We don’t say much but when we do, we make it count

Theme Day: World Climate Action Summit

13:00 Carbon sponge City – or why cities can help solve our climate problems (UNECE)
Faced with the urgency of reducing the carbon footprint of the building sector, constructing with more wood will not only require beyond incremental change, systematic cross-sectoral thinking, and innovation, but also legislative and financial incentives. Use this unique opportunity to discuss and network with experts and make the city carbon sponge idea a reality.

14:00 Pavilion opening
Opening of the COP28 Finland Pavilion, Action Over Words – Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, Finland’s Handprint in Climate Actions – Tuuli Kaskinen, Climate Leadership Coalition, Finland, Digitalization Reducing Footprint – Melissa Schoeb, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Nokia, Low Carbon Stainless Steel – Accelerating Green Transition – Heidi Peltonen, Vice President Sustainability, Outokumpu, Moderator: Severi Keinälä, Business Finland.

15:00 Media Event

16:00 The Role of Environmental Economics in Creating Systemic Change (CLC)
Interview with Professor Nicholas Stern and Prime minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo.

17:00 Speeding up global climate work –  thoughts and examples from pioneering Finnish companies (FIBS)
Speeding up global climate work welcomes you to the world of Finnish pioneers. Discover how innovation can fast-track climate action. Learn from industry leaders representing  the Finland Pavilion's partner companies and members of the WBCSD. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with inspiring speakers who are shaping a sustainable future. 
Panel discussion participants:  Rolf Ladau, President and CEO at Paulig Group,  Hanna Uusitalo, VP Environment & Sustainability at KONE Corporation, Heidi Peltonen, VP Sustainability at Outokumpu,  Alexander Nick, Senior Director, Climate Action at WBCSD. Moderator:  Kimmo Lipponen, CEO at FIBS.

 18:00 Evening Reception

Theme Day: World Climate Action Summit

10:00 A Clean New Industrial Era – electrification and decarbonization of heavy industries (Coolbrook)
Coolbrook’s CEO Joonas Rauramo will be joined on stage by industry forerunners and opinion leaders, including Fernando A. González, CEO of CEMEX and President of the Global Cement and Concrete Association, Anna Granskog, Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO of Climate Leadership Coalition, to share insights, experiences, and visions on decarbonisation and the potential role of industrial electrification towards net-zero.
The panel will discuss how they see electric solutions for decarbonisation. What are the possibilities – and where lie the challenges? What is the role of new technology?

11:00 Green steel accelerating decarbonization across industries (Outokumpu)
The surge in global population will lead to rising energy demand and urbanization – the global demand for steel is increasing while the industry is responsible for 7 % of world's carbon emissions. Meet Heikki Malinen, President & CEO of Outokumpu, André Küüsvek, President & CEO of Nordic Investment Bank, Laura-Marie Töpfer, Chief Sustainability Officer at Microsoft, and Subhagata Mukherjee, VP Global Head of Sustainability at Nokia to discuss about the future of low-carbon solutions to accelerate the green transition. The discussion is led by Maria Wetterstrand, Managing Director of Miltton Europe.

 12:00 No green without digital: transforming industries for a net-zero future (Nokia)
Digitalization will play a key role in enabling climate action. In the energy sector, it will support both renewables generation and grid transformation, allowing the sector to move faster with the green transition. Technologies such as digital twins and AI can also help hard-to-abate sectors find ways to accelerate sustainability efforts.
In this event, Nokia will bring together representatives from key industries to discuss how digital can help them decarbonize. It will also introduce regulatory and financing perspectives, debating what is needed to unleash the full enabling potential of digital.

13:00 Towards fossil free logistics and more sustainable e-commerce (Posti) 
Logistics ranks as the world's third most polluting industry, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Simultaneously, our material welfare relies heavily on the continuously expanding logistics network. This raises critical questions: How can we sever the link between the growth of emissions and the expansion of operational logistics? Furthermore, how can we collectively make a more significant impact in transforming consumption to be more sustainable, in collaboration with the entire value chain?
Anna Storm, Vice President of Stakeholder Relations and Director of Sustainability at Posti Group Oyj, a 400-year-old delivery and fulfillment company, will provide insights into how every company can contribute and explain why Science-Based Targets are the essential path forward.

14:00 Policy brief / Ministry of Environment - Marjo Nummelin and Juhani Damski

15:00 We do good! Net positive corporate responsibility (Technology Industries of Finland)
Discover Finland's unique approach as we pave the way for a climate-neutral Finland by 2035, with the public and private sectors working together. And we're not stopping there – we're creating climate handprint, benefiting all stakeholders. Explore 4 impactful climate solutions from Finnish tech companies that can make a global difference.

16:00 Ramping up climate investments through carbon pricing (CLC)
Welcome to our event focusing on carbon pricing. In this session, we will hear recommendations from key international organizations on the matter, as well as the needs of businesses investing in climate solutions. The speakers will share their experiences with the effective use of carbon pricing and discuss future collaborative actions. Guest speakers in the event are: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO, Mr. John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary General, ICC, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, IMF, Mr. Anders Adlercreutz, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Finland, Mr. Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director, World Bank Group, Ms. Jo Tyndall, Director of the OECD Environment Directorate, OECD. The event is moderated by Ms. Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, CLC.

