are a resource which should not be underestimated. They can reach people who are in the middle of a crisis, and they are prepared to support people and stand by them as well as provide psychosocial support. The authorities do not always have enough knowledge or understanding of different religions, which is often necessary in this work,” says Milla.

After the stabbings in Turku, the police have improved the processes within their own organisation. The aim is that all tip-offs received by the police will be dealt with in an appropriate manner. The prevention of violent radicalisation and extremism also calls for broader cooperation and a wider range of expertise.

Aim is to have uniform practices and recommendations

The challenge is that different actors have no uniform practices or recommendations in place at the moment which would ensure referral to services. In addition, they are not necessarily able to identify the roles of other partners or recognise the added value of cooperation from the perspective of preventive work and their own activities. A lack of information is also a problem. It is possible that there are already procedures in place but not all key actors are aware of them. This may be due to the fact that all actors have not collaborated with each other before, and thus have not built up trust yet, or that they are not familiar with each other’s activities.

“As part of the project, I examine how referral to services has been arranged at the moment, how it works and what factors help or make it more difficult to refer people to the right services. I also interview actors involved (such as representatives of the police, municipalities and organisations providing services) in different cities, with the aim of identifying good practices which could also be utilised elsewhere.”

The report being prepared will examine the services provided by municipalities and cities. The key municipal services include health and social services, employment services and youth services. Violent radicalisation, social exclusion and acting out by means of criminal activities are all interlinked particularly when it comes to young people who are in a vulnerable position and/or at risk of becoming socially excluded. Young people are therefore an important target group because through successful preventive work it is possible to have a positive impact on their future.

Learning from international actors

A small group comprising representatives of the project’s steering group will make study visits abroad during summer 2018. The aim is to establish contacts and find out what we can learn from our international colleagues and what measures could possibly be implemented here in Finland, too.

“We will visit Denmark and the Netherlands, for example. Denmark has in place the Aarhus model, which is an excellent example of cooperation and mentoring between the police and municipalities. The model is already used throughout the country. Mentoring is also used within the framework of the Finnish Radinet (exit) network. Cooperation with religious communities is also important because there is so much prejudice associated with this theme. Such prejudices manifest themselves particularly in hate speech and make local communities more polarised. In Rotterdam, the Nerherlands, the group comprising representatives of the steering group will learn about the work with religious communities and organisations in particular, because our Dutch colleagues have a lot of experience in this field,” says Milla.

The aim is to draw up recommendations which can then be discussed with stakeholders in workshops to be arranged in the autumn. The report should be ready by the end of November.

“Hopefully we can make the necessary changes to the collaborative structures so that it would be easier to refer those at risk of becoming radicalised to the services they need. In the best case, this can prevent violent radicalisation and promote social inclusion. For the cooperation to be effective and for those in need to get the right services, I cannot emphasise enough how important trust is,” says Milla.

Milla currently works at the Ministry of the Interior on a fixed-term basis but she has a permanent position at Finn Church Aid (FCA), where she has worked with issues concerning the prevention of radicalisation, for example. She is very excited about her involvement in the project. After the project ends, the next step is to make sure that the recommendations will be used in practice.

“It is motivating to work at the Ministry of the Interior, which prepared the National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violent Radicalisation and Extremism in broad-based cooperation with NGOs and communities. What is most important about this work is working together,” stresses Milla.

Finland

Climate change calls for new solutions in the Arctic

08/20/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM,Aug.20(Greenpost)–The Arctic Resilience Forum, an international conference organised by Finland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Rovaniemi on 10–11 September 2018, seeks to develop the resilience of the Arctic region to climate change. This comprises innovative solutions, as well as management of weather and climate risks and climate change adaptation. The event is organised together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and is included in the programme for Finland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The acceleration of climate change has stronger impacts on the Arctic region than elsewhere on Earth, posing a serious threat to the region’s sensitive environment and the people who depend upon it. Adaptation to these changes demands close cooperation between researchers, public authorities, companies, and Arctic inhabitants. It also requires the adoption of a new kind of climate-resilient thinking. Further development is needed in, for example, meteorological and hydrological observation systems, flood warning systems, and dam safety.

