Honourable regional and national decision-makers of the Nordic and Baltic Sea region,
We, the undersigned NGOs, social movements, youth-led initiatives and individuals, call for urgent systemic action for a more sustainable future in the Nordic and Baltic Sea region. The upcoming COP29 conference is a critical opportunity to not only amplify global cooperation on climate and environment but also to drive meaningful regional climate action. As you prepare for this event, we urge you to include the perspectives and specific policy proposals of Nordic and Baltic Sea youth and civil society to ensure effective regional action.
With a legacy of innovation, environmental leadership, and strong welfare systems, the Nordic and Baltic Sea region is uniquely positioned to lead global efforts to address the global ecological crises. As a result, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to set an example of ambitious climate and environmental action for the rest of the world. However, our region also faces many challenges that demand urgent collaboration. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are transforming ecosystems, destroying biodiversity, and impacting food production while the Baltic Sea faces threats from eutrophication and remains one of the most polluted seas in the world. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated regional effort, which would also serve as a powerful global example of effective climate action.
The body of this letter was developed democratically during ReGeneration Week 2024, a meeting of over 100 youth environmental advocates from the Nordic and Baltic Sea region, and has been endorsed by the undersigned organisations, movements, groups and individuals. We present these specific policy proposals across five key areas—following the UN Environment Programme’s Anatomy of Action approach—that should be deployed in order to drive effective climate and environmental action in the region.
We ask that you consider these proposals, and leverage them during the COP29 negotiations.
Financial investments
The financial systems of our regions are deeply dependent on both local economies and global supply chains. The reallocation of investments is needed to catalyse the shift from extractive models to those based on sustainability and social progress.
We propose to:
Enforce fees or taxes on environment-destructive economic activities.
Shift investment priorities away from short-term profit-seeking to long-term social progress and environmental protection.
Shift to a circular economy based on sufficiency and away from the unsustainable growth-based economy currently in place.
Enable and support a free and fair international movement of people and ideas.
Transportation systems
Our region is heavily reliant on cars and short-haul flights, causing significant amounts of carbon emissions. The shift to sustainable transport models is necessary for reducing our carbon emissions regionally.
We propose to:
Create infrastructure supporting walkable 15-minute cities and circular transport services, while prioritising investments in biking and walking paths to create alternatives to cars and proposing car-free city centres.
Transform parking spaces into green public spaces.
Ensure that public transportation infrastructure does not discriminate against physical abilities, economic backgrounds, minorities or regional locations.
Ensure continuous funding that supports public transportation and necessary infrastructure, as well as the repurposing of older infrastructure sustainably and equitably.
Heavily tax local and national flights within distances where feasible alternative transportation means are available.
Incentivize sustainable transport models and disincentivize unsustainable transport models.
Ensure fair working conditions for public transportation workers.
Allow and promote ridesharing initiatives and hitchhiking.
Consumption and production
Even though our region has been a leader in waste management and recycling, the extremely high consumption rates remain a key contributor to environmental destruction. The shift to transparent circular models of production and consumption is necessary in order to achieve a more sustainable system.
We propose to:
Enforce fees and taxes based on the goods and services being sold rather than the area of production. Environmental economic activity not only includes direct production but also production happening through a medium or in another part of the world.
Facilitate community-level circular behaviours such as repair and reuse initiatives, to reduce consumption.
Forbid for companies to destroy and throw away products which are deemed functional but unsuitable for sale.
Support globally enforceable supply chain transparency regulation to ensure fair and sustainable production, as well as allow consumers to assess their purchases and consumption practices accurately.
Encourage individuals, public, and private organisations and companies to reduce their consumption to a level ensuring a sustainable future for our planet and all its inhabitants.
Replace GDP growth with a target that accurately reflects growth in human and ecological well-being (such as Genuine Progress Indicators).
Food systems
More than 70% of the eutrophication in the Baltic Sea is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices. This necessitates systematic changes in the management of food systems to protect both our environment and our food systems.
We propose to:
Encourage local, sustainable and decentralised food production, preserving farmers' rights to their lands.
Minimise the gap between producers and consumers through circular community-supported agriculture, while preventing food waste and decentralising production.
Shift from monetary profit to financially support localised economies, for example, providing subsidies to organic farmers so the organic products can be accessible to the average consumer.
Focus on preserving the crops and seeds that are indigenous to specific areas.
Promote ethical food production and fair treatment of workers.
Educate on healthy diets that emphasise plant-based alternatives.