17:00 Money and metal: Future of climate change lies in value chains – cocktail reception (OP Financial Group)
Join us as our CEO of OP Corporate Bank and keynote speaker Katja Keitaanniemi walks us through the financial sector's view on climate change and how value chains are in the core of saving the planet. Value chains are something we truly nurture together with our clients and partners so on stage with Katja is also Heikki Malinen, CEO of Outokumpu. Cheers to sustainable future which is built together!

18:00 Nordic Meet and Mingle

Theme Day: Health / Relief, Recovery and Peace

09:00 What’s your peace? Women leading the battle against climate and complex crises in Asia and the Pacific (Government of Finland and UN Women)
Climate change forces communities to rethink what peace and security mean to them. The rich tapestry of women’s lived experiences provides a blueprint for resilience. The event delves into the synergistic potential of climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, gender equality and peace, from grassroots action and normative environment.

10:00 Value for money? Auditors for accountability and effective climate spending  (National Audit Office of Finland & INTOSAI WGEA)
Budget allocations to climate action are not enough: spending must be effective. The session gathers government external auditors from Brazil, Canada, Finland, Maldives, and the EU to discuss performance audits assessing the implementation of climate policies and the global analysis of the INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing. 

12:00 Policy brief,  Anders Adlercreutz, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering and Erkki Liikanen, Chair for Trustees - IFRS Foundation.

13:00 Digital journey to net zero: decarbonizing digital to accelerate the green transition (Nokia)
Digital technologies such as 5G, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twins can help accelerate climate action. They are essential to mitigation efforts by cutting emissions as well as adaptation efforts by helping to identify, monitor and address impacts of climate change already being felt. 
But as everything becomes connected, demand for data grows, and the underpinning digital infrastructures proliferate, digital emissions will grow unless the industry takes action to decouple data growth from emissions. 
In this event, key figures from digital sector will outline their joint ambition and commitments to decarbonize digital to accelerate the green transition. This event forms part of the International Telecommunication (ITU) Green Digital Action track at COP28.

14:00 Finland, Clean Hydrogen Superpower of the North (H2 Cluster)
Finland holds a favorable position: the society is stable, infrastructure is well-planned, grid electricity is clean and the price is competitive in Europe, there is a favorable ratio of wind and solar power with immense potential for developing both. By 2030, Finland could produce over 14% of emission-free hydrogen in the EU. How do we plan to do it?
Anders Adlercreutz, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering will open the event. Speakers include Hydrogen Cluster Finland chair Simo Säynevirta. North European hydrogen development will be summarized by an open discussion moderated by Herkko Plit, CEO of P2X Solutions.

15:00 Driving the circularity of packaging: a path towards climate resilience (Huhtamäki)
By bringing together experts with diverse perspectives, this panel discussion will foster insightful conversations and generate ideas for shaping a future where packaging circularity contributes to climate resilience and sustainability. This discussion will cover the different drivers of the sustainability of packaging across the value chain focusing especially on the role of packaging in delivering affordable and accessible food and everyday necessities for everyone, everywhere. In an era where climate resilience is paramount, it's not just what's inside the box that matters, but the box itself – packaging is emerging as a crucial player in our journey toward a sustainable future. Join us to hear seasoned experts with diverse perspectives discuss a future where packaging circularity contributes to climate resilience and sustainability. The insightful conversation will delve into key drivers of sustainable packaging along the entire value chain, with a special emphasis on packaging design and the importance of recycling systems. 
Panelists include Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, Chief, UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section of the United Nations, Paul Collins, VP, Sustainability, Huhtamaki, Juhani Damski, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, Finland, and Rolf Ladau, CEO, Paulig. Moderator is Sonja van Renssen, Editor-in-Chief, Energy Monitor and freelance climate, energy and environment journalist. 
The event will be opened  by Finland´s Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Mr. Anders Adlercreutz. 

16:00 Accelerating integration of low-carbon waste management in Nationally Determined Contributions to reach climate commitments (UNEP/Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions) 
Generating less waste, promoting its sound management, and its responsible trade, are essential means to mitigate climate change and promote a circular economy.
The waste management sector can play a vital role in climate mitigation through a multitude of actions. First, through direct GHG reductions from solid waste management and, second, indirectly through waste prevention, re-use and recycling, which offer significant GHG reductions.
By bringing together experts from diverse horizons, the side event will foster the sharing of experiences and solutions to integrate waste management policies and circular economy interventions in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Panelists include Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN-HABITAT; Daniel Tutu Benefoh, Climate Change Director, Ghana EPA, Peter Simões, Chair, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Jorge Laguna Celis, Director, One Planet Network, UNEP and Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
The event will be opened and moderated by Finland’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Kerstin Stendahl.
More information.

17:00 Saving lives through people-centred early warning systems – Good practices from multistakeholder collaboration (Finnish Red Cross, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland)
Collaboration between governmental, humanitarian, scientific and international multilateral actors is essential to ensuring early warnings lead to life saving early action and contribute to the global ambitions of the Early Warnings for All Initiative.
In the Event, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain and WMO Director General Petteri Taalas will set the stage from international viewpoint. Speakers from Nepal Red Cross, Rwanda and Vietnam will highlight concrete solutions, good practices and lessons from ongoing multistakeholder collaboration in developing people-centred early warnings systems. Directors from Systematic Observations Financing Facility Secretariat and Finnish Meteorological Institute will share their experiences from multistakeholder collaboration.
The Event will be opened by Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio and moderated by the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.