“New and effective adaptation measures must be developed fast. To achieve this, we must enhance our research and technological competence, which is why education and development perspectives are in focus at the Resilience Forum. The main purpose of the event is to share best-practice solutions to the challenges we are seeing in the region”, says Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

“Finland holds the Arctic Council Chairmanship from 2017 to 2019, and we are committed to promoting actions to strengthen the Arctic region’s resilience to ongoing climate change. Finland is also working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda in the Arctic”, says Pekka Shemeikka, Chair of the Sustainable Development Working Group of the Arctic Council.

The speakers at the Forum include Director General Juhani Damski from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Professor and resilience expert Sverker Sörlinfrom the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and Head of the Arctic and Environment Unit of the Saami Council Gunn-Britt Retter. The Resilience Forum will provide a meeting place for representatives of the Arctic Council Member States, indigenous peoples’ organizations, members of the Council’s Working Groups, and observers. Also present are representatives of local Arctic stakeholders such as the Regional Council of Lapland.

Finland

French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly to visit Finland

08/20/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Greenpost.se.Aug.20–French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly will make an official visit to Finland on 23 August 2018. The visit will be hosted by Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö.

The ministers will discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, the security situation in the Baltic Sea region, materiel cooperation and current matters related to international cooperation. The agenda will also include the Finnish conscription system and crisis management cooperation, in particular the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

An inspection of the guard of honour and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Hietaniemi cemetery are also included in minister Parly’s programme. The FDrench minister is also to visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (HybridCoE).

During her visit, minister Parly is also scheduled to meet the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö.

Finland

Finland continues to help Sweden fight forest fires

08/01/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Sweden has requested Finland to continue to help in extinguishing forest fires in the country. The Ministry of the Interior made a decision on 1 August to continue the assistance until 10 August. The rescue team working in Sweden comprises about 30 people and rescue gear such as fire engines, water tenders, motor pumps and all-terrain vehicles, according to a statement from Finland.

The members of the rescue team are from the North Savo, Oulu-Koillismaa and Lapland Rescue Departments, and they are currently off duty and not on standby. This ensures that the readiness to respond to possible forest fires and wildfires is maintained in Finland. The firefighters are members of rescue departments or contract fire brigades.

“Rescue departments have showed flexibility and readiness to operate in long-term assistance duties. The strength of the team stays the same although the members are replaced by others in the middle of the operation. By helping Sweden, our rescue departments gain useful experience for our national readiness,” says Minister of the Interior Kai Mykkänen.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap, MSB) has thanked Finland for its significant contribution. Finnish firefighters have a lot of expertise, for example in extinguishing fires in challenging terrain.

The Crisis Management Centre Finland (CMC Finland), which operates under the Ministry of the Interior and which is co-located with the Emergency Services College, is responsible for practical implementation of Finland’s international civil protection missions. The Centre acts as the coordinator and employer of the rescue team working in Sweden. CMC Finland has also sent a technical team of three persons to support the rescue team. The technical team helps in logistics, communications and purchases on location.

Finland

Nordic ministers discussed infrastructure financing

06/27/2018 liyan dong Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM, June 26(Greenpost) — Infrastructure financing is undergoing a fundamental change, where relying on public budgetary resources alone is not a sustainable option. It is important to find new financial instruments and practices to enable efficient infrastructure development on a long-term basis, according to a statement from Finland.

Such new instruments were explored in the seminar “Rethinking Infrastructure Financing in the Nordics”.

The participants included the Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner, Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen, Icelandic Minister of Transport and Local Government and Nordic Cooperation Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson, and Director-General Ola Nordlander from the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.

“A well-functioning and up-to-date infrastructure is a prerequisite for competitiveness. Any delays or failures in the projects may cause substantial economic and social costs. It is most natural for us to work together to find the best practices,” says Minister of Transport and Communications of Finland Anne Berner.

“Infrastructures in the Nordic countries have a lot in common. Being able to share our ideas and solutions is important to maximize the possibilities and utility from future projects. Getting the most out of the funds we invest in infrastructure is the key to building a transport system that fits future needs,” says Ketil Solvik-Olsen, Minister of Transport and Communications of Norway.

