Opening Remarks by Minister Elina Valtonen at the OSCE Chairpersonship Climate Forum

Opening Remarks by Minister Elina Valtonen at the OSCE Chairpersonship Climate Forum

Opening Remarks by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen, at the OSCE Chairpersonship Forum, Building a Resilient Future in a Changing Climate, in Prague on 11 September 2025.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great privilege and pleasure to welcome you to the OSCE Chairpersonship Forum, Building a Resilient Future in a Changing Climate.

We are glad to host the Chairpersonship Forum together with the Czech Republic. Prague holds significant historical value for the OSCE's Economic and Environmental Dimension, having hosted the annual on economic and environmental event since 1993.

I want to thank all who supported our efforts for a mandated Economic and Environmental Forum. Regrettably the current political climate prevented holding it.

Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine has not only caused unimaginable human suffering and severe material losses, it has also caused devastating environmental damage and a huge disruption to climate efforts and collective security.

As conflicts and wars take center-stage, climate-related risks and environmental degradation are in danger of fading into the background. Russia's war in Ukraine, however, has placed climate and environmental cooperation in a new and challenging light.

Environmental damage can be a deliberate war tactic, its goal being to make a country uninhabitable. This tactic is reprehensible as there is no security without a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Moreover, there is a clear connection between climate and security. Individuals, economies, communities, states, even international stability are all affected by climate related security risks. They intensify existing vulnerabilities and contribute to instability and conflict.

It is therefore clear that more action on climate security is called for, a view I am certain the participants of this forum share.

The OSCE is a particularly suitable forum for discussing the links between climate and security, thanks to its comprehensive security approach, mandate that supports broad security dialogue and, framework, that allows these connections to be explored holistically.

This organization, therefore, with its expertise, projects and field presence, can play meaningful role in this important area.

To continue this discussion on the OSCE's comparative advantage and to elevate its climate and security ambitions, Finland commissioned a study on the OSCE's climate security agenda. We hope the report plays a role in strengthening the Organization and allows to further the work and dialogue at the intersection of climate and security.

I wish you a fruitful exchange on the report and wish you all a successful Forum!

Thank you.