18:00 Evening Reception: Feedstock, Fuels & Flights (Neste)
Aviation connects the globe. It connects families, finance, governments and continents. It is a vital contributor both to our societies and economies. Currently aviation accounts for about 2% of global emissions. The number of commercial aircraft is expected to double between now and 2050, and the industry has committed to achieve net zero in the same timeframe.
Airlines are relying on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to rapidly allow them to decarbonise as it’s a drop-in replacement for conventional jet fuel ready today, enabling up to 80% emissions reduction over the fuel’s life cycle, when compared to fossil fuels. The importance of SAF to the sector raises important questions about how it can be commercially scaled while maintaining the feedstock sustainability.
Business Finland is delighted to bring to the stage at COP28 a panel of experts to candidly discuss SAF, from the fibre to the factory to the fuel tank. Places are limited. Please register your interest in the event through this link!

Refreshments served at 18:00. Event commences 18:15. 

Theme Day: Finance / Trade / Gender Equality / Accountability

09:00 Different sectors, same agenda: How to encourage value chains towards fossil free future - panel discussion (OP Financial Group)
How can different sectors and operators work together towards cleaner future? What is the connecting factor with OP Financial Group, Neste, Valio and WWF? The largest financial services group in Finland sheds light on bankers view on climate change and brings together panel, which is moderated by our ESG and Sustainability Director Annina Tanhuanpää. On stage we have top notch leaders and directors talking about problematic emissions and why the future of climate change lies in value chains – and why is global cooperation still very much needed.
Come and participate to discussion part of the panel!

10:00 Digital for critical minerals: embracing circularity for a low-carbon future (Nokia)
Digitalization will play a key role in enabling climate action – but it will also drive up demand for critical minerals and metals.
The World Bank estimates that the proliferation of clean energy technologies could lead to a nearly 500% increase in demand for minerals such as graphite, lithium, and cobalt by 2050. Many clean energy technologies depend on extensive digitalization, including 5G networks, which will lead to a further increase in demand for key metals and minerals.
In this event, Nokia and guest speakers will unpack how the digital industry can embrace circularity to enable the green transition while also avoiding a metals and minerals crunch, all the while minimizing emissions while ensuring equitable access to key resources.

11:00 Decarbonization is a long-term investment (Outokumpu)
What is the cost of decarbonization? With investments to clean energy, low carbon raw materials and carbon capture, companies will need to find ways to remain profitable while committing to ambitious climate targets. Join the panel discussion as Outokumpu CEO Heikki Malinen, BlackRock’s Managing Director Sustainable Investment & Analytics Christopher Kaminker, SEB’s Chief Sustainability Officer Hans Beyer, NIB’s Head of Sustainability Luca de Lorenzo, and German Energy Agency dena’s Managing Director Kristina Haverkamp talk about the costs of climate roadmaps. The discussion is led by Irene Heemskerk, Head of Climate Change Centre at European Central Bank.

12:00 High-level dialogue: Advancing climate action through trade
Free flow of goods, services, solutions and innovations across borders is in an important role in climate change mitigation. Solving the climate challenge requires global collaboration, specifically trough trade, so that climate solutions can effectively be scaled up in markets across the globe.
Join us in a high-level dialogue on how international trade can be harnessed to accelerate the development and deployment of climate solutions?

Opening keynote is delivered by Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio, followed by a presentation by Kimberley Botwright, Head of Sustainable Trade at World Economic Forum.
A panel of experts discuss the role and importance of international collaboration and trade in advancing the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, presenting case examples from sustainable aviation fuels, nuclear energy and green steel. Panelists include Daniel Duma, Research Fellow, Lead of the Finance for Sustainable Development Programme at Stockholm Environment Institute SEI; Sami Jauhiainen, Acting EVP, Renewable Aviation at Neste; and Herve Maillart, Head Coordinator of the French Nuclear Industry at EDF, General delegate of the French Nuclear Sector Strategy Committee.

13:00 Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Bridging Discussions in Climate and Trade Forums (International Institute for Sustainable Development)
While there are commitments, agreements, and discussions within the UNFCCC, G20, SDGs, CBD, and WTO, at a global level there has so far not been enough progress on fossil fuel subsidy reform, and, more broadly, shifting public financial flows from fossil to clean energy. There are, however, a number of domestic actions that have been taken by individual countries that serve as examples for moving from commitments to implementation.
Led by the Government of Finland on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform, this event will first focus on domestic actions that countries are taking to act on their global commitments on fossil fuel subsidy reform. Following this the session will look at attempts to tackle fossil fuel subsidy reform across the climate and trade space highlighting the actions being taken through the UNFCCC processes and in the WTO, and focusing on the shared goals for reform from both perspectives that are influencing action at the domestic level. Speakers include Finnish Trade and Development Minister Ville Tavio, high-level speakers from Canada and the Netherlands as well as experts from industry and think tanks.