“It is very important not only to discuss the investment itself but also how to finance operation and maintenance. I am looking forward to learn about the views and experiences of the other Nordic Countries. Communications and transport are merging and the future is interesting,” says Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Transport and Local Government and Nordic Cooperation, Iceland.

What next?Discussion about the financial instruments continues among the Nordic countries. There are significant benefits to be gained in infrastructure financing especially from transboundary investments and coordinated transport policies.

Editor Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Business, Exchange, Finland

Minister Antti Häkkänen: International community must work harder to stop financial flows to terrorism

04/27/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, April 27(Greenpost)–In order to fight terrorism we need to intervene in its financing, and international cooperation is required to achieve this, Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen said when speaking at a high-level conference in Paris today.

The conference dealt with measures to be taken by the international community to combat the financing of terrorism.

Around 80 states from all over the world and several international organisations attended the conference, which was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Criminalisation of financing of terrorism, firmly anchored in human rights, is an important and necessary means to prevent terrorist offences. However, this alone is not enough. The 80 countries from all over the world and the international organisations represented in this conference can together change the world by blocking the flow of money to terrorism. One of the most important ways to fight terrorism is to find the sources and channels of funding and then close them down as effectively as possible,” Häkkänen said.

Terrorism cannot be stopped without intensifying the international cooperation. According to Häkkänen, more effective international exchange of information is required to be able to trace financial flows all the way to their final destination.

“For instance, information requests on suspected terrorist financing should be processed by all states much faster than at the moment. In addition, we need to keep up with the constantly changing operating environment. Various unofficial, often anonymous and digital money transfer services make detecting and preventing terrorist financing very challenging,” Häkkänen said.

“Furthermore, we need more efficient and more extensive legal cooperation in criminal matters. Competent authorities in all states should respond to international requests for legal assistance without delay and cooperate as widely as possible. It is crucial that all countries present here today are committed to stepping up our collective efforts to fight the financing of terrorism.”

“An enormous amount of work is being carried out within the European Union to create a safe living environment for ordinary citizens. I also consider it important that the EU continues to be an active global actor that strives to deepen the international cooperation to fight terrorism,” Häkkänen said.

Exchange, Finland, Green-tech

PM SipiläFinland and India have good opportunities for cooperation

04/18/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM, April 18(Greenpost) — Prime minister Juha Sipilä and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting in Stockholm.

The development of economic relations between the Nordic countries and India was the main theme in the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on Tuesday 17 April. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä also held a bilateral meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including negotiations on trade relations between Finland and India and on promoting investment and other cooperation.

“Finland’s exports to India have grown over the past few years. Prime Minister Modi and I noted that opportunities for cooperation between our two countries exist especially in sectors such as energy, satellites and education. We have agreed to deepen cooperation in these fields and will hold further negotiations on concrete projects at the level of public officials, Prime Minister Sipilä said.

“I first met Prime Minister Modi in 2016 in India in conjunction with the Team Finland trade mission to India. India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it is important for Finland to continue fostering good economic relations with India. There are many opportunities for cooperation,” observed Sipilä.

In the meeting, Prime Minister Sipilä also raised the importance of free trade; indeed, negotiations on free trade and investment protection agreements are on-going between the EU and India. Sipilä also stressed the importance of international cooperation in regard to climate change and counter-terrorism.

India interested in Nordic solutions

The initiative for the India-Nordic Summit of the prime ministers of the Nordic countries and India was made by India. The premiers of all five Nordic countries attended in the summit.

In the summit, Prime Minister Sipilä held an introductory presentation on the impact of innovations, digitalisation and artificial intelligence on trade and commerce, jobs and economic growth worldwide.

During Prime Minister Modi‘s premiership, India’s infrastructure, economy and society have been modernised. Economic growth in India is forecast to continue to at a rate of over 7% both this and next year. Last year, the value of goods exports from Finland to India amounted to EUR 532 million and the value of imports was EUR 340 million. Finland’s main export products are machinery and equipment as well as paper and cardboard. In 2017, our services exports totalled EUR 747 million and services imports amounted to EUR 534 million.

