Minister Väyrynen met with the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in India
Press release 212/2007
22 October 2007
The discussion focused on environment-related processes and the post-Kyoto Protocol period. According to Pachauri, the attitude of the United States towards agreement on an arrangement following the Kyoto Protocol has become more positive. Väyrynen and Pachauri concurred that the UN should strive to gather together all environment-related global negotiations processes and cooperation forums.
Rajendra Pachauri leads activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in which more than 2,000 researchers from all over the world take part. The primary task of the IPCC is to collate and assess scientific reports dealing with climate change. For this purpose, researcher teams collect published scientific data on climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC does not conduct research itself; rather the Panel gathers and analyses existing data.
Governments take part in compilation of the reports above all during their planning stage, when the task is defined, and again at the final stage of the work, when the IPCC approves the reports. The purpose of the IPCC reports is to produce scientific data meaningful for decision-making; however, without giving political recommendations. Some twenty researchers and experts employed, for instance, at the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the University of Helsinki and the University of Joensuu participate in the work of the Finnish panel.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established 19 years ago by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Minister Väyrynen also met with Indian Ministers
Together with Minister for Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath, Minister Väyrynen attended a lunch event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Minister Väyrynen also met with ministers in three other sectors.
The ministerial meetings explored possibilities for economic and commercial cooperation and investments between Finland and India. The ministers also discussed topical global issues.
Minister Väyrynen started a five-day export promotion trip to India on Monday. On his trip, the minister is accompanied by a business delegation of about 20 people. From New Delhi, the trip continues to Chennai and Mumbai.
Additional information: Deputy Director General Päivi Luostarinen, tel. +358 40 703 2345; requests for interviews to Pirjo-Liisa Heikkilä, Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, tel. +358 40 705 5623.