14:00 Building the bioeconomy we need (Stora Enso)
There will be 10 billion people on the planet to house, cloth and feed by 2050. We are adding buildings equivalent to a city the size of Paris to the world every week. The pivot to the circular bioeconomy is urgent and vital if we are to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5degrees alive.
Stora Enso is hosting an open and inspirational discussion on the bioeconomy. With the need to phase out fossil carbon, we are left with the current ecological cycles to carter for both carbon sinks, nature, materials and food. It seems tweeking the current system of land use and output is not enough.
This discussion will take a more blank sheet approach focussing on what is really needed at this ’solutions’ COP28. 
Panelists: John Kornerup Bang - Senior Vice President, Sustainability Transformation at Stora Enso,  Mandy Rambharos - Vice President, Global Climate Corporation at the Environmental Defence Fund,  Dr David Brand - Con-vening Chair of the ISFC - International Sustainable Forestry Coalition,  Peter Elwin - Director of Fixed Income, Head of the Food & Land Use Programme - Planet Tracker, Moderator Eleanor Besley-Gould – Associate Partner, Xynteo

15:15-15:45  Nordic Business Expectation of the COP28 Negotiations
Nordic business confederations release their joint COP28 position in the Finland pavilion at COP28. Together, Confederation of Finnish industries (EK), Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), Danish Industry (DI) and Swedish Enterprise (SN) announce Nordic business expectations of the COP28 negotiations.
Nordic business supports the Paris accord and the EU 2030 climate targets. We support EU’s mandate and the ‘global energy pledge’ to triple global renewable capacity and double global energy efficiency rate. While we support Europe’s climate change leadership, climate change is a global challenge and global cooperation is vital to solve it. The EU is committed to 2050 climate neutrality and we urge the international community to follow suit with ambitious efforts to combat climate change. International cooperation will increase the speed and cost-efficiency of the green transition, which requires massive investments. Hence, a strong future-oriented and sufficiently ambitious agreement, with all countries in cooperation and trade, is crucial for further measures and our ability to fulfill them. 

16:00 Political Economy of Climate Actions - How do Finance Ministers mainstream economic, fiscal and financial tools into climate policies – From Guide to Action (Ministry of Finance Finland)
Finance ministries in some countries have taken decisive action to strengthen their capacities and capabilities needed to put in place toolkits and reforms to drive climate policies. It seems that such steps require strong political leadership. The main objective of the Panel is to share experiences of this political engagement to drive the necessary changes i.e ‘political economy’ of mainstreaming climate actions in economic, fiscal and financial policies.
Keynote: Anders Adlercreutz, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Finland, Moderator: Pekka Morén, Special Representative of the Finance Minister, Finland, Dr. Magnus Brunner,  Federal Minister of Finance, Austria, Adam Wang-Levine, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate, environment and infrastructure, U.S. Treasury, Mads Libergren, Sherpa to the Coalition of Finance Ministers, Finance Ministry, Denmark, Closing remarks  Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC)

17:00 Scaling Durable Carbon Removals: Mapping global opportunities and obligations (Carbo Culture, Puro.earth, Rethinking Removals)
Come along to find out which policy measures are being progressed globally to scale durable carbon removals, and how the Paris Agreement could support this. We will be looking at good practice on the supply side and the demand side as the world legislates to keep 1,5 degree C alive. A state of play on CDR will be presented as well as what is happening around the negotiating tables for durable carbon removals.
Opener from Dr. Steve Smith, Executive Director, Oxford Net Zero and CO2RE, Oxford University. 
Discussants: Mr Anders Adlercreutz- Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Finland, Bilha Ndirangu - CEO Great Carbon Valley, Kenya,  Nikki Batchelo - Zprize, USA
Q&A moderated by Hanna Ojanen, Carbo Culture, Biochar Carbon Removal
Outcomes:
Update on the state of play in CDR
Meta-map for durable CDR policies from Puro.earth
Clarity on what are the key geotiation on removals at COP28

18:00 Networking event: From Shared Ambition to Steel-Hard Actions (Outokumpu)
The key to the decarbonization of our entire value chain lies in our ability to achieve ambitious sustainability goals. We need to take our words to steel-hard actions through collaboration between science, private sector, and governments. Join us for a drinks and networking event hosted by the sustainable stainless steel pioneer Outokumpu. We start with a discussion among Professor Amos Winter from Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, Jessica Olson, Head of Global Affairs at Topsoe, and Ville Tavio, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development. The discussion is moderated by Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO at Climate Leadership Coalition CLC. The event takes place at the Finland pavilion. 

Theme Day:  Energy, Industry and Just Transition

09:00 Practical steps for your Zero Carbon Industry - Start already today (Business Finland)
It is imperative for businesses to take a leading role in the context of the green transition. While acknowledging that change is a gradual process, there are already valuable best practices and lessons learned from pioneering companies that can expedite your own transformation.
Establishing strong partnerships within the new forming value chains will be a key determinant of success. The challenge lies in evaluating future partners effectively and ensuring transparency in your operations, demonstrating your significance within the value chain. Moreover, how maintaining profitability throughout this transformative journey, come and learn. Navigating this complex landscape requires a strategic approach, drawing on insights from industry leaders, forging strong partnerships, and implementing transparent practices. 
Panelists Mr Joonas Rauramo, CEO Coolbrook, Mr Paul Collins, VP Sustainability, Huhtamäki, Ms. Kaisa Lipponen, SVP Sustainability & Communications, Paulig
Host: Ms. Marika Ollaranta; Head of Decarbonizing Industries Program, Business Finland

10:00 Three things the research has to solve, before the hydrogen revolution is possible (Aalto University)
Proff Mika Järvinen, Director of H2 Inovation Center at Aalto University: Hydrogen has a potential to solve critical parts of the near futures clean energy puzzle. However there are still bottlenecks, that needs to be solved throughout the hydrogen value chain; from the production of the green electricity to the demand of the hydrogen products. 