Finland, Norway

Sweden holds presidency of Nordic Council of Ministers this year

04/18/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will attend the Nordic foreign ministers’ meeting in Stockholm from 17 to 18 April 2018, according to a statement from Finland’s government.

The Nordic foreign ministers will discuss, among other things, topical UN affairs and international questions, such as North Korea and Syria, the development of transatlantic relations and Russia, Ukraine, and security in the North Atlantic. Topical EU issues will also be on the meeting agenda, including Brexit and the Western Balkans.

The Nordic foreign ministers meet approximately three times a year on the invitation of the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This year, the Nordic Presidency is held by Sweden.

Finland

Authorities and researchers to seek solutions to Arctic navigation

04/13/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, April 13(Stockholm)–Satellite navigation is part of our everyday life. In addition to navigation, satellite positioning is required in electric and communications networks and transport services, for example. However, these systems and services do not function optimally in high latitudes, especially in the Arctic areas.

On 16-18 April 2018, authorities, researchers and business representatives of European and Arctic countries will convene in Muonio, Finland, to seek solutions to these problems in a workshop called Challenges in Arctic Navigation. The event is part of Finland’s Chairmanship Programme for the Arctic Council. It is arranged by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) that operates under the National Land Survey of Finland. The Arctic countries have not previously met to work specifically on the feasibility of positioning systems in northern latitudes.

“I am pleased that the event will bring together, for the first time, all Arctic countries to address the challenges of positioning in northern areas,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner.

A concrete example of an Arctic problem in satellite navigation is related to landing of airplanes. It is possible with satellite navigation in Central Europe but not in the Arctic region. This is because the network of base stations needed to focus the satellite signals is not dense enough in the northern areas. Another reason for the poorer accuracy of a navigation system are satellite flight paths.

“As accurate and reliable positioning is needed in the north as in Central Europe. Currently the systems are unable to completely serve the Arctic areas. Now we are trying to find answers to this,” says Minister Berner.

Satellite positioning is tightly related to the development of intelligent transport systems and services. The challenge in the Nordic areas is the uneven coverage of positioning. It unnecessarily slows down the development of autonomous transport in particular.

“In the next generation Galileo satellites, the northern dimension will be better taken into account and they will provide more accurate information in high latitudes,” says Heidi Kuusniemi, Director at the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute.

Finland will chair the Arctic Council in 2017-2018. As the chair, Finland is paying particular attention to positioning and good communication connections, safety of maritime transport and development of meteorological cooperation. These are tightly connected to positioning and satellite technology.

The event in Muonio will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Geospatial Research Institute as part of the Arkki project financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The project’s international network includes, among others, the European Commission, the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The cooperation partners include authorities, businesses and universities.

Finland

Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen’s speech in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences CASS in Beijing 2 February 2018

04/04/2018 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Ministry of Justice 3.2.2018 12.00
SPEECH

Ladies and gentlemen, dear professors,

It is a great pleasure to be here to discuss with you about a theme that I, as a lawyer, as a Minister of Justice and as a citizen, feel greatly attached to: the rule of law.

I studied law at the University of Helsinki. In 2012, the Finnish Center of Chinese Law and Chinese Legal Culture was established in Helsinki to promote mutual legal research between our countries. The Center has built strong connections with CASS Law Institute and several Universities as well as with many other major Chinese academic institutions.

Actually, CASS is the Finnish China Law Center’s key partner in China and has contributed significantly to deepening Sino-Finnish China legal research. A notable joint international research project has been conducted in the field of labour law. Other research collaborative projects between CASS and Finnish institutions have covered intellectual property rights, law and gender and climate change. These are important priorities also to our government. I am very happy to acknowledge that my former professors of faculty of law in Helsinki University have so actively engaged in Finnish-Chinese academic cooperation.

The rule of law is the core foundation of a modern society. It is the very backbone of Finland as well. Finland celebrated the 100th anniversary of its independence on 6 December 2017, and the festivities gave me an excellent opportunity to look back on the times when my country gained its independence: it was the respect for law and legality that paved our way to independence. Since the very beginning of the independent era, the rule of law has been enshrined in our constitution. Therefore, it is for a good reason that the rule of law was one of the key topics discussed during the year of Finland’s 100th anniversary. Several events were held where we discussed how the rule of law could be ensured in our country also in the future and how we could enhance the respect for it. Today, the rule of law still continues to be a highly topical matter in Finland.