Leisure and welfare
Even though Nordic countries rank highest in quality of life, inequalities in rural and marginalised communities remain. Equitable access to welfare and leisure is necessary for sustainability and social cohesion.
We propose to:
Encourage participatory democracy through solutions such as citizen assemblies.
Support mixed-use communities, while ensuring accessible public services and removing hostile architecture.
Ensure sufficient free time or leisure as a right for all, irrespective of wealth or responsibilities. Do this by providing financial support for access to leisure for everyone regardless of employment status, geographical situation, and age.
Ensure that large-scale events are organised in an eco-friendly way; that they, pollute minimally and do not degrade local nature.
In summary, our region bears the responsibility of preventing climate and biodiversity collapse, not only within our borders but also globally. We ask for urgent political and economic action to reach climate and social justice while ensuring human rights, personal freedom, and peace across and within borders.
It is essential to initiate reforms in government structures to move from colonial to democratic systems of governance. It’s necessary to practice a healthy democracy and make an active effort against polarisation, while also developing enforcement mechanisms that can effectively hold governments accountable to the agreements and laws they commit to, ensuring they adhere to and fulfil their obligations.
We ask you to promote educational change so that the committees addressing climate change at the governmental level can choose experts who have core knowledge of the issue. Sustainability education must also prevent the spread of misinformation.
Finally, we, as a Nordic and Baltic Sea region need to stop burning through resources that are not ours to take, neither from other communities nor our own future.
Signed,
The Open Letter is endorsed by over 300 individuals, organisations, movements and initiatives sharing a commitment to a sustainable, fair, responsible, and resilient Nordic and Baltic Sea region within planetary boundaries, including:
AbibiNsroma Foundation
Aksam
Ålands Natur och Miljö r.f.
Amolese Media Solutions
Asociación Biodiversa
Association "Darnios jungtys"
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
AYAFE Azerbaijan
Bhavna Choudhury/ The Indegenous
Boresha Life Empowerment Kenya
BUNDjugend / Young Friends of the Earth Germany
Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environment Programme
CIESPI
cirka cph
Climate change task force Cameroon
Climate Conservancy
Coalition des Dynamiques des Filles Autochtones
Congo basin Youth for climate
Dar badja zakouma
Den grønne ungdomsbevægelse
Dominic Mule / Greenstoration Kenya
EcoRevival Pakistan
EDEN
EIGHT-EIGHT 20 GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD
Electra Energy
ELECTRA ENERGY cooperative
Emmaus Åland
Estonian National Youth Council
Extinction Rebellion Lithuania
Force of Nature
Fridays for Future Eesti
Fridays for Future Latvia
Fridays for Future Lithuania
Future Minds
Generation Climate Europe
Global Shapers Stockholm
Global Youths Alliance For Change
Good Choices Nepal
Green Culture Community Initiative
Green Youth Alliance
Green Youth of Ukraine
ipades
iPledge Foundation
Jaunatnes organizācija Protests
JEVEV-ONG
Lives over Fossils
Miesto Laboratorija
Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny
Mouna Timan Erdimi ONG ATIMM
MOVIMIENTO ECOLOGISTA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DE VENEZUELA Eco UCV
Natur og Ungdom
Natuur2000
NGO Radi Vidi Pats
Nordic Bildung
Nordic Youth Biodiversity Network
Nuorten Agenda2030 / The Finnish Agenda2030 Youth Group
NURU YOUTH CBO
OAB Foundation
Plus One Tree Initiative
Prom Talent Africa
Regnbågsallians
REPLALEZ
Rise Renovation Relief
Rural Environmental Outreach Forum-Kenya
Sahel GreenPact
Souleymane Thiam/Youth initiative cen sad Sénégal
Steady State Manchester
Sustainable Lifestyle Club (UEF)
Terram Pacis
Thai Youth Coalition
Ungir Umhverfissinnar / The Young Icelandic Environmentalists
UNISC International
United Nations Youth Association of Denmark
Universal Versatile Society
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, WILPF Norway
YES-Europe
YES-Europe France
You-lean Chad Ambassador Network
Youth 2030 Movement
Youth and Women for Change in Eswatini
Youth Association for Development (YAD) Pakistan
Youth for Voluntary Action in Himachal
Youth Help Sierra Leone
Zero waste Žalec
Zielone Ogniwo
ReGeneration 2030 is a democratic and youth-led organisation, mobilising youth climate activists and movements from the Nordic and Baltic Sea region. Want to join us? Fill out a volunteer application form here.
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