11:00 Now we have the technical and economical means to combat climate change (Elstor/Soletair/Afstor)
Stop CO2 emissions with climate technologies in profitable way. "Factory of the Future" from Lappeenranta Finland will present concrete, awarded and technically and commercially proven technologies from 3 companies to combat climate change. Concrete actions over words.
1. Solar home system to profitably stop woodburning and dramatically change the life of families in rural African areas
2. CO2 capture integrated with building ventilation profitably and making buildings carbon neutral
3. Thermal Energy Storage to profitably replace fossil fuels in industrial steam generation with pure wins (5 benefits)

12:00 Policy Brief - Negotiations on Article 6, Finnish negotiation team

13:00 Building the first carbon neutral country in Europe by 2035 (H2Cluster)
Finland has set an ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2035. Clean hydrogen will be an integral component of economy-wide decarbonization and is set to become one of the world’s largest markets as the energy transition ramps up across the globe. Clean hydrogen will be key to decarbonizing difficult-to-abate industrial sectors. How are we building the first carbon neutral country in Europe?
The event will be opened by Olli Sipilä, CEO of Gasgrid. Speakers include Timur Gül, Head of the Energy Technology Policy Division at the IEA, Simo Säynevirta, Chair of Hydrogen Cluster Finland and Bernd Heid, Senior Partner, McKinsey.

14:00 Creating Solutions for a World That Lasts Forever (Outokumpu)
Pioneering solutions for the circular economy are the key to have a significant impact on climate and to mitigate biodiversity loss. How to accelerate circularity and advance a closed-loop economy? What are the key challenges in building circular value chains? We invite you to join the discussion with Outokumpu’s President & CEO Heikki Malinen and VP Sustainability, Heidi Peltonen together with Anna Celsing, Chief Sustainability Officer at Alfa Laval, and Karin Svensson, Chief Sustainability Officer at Volvo. The discussion is led by Maria Wetterstrand, Managing Director at Miltton Europe.

15:00 Let's Fuel Change: Accelerating sustainable mobility (Neste)
We welcome you to join us on 5th of December at 15.00 GMT+4 (Dubai time), when we take the stage at COP28 to talk about how to accelerate sustainable mobility. Today, Neste proudly stands as the world's leading producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which is widely acknowledged as a key lever to reduce aviation related emissions and to achieve industry’s goal for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Neste’s Sami Jauhiainen, VP, Renewable Aviation, shares the prospects on how SAF enables airlines, businesses and individual travellers to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of air travel or freight. Alongside Sami, we are joined by John Elkington, world-renowned sustainability expert and author to discuss the landscape of mobility transformation.
We have also invited esteemed professionals to join our panel discussion: Airbus Marc Hamy, VP, Corporate Affairs and Smart Freight Center Christoph Wolff, CEO.
Please secure your place by leaving your registration through this link. 

Theme Day: Multilevel Action, Urbanization, Built Environment / Transportation

09:00 Speeding Up the Green Transition with Electric Movement (Kempower) 
Jussi Vanhanen, Chief Market Officer, Kempower, and Antti Vuola, Director, Market Segments, Kempower, present the latest trends of electrification on land, sea and in the air. As transportation is responsible for approximately 20% of all CO2 emissions in the world, the electrification of transportation plays a significant role in making the world cleaner and more sustainable. Kempower, the leading DC fast charging technology provider from Finland, develops rapid charging solutions for electric cars, electric fleets, and electric marine to enable the green transition. The company has grown rapidly during the recent years through innovative power solutions and customer focused UX design. In their presentation, Mr. Vanhanen and Mr. Vuola delve into the electrification of traffic, different use cases of DC charging and the importance of data and software in developing e-mobility.
Jussi Vanhanen is Kempower’s Chief Markets Officer. Based in Helsinki, Jussi has over 20 years of international B2B sales and marketing experience working for various cleantech, electronic and transportation businesses. He possesses a wide range of expertise in electricity, renewable energy, power electronics, motors, and generators. Jussi has led Kempower’s marketing activities during rapid growth, helping transform the organization from a start-up to one of the world’s fastest-growing DC fast-charging companies in only a few years.
Antti Vuola is Kempower's Director of Market Segments. Antti has over 20 years of International B2B sales and marketing experience in working for various electronic businesses. His expertise resides in power electronics. Antti has been building the industry segment approach in Kempower to deliver a better customer success.

10:00 Plastic recycling as a gateway to net zero (Lamor)
Lamor CEO Mika Pirneskoski will address the global plastics challenge and demonstrate how plastic recycling can play a pivotal role in achieving a net-zero future. Discover how to lead in environmental transformation, driving sustainability while reducing plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

12:00 Policy Brief - Overview of the COP28 Negotiations current state of play. Finnish negotiation team.

13:00 Finding the best solutions for emission reduction (Aeromon)

14:00 Tampere venue: Smart solutions – sustainable future (City of Tampere)
The City of Tampere provides internationally awarded smart solutions for a sustainable future, building a functional urban environment for citizens. We leverage data, AI, IoT platform solutions, and digital twins to address climate challenges. In a smart city, the focus is on the future.
Key-note: From Climate data to decisions – Heat islands, Head of Global Sustainability, Dr. Kaisa Mustajärvi, City of Tampere, opening words: Deputy Mayor Ilkka Sasi, City of Tampere, Generating digitwins for safe and walkable city, Head of Development, Dr. Anniina Autero, City of Tampere, Finnish solutions at the forefront: CTO, Dr. Markku Ylönen, Polar Night Energy, Director Mathias Grädler, Wapice

15:00 People Flow in Sustainable Cities (Kone)
At KONE, we move over a billion people a day – safely, smoothly and sustainably. Together with our customers and partners, we make cities better places to live. In June 2023, our manufacturing units globally became carbon neutral – 18 months ahead of schedule and as the first in our industry!
Join us to hear from experts around building and maintaining smart and sustainable cities of the future.