As a matter of fact, this is true also at international level. Promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice for all is one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals that aim to transform our world.

What does the rule of law actually mean? Globally, the concept of rule of law does not have one mutually agreed meaning. Instead, states’ interpretation of the rule of law varies, which can be explained by historical, political, social and institutional differences between states. Your exact understanding of the concept probably differs from what I have come to understand. There is not a single, consistent understanding of the concept in Europe either. That does not, however, prevent us from discussing the importance of the rule of law.

Even though the exact understanding of the concept varies across the world, there is a widely accepted common agreement on the most central elements of the rule of law. Those elements are endorsed by the international organisations such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the European Union.

As you very well know, the rule of law is a multifaceted and complex concept, but I still would like to discuss some of its core elements next.

First of all, the rule of law is about legality. This means that a state and its institutions are bound by the law – any government is not allowed to act outside the law when pursuing its goals. The rule of law is not the same as rule by law. The state and its institutions must act in accordance with the law. Legality also means that the procedure for enacting laws must be transparent and accountable.

Secondly, the rule of law requires legal certainty. In order for this requirement to be met, it is vital that citizens and businesses have easy access to laws. All laws should be published and written in a way that enables citizens to understand the contents of the law.

The third element of the rule of law I would like to mention is the independence of judiciary and citizens’ effective access to justice. An independent judiciary is a key element of the rule of law and plays a key role in upholding the rule of law.

Let me also say a few words about the role and functions of lawyers and attorneys. I would like to emphasise that access to justice is a universal and fundamental right that is protected by international instruments and constitutional provisions. The freedom of lawyers and attorneys at their work, as well as their independence, is one of the fundamental human rights.

Respect for the rule of law should not be taken as granted. It requires monitoring and there is always room for improvement. Society is changing constantly and these changes may bring about new challenges for the rule of law as well. Strong pillars of the rule of law help deal with new, unpredictable challenges or even a crisis. However, this also means that we might have to think about new ways to ensure that the rule of law is always and in all circumstances fully respected. Let me share a few examples with you from Finland and from the European Union.

Last autumn, I launched a reform of the administration of justice in Finland. I believe that the separation of state powers requires strong independence of the judiciary, and therefore, in my opinion, the Finnish system calls for reinforcement in this regard. Today, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for certain operative tasks of court administration. The aim of the reform is to improve the independence of the judiciary by setting up a new independent national council for the judiciary. The tasks related to the administration of courts will be transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the new independent agency. In addition, we are currently reforming the procedural law in general courts. The aim of the reform is to make legal proceedings more effective without compromising the legal safeguards. This may be achieved, for example, by making wider use of videoconferencing possible in legal proceedings.

I am convinced that this reform will enhance the rule of law in Finland.

The other example deals with access to justice. In Finland, when it comes to public legal aid, the desired state of affairs is that every person receives the aid necessary to solve his or her legal problem at the earliest possible stage, regardless of the person’s economic situation. The objective is that all citizens have easy access to legal advice services through various channels. These channels include different forms of online counselling, electronic services, distance services, a telephone service and personal consultations. These channels include different forms of online counselling, electronic services, remote services, a telephone service and personal consultations. The more advanced online booking system and the chat service through which lawyers and other staff of public legal aid offices can provide general legal advice and guidance for citizens can be mentioned as concrete examples of the extended multi-channel service provision.

The European Union is founded on the rule of law. The Treaties which establish the Union confirm this, and the respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for EU membership. Cooperation within the Union would not be possible if this requirement was not met. The European Union consists of independent and sovereign countries, but cooperation within the Union goes much further than in any other international organisation. The EU is based on the idea of free movement of persons, goods, services and capital. There is a huge amount of interaction between the EU Member States, state authorities, individuals and companies, covering a wide range of policy fields. The respect for the rule of law makes all this possible.

