Climate change is a pressing global security issue

Climate change is a pressing global security issue, and should be handled as such, Norway’s minister for the Environment, Helen Bjørnøy, stated summing up the NY-Aalesund Symposium ”Climate change – A need for Action”.

The Symposium contributed to further insight on the consequences of climate change, and that these consequences appear sooner than predicted. On the scientific side it was stressed that scientific research by nature is cautious. We must prepare for surprise, that the future could hold unforeseen consequences outside the scope of current research activities. Thus, reducing emissions and adaptation to global warming must go hand in hand.

- We already have the means to contain climate change, with only moderate economic sacrifice if we act now, says minister for the environment Helen Bjørnøy.
Participants from business and industry stated their wish to provide solutions, but this is conditioned by a stable, long-term framework, making green technology the market winner of the future.

- We have had a fruitful dialogue with distinguished representatives from China, USA, Japan and the EU, and the Symposium has been an important part of our preparations to the forthcoming conference in Bali in December, says minister for the Environment Helen Bjørnøy.