16:00 Transition in Transportation (Business Finland)
Did you know that without maritime transportation, 50% of global population would starve and 50% would be freezing? One of the most pressing global challenges of our time is decarbonizing transportation as we race towards a sustainable future. The way we move people and goods is at the forefront of the battle against climate change.
Action over Words - Discover the innovative solutions, policy changes, and technological advancements that are reshaping the way we travel and reduce our carbon footprint. Together, we can pave the way to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable world.
Are you ready to drive change and explore the future of decarbonized transportation with us?
Key-note: Ms. Elina Kalliala, Global Sustainability Director Transport, Ramboll, Panelists: Mr. Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, ABB Marine & Ports & Chair of EU association Waterborne Technology Platform, Mr. Sami Jauhiainen, VP, Renewable Aviation, Neste Corporation, Mr. Elias Pöyry, Co-founder, Virta Global
Host: Ms. Helena Sarén, Head of Zero Carbon Future mission, Business Finland

17:00 Biogenic CO2 Utilization & Market Development (Stora Enso)
Stora Enso and Rocky Mountain Institute facilitate a panel discussion between forestry asset managers, biogenic CO2 suppliers, synfuel developers, and organizations involved in developing accounting frameworks. The aim is to better understand the potential of biogenic CO2 use cases, market development, accounting frameworks, and the opportunity to leverage forestry asset classes and biogenic CO2 more significantly as a carbon sink through BiCRS/BECCS.

18:00 Independence Day Reception

Theme Day: Youth, Children, Education and Skills

10:00 Shape the Future Industries (Business Finland)
How companies navigate the path to renewal?
In a world of rapid change and evolving technologies, industries are at a crossroads, faced with unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Explore the cutting-edge solutions, visionary leaders, and transformative ideas that are redefining the industrial landscape.
What is the role of innovations, start-ups, regulations and how European Union drives the change? How to balance tradition and innovation, economic growth and environmental sustainability?
Action over Words - Discover how we're not just adapting to change; we're driving it. Are you ready to shape the future with us?
Panelists: Ms. Lisa Lang, Director Policy & EU Affairs Orchestrator, EIT Climate KIC, Mr. Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President, Mobile Networks MEA, Nokia Corporation, Mr. Antti Vihavainen, CEO, Puro.Earth and Akseli Koskela, Deputy Director, Technology Industries of Finland.
Host: Ms. Helena Sarén, Head of Zero Carbon Future mission, Business Finland

11:00 Renewable energy & Empowering youth for the energy transition(YES-Europe)
Join the two biggest EU youth organizations in a session that will gather representatives from different sectors to discuss a solution to the disparity between current RES deployment and the benchmarks set by the Paris Agreement. Discover a tool to tackle the global RES skills gap, while boosting the capacity of youth workforce.

12:00 Policy Brief - Climate Finance, Finnish Negotiation Team

13:00  Green transitions require green skills – building an organization with capable of a green  transition (Demos Helsinki)
A green transition requires organizations capable of transformation. For this, organizations need transformational green skills and leadership, and the tools to build and adapt them over time. Come explore the cutting-edge with a multi-sectoral panel, and learn why now is the time to act together to unlock the skills needed for a green transformation.
Moderator: Otso Sillanaukee, Team Lead Expanding Agency in Decarbonisation, Demos Helsinki
Panelists: Dr. Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer, EIT-Climate-KIC, Christina Niemelä Ström, Global Head of Sustainability Supply and Strategic Sustainability Assignments, Inter IKEA, Mike Williams, Senior Fellow Energy & Environment, Center for American Progress, Branca Americano, Senior Expert Climate Policy, Instituto Talanoa.

14:00 Unleashing our full potential to tackle climate change (Business Finland) 
Climate change affects us all, but its impacts are not distributed equally. It is important to ensure that the benefits of innovative solutions are accessible to everyone, leaving no one behind. Together, we aim to delve into the challenges and opportunities that arise when striving for an inclusive and equitable energy transition, while fostering the innovation necessary to drive transformative change.
Panelists, HE Tuula Yrjölä, Ambassador of Finland to UAE, Lisa Lang, Director Policy & EU Affairs Orchestrator, EIT Climate Kic , Laia Guitart, Project Leader for COP28 at YES Europe and Projects officer at E.DSO, Akseli Koskela, Deputy Director, Technology Industries of Finland
Moderator: Helena Sarén, Head of Zero Carbon Future mission, Business Finland

15:00 Transformative education stops climate change for greening societies (Bridge 47)
UNESCO, EU, member states and civil society can work together to transform societies through the power of with attitude of learning. Everyone needs competences for combatting the climate crisis. Learning needs to happen everywhere and throughout life. It´s pivotal to work cross-sectorally and with all stakeholders to ensure that systems respond to global challenges. Want to know how to do that? Be there!

16:00 Hope for the Cryosphere: Exploring feasible pathways to protect ice (Ocean Visions)
Join us for an urgent event addressing the profound impacts of rapid ice loss in the polar regions on global climate stability. Discover innovative pathways to prevent cryosphere loss and combat climate tipping points. Our panel of experts, including youth organizations and leading academic experts from Finland, will delve into solutions, knowledge gaps, and governance concerns. 