Judicial cooperation is one of the central policy fields in the EU. A number of legal issues follow from the fact that persons, goods, services and capital move freely between the EU states without any internal frontiers. Hence, there is a need for effective judicial cooperation. In the EU, judicial cooperation between the courts and other judicial authorities is based on direct contacts. A judgment given in one EU state is directly recognisable and enforceable in another EU state. This means that a judgment given by a Finnish court in civil and commercial matters or, in many cases, also in family matters will be recognised and enforced either directly without any intermediary procedures or otherwise in a quick manner in all other EU Member States. The EU cooperation in family matters covers issues such as divorce, child custody, international child abduction, maintenance, successions and wills. In addition, judicial cooperation in criminal matters between the EU states is based on direct contacts between the authorities. This enables effective procedures.

For mutual trust to exist, the rule of law needs to be fully respected in all Member States of the Union. A judge who is asked to enforce a judgement given in another Member State needs to be able to trust that the judgement was given by an impartial and independent court where fundamental rights of the parties were respected. Similarly, it is vital for the parties to be able to trust that a judgement for which they are seeking enforcement in another EU state will be executed in accordance with law.

Any threat to the respect for the rule of law within the European Union could hinder such cooperation. Therefore, the EU has developed new means to ensure the respect for the rule of law in the EU. The heads of state and governments have in recent years paid more attention to the rule of law in the EU. Thus, the rule of law is being discussed at the highest political level of the EU.

Member States can now together identify new challenges that are posed to the European states and exchange best practices to promote and ensure the rule of law. New challenges may originate from a variety of sources. In recent years, Europe has faced challenges not only with the enormous migratory flows to Europe but also with hate speech and fake news, which form the reverse side of the positive technological developments and digitalisation. New technologies improve our lives in many ways and the social media provides new opportunities for communication with people around the world, but they can also bring about negative side effects. Fake news and hate speech are easy to spread in social media. These issues have brought about new concerns, also as regards the rule of law. These concerns need to be addressed, and this must be done in cooperation with other states. The annual rule of law dialogue at ministerial level helps to ensure and enhance the rule of law in the EU.

Lastly, I would like to highlight an aspect of the rule of law’s influence which is not always recognised: its implications for the economic growth. For business, legal certainty and effectiveness of the judiciary are vital. Various international studies show that there is interrelation between justice and competitiveness. Well-functioning, stable and predictable justice systems play an important role in determining economic performance and in boosting investments. Protection of property rights and enforcement of contracts encourage savings and investments but, at the same time, they also promote the establishment of economic relationships and have positive impacts on the development of economic growth and innovation. Businesses need to know that their rights are enforced and their cases dealt with by impartial courts. Effective justice systems create confidence and business-friendly environments. The impact of the rule of law on the economic growth further underlines its great importance.

I have understood that the new Supervision law in China, which is announced in 2017, could go into effect as early as March 2018. If it is enacted, the law will create one organization, a hierarchy of “Supervision Commissions,” to investigate and punish extra-legally, would have an authority to pass an extrajudicial investigation and punishment without formal court proceedings, not only Party members, but also many millions of non-Party-members who work as state employees across a wide range of professions and positions. Maybe you are able to elaborate this. Do you think that the adoption of the new law would mark a significant departure from the separation between the Party and the justice system?

As a matter of fact, according to the agreement between the Ministries of Justice of China and Finland, the aim of our cooperation is to strengthen the rule of law, and more specifically, to enhance access to justice, promote crime prevention and develop our judicial systems. The cooperation started as early as in 1995. Open dialogue, expert seminars and exchange of information on the crucial and central questions of the respective legal systems have been at the core of the Cooperation Programme at all times. As a result of this cooperation, a number of recommendations and proposals for development have been produced. We have agreed that the cooperation between our countries during the period from 2017 to 2020 will focus on legal aid and advice and on the development of community sanctions.

The relations between Finland and China are excellent are are being elevated to new level with the established “Future oriented new type of cooperative partnership” which was agreed during President Xi’s visit to Finland in April.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear professors,

I hope that I have managed to demonstrate to you how important I think the rule of law is for a modern society, for international relations, for cooperation between the states, for businesses, and for each and every citizen.

Thank you for your attention!