17:00 Earth observations to assess nature-based carbon removals (ICOS)
A reliable carbon removal certification system should support the climate mitigation chain by empowering key stakeholders while deterring greenwashing and fraud. But what is a reliable system? How does it work? Listen to our experts to learn how Earth Observations play a crucial role in markets and protect essential natural co-benefits.

Theme Day: Nature, Land use and Oceans

10:00  Traditional knowledge and indigenous participation in climate policy and climate action – a Nordic example (Fingo)
How can climate decision making systematically include different forms of knowledge? This year, the Government of Finland appointed the Sámi Climate Council: a new, internationally unique, independent expert body, tasked with bringing the knowledge base and perspectives of the Sámi people into national climate policy processes. The Sámi culture is particularly climate vulnerable as it is dependent on Arctic environments, among the hardest hit by climate impacts.
This discussion will shed light on both challenges and solutions for overcoming barriers to integrating traditional knowledge and promoting inclusivity in climate governance. Speakers include: Klemetti Näkkäläjärvi, Chair of the Sámi climate council, Senior Ministerial Adviser Karoliina Anttonen, Ministry of the Environment, Tuomas Aslak Juuso, Chair of the Sámi Parliament, Gunn-Britt Retter, Head of Arctic and Environmental Unit of the Saami Council, Markku Ollikainen, member of the Sámi climate council.

The event will be facilitated by Tiana Carter, Vice-Co Chair of the LCIPP Facilitative Working Group.

11:00 Legislating 1.5 °C-aligned action - lessons from Finland  (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation)
Going beyond carbon neutrality is imperative to align climate action to 1,5 °C. Finland has set the goal to become carbon neutral in 2035 and carbon negative thereafter in the national Climate Change Act. We explore the lessons to learn from the implementation of the Climate Change Act, policies to enhance natural carbon sinks and the first Finnish climate litigation case.
Speakers: Professor Joeri Rogelj, Director, Grantham Institute and Imperial College London, Member of ESABCC, Lead author of IPCC 1.5°C Special Report
Professor Markku Ollikainen, Chairperson, Finnish Climate Change Panel
Professor Kati Kulovesi, International Law, University of Eastern Finland
Facilitator: Kaisa Kosonen, Senior Policy Advisor, Greenpeace
Organizers: Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Greenpeace and 2035 Legitimacy

12:00 Policy Brief – Situation of the Global Stocktake, Kaarle Kupiainen from the Finnish Negotiation Team & Voice of the NGO's, Kaisa Kosonen from Greenpeace Nordic and Emilia Runeberg from Finnish Development NGOs

13:00 Accelerating Industrial Decarbonization and the Energy Transition (Finland Chamber of Commerce)
How can we fast forward to a carbon free energy system and the end of industrial carbon emissions? The International Energy Agency has laid out the path to Net Zero 2050. The Unites States pushes decarbonization both home and abroad. Finland plans to lead the way by doubling clean power generation and ending industrial point source emissions by mid-2030’s.
Join us in exploring how to deploy the required investments and technologies to leave behind the fossil fuel era.
Keynote Speakers:  Mary Warlick, Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency, Julie Cerqueira, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy, Kai Mykkänen, Minister for Climate and the Environment, Finland, Moderator: Teppo Säkkinen, Senior Advisor, Finland Chamber of Commerce. 

14:00 Cross-sector collaboration for carbon capture: Industry, Research, and Government Partnerships (Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center) 
How can we accelerate worldwide carbon capture and storage efforts? Join us at the world-leading Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center (ACCC) as we explore carbon capture, storage, and strive for best practices in achieving common standards.
We are a multidisciplinary group of 800 researchers and employ cutting-edge science, technology, and big data to comprehend natural carbon sinks, emissions, and air quality. Come and listen to our message, we believe the world has a lot to learn!
Opening keynote, Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment in Finland High level keynote, Oliver Geden, Head of Research Cluster Climate Policy and Politics German Institute for International and Security Affairs Berlin, Germany, Safe Climate and Clean Air Miikka Dal Maso, Professor, Tampere University / ACCC, Jouni Keronen, Professor of Practice, University of Helsinki/ ACCC (video)
Panel discussion “Cross-sector Collaboration for Carbon Capture: Industry, Research, and Government Partnerships” A need for collaboration between industries, research institutions, and government bodies to advance carbon capture and storage initiatives
Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment in Finland, Oliver Geden, Head of Research Cluster Climate Policy and Politics German Institute for International and Security Affairs Miikka Dal Maso, Professor, Tampere University / ACCC, Sami Paatero, Adviser, Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center, ACCC, Chair, ACCC Innovation Forum, Moderator: Hanna Lappalainen, Adjunct professor, University of Helsinki / ACCC, Closing remarks
Discussion on the broader role of science in addressing climate challenges

15:00 Sea ice properties are changing due to the climate change. Why should we care? (Aalto University)
Proff Jukka Tuhkuri Sea and Arctic Research Team at Aalto University:  Climate change has an impact not only on the quantity of the sea ice, but also the ice quality changes and that possesses new challenges to planning and construction of off-shore wind farms, shipping and fixed structures in cost regions.

16:00 The European Green Deal 2.0 – Tackling the twin crisis of climate change and nature loss (The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra)
Since its launch in 2019, the European Green Deal has been the flagship strategy of the von der Leyen Commission. It has provided Europe with new jobs and investment, accelerated Europe’s green transition, and helped member states break away from fossil energy use.
A new European Commission will take office in late 2024. The European Green Deal 2.0 should take an even more integrated approach to solving the twin crisis of climate change and nature loss, while boosting Europe’s competitiveness and strengthening its resilience.
Join this high-level event and hear representatives of the Council of the European Union, European Commission and European Parliament describe their vision of the future Green Deal. Speakers include Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Kai Mykkänen, Director General of DG Environment, Florika Fink-Hooijer, and Members of the European Parliament Maria Spyraki (European People’s Party), Silvia Modig (The Left) and Martin Hojsík (Renew Europe). The event will be moderated by Leading Specialist, Ms. Tuuli Hietaniemi from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.

17:00 Pathways to Just Transition – leading by the example by the churches of Finland, Sweden and Tanzania (Felm)
With close to 20 million members, these churches have a significant role in advancing just solutions to the climate crisis. Swedish bishop Marika Markovits and Finnish climate specialist Ilkka Sipiläinen showcase why Nordic churches are global leaders among their peers in taking concrete action toward climate neutrality. Erick Kapira, a youth climate activist, explains why the Lutheran Church of Tanzania is among the trusted institutions providing know-how for communities in peril due to extreme weather. The discussions about advancing just transitions are led by Pia Björkbacka from the central organization of Finnish unions.

18:00 Science Evening (Aalto University, University of Helsinki)
Roundtable discussion on how to transfer sustainability research and innovation faster to businesses and other parts of the society. Please join the discusion!

Theme Day: Food, Agriculture and Water

09.00 Threats and opportunities for global food systems (Aalto University).
Researchers Vilma Sandström, Mika Jalava, Water & Development Research Group at Aalto University: How to produce enough food, in sustainable manner for growing global population? What are the opportunities for scaling sustainable food production and what are the risks to be avoided. 

10:00 Same Questions, Different Solutions: Changemakers of Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland)
What is needed to support systemic change in food production and consumption? We bring together diverse actors to present intriguing hands-on solutions and best practices for building more sustainable and climate-resilient food systems. Our speakers include policy-makers, scientists, and young farmers.
Speakers: Titta Kotilainen, senior scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Mika Malin, carbon farmer and member of Baltic Sea Action Group’s carbon action network, Kati Anttalainen, Finland’s national focal point for UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership, Kemei Mark Kiprono, young farmer from Kenya, Kenyan Farmer Organisation KENAFF and Éliane Ubalijoro, CEO of CIFOR-ICRAF.

12:00 Polic Brief -  State of play in the ongoing negotiations/Finnish head of delegation, Minister for Environment and Climate Kai Mykkänen

13:00 Solving the nuclear waste problem - how the world can learn from Finland (Nuclear 4 Climate)
 As the world reconsiders using nuclear energy to help deliver ambitious climate goals at scale, critics often point to the issue on how to manage nuclear waste safely and securely. Finland is a world leader on this and demonstrates a real-world solution implementing the principles of a circular economy when it comes to nuclear waste management. The Onkalo project showcases the answer to a bottleneck in public acceptance of nuclear energy expansion in service of societies, with the goal of achieving SDGs and mitigating climate change. 
Speakers: Kai Mykkänen - Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland, Yves Desbazeille - Director General, nucleareurope, Tiina Jalonen -Development Director, SVP, Posiva, Michel Berthélemy – Chief of Staff & Nuclear Strategic Policy Advisor, Nuclear Energy Agency, Moderator: Hannah Fenwick - Nuclear for Climate COP28 Lead

14:00 Climate intervention – mad or not? Why the Nordics should take the lead (Operaatio Arktis)
Climate intervention is necessary if we are to keep below 1.5°C and avoid crossing some earth system tipping points. Marianne Hagen (UArctic) and Dr Shaun Fitzgerald OBE FREng (Cambridge) join youth-led think tank Operaatio Arktis to discuss the role of Nordic countries in solar radiation management and ice sheet conservation R&D and governance.

16:00 Overcoming the regulatory and financial barriers to reducing agricultural methane emissions (World Resources Institute)
We focus on the win-win opportunities to reduce CH4 emissions intensity, explore best practices & incentives, & highlight areas for increased R&D investment needed from government, private sector & financial institutions. Here we launch the Enteric Fermentation R&D Accelerator—one of the innovation sprints by AIM for Climate with inputs from the Global Methane Hub, GIZ, World Bank, Cargill & national governments.

Final Negotiations

11:00 Sailing for Change: Innovation for the Decarbonization of the Maritime Sector with Ecoship (Peace Boat) 
A dynamic discussion on the remarkable potential for wind power to lead the decarbonization of the maritime sector with the example of Ecoship. Hear from experts in the industry and see how the nature-inspired vessel featuring 6,000m2 of solar panels and 8 retractable sails will sail as a flagship for the UN SDGs, peace and sustainability.

12:00  AgroAdapt: Cultivate the Future - A simulation game for anticipatory climate governance and climate-resilient agrifood system transformation (FAO)
 The description of the event - In addressing the challenges of climate change in the agri-food system, a novel serious game has been developed. Integrating real data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation - Global Agro-Ecological Zoning (GAEZ) with simulations, this innovative approach empowers stakeholders to actively contribute to resilient decision-making, offering a dynamic perspective on shaping adaptable agricultural systems amidst evolving climate scenarios.

Final negotiations