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As the seats in the Nordic pavilion started to fill up, UNEP’s Head of Climate Change Division, Martin Krause, took to the stage to share some harsh realities about the state of our planet. Today, 75% of the land surface has been significantly altered by human action, and 66% of the ocean area is impacted by human activities. Meanwhile, 90% of global fish stocks are either fully exploited, over-exploited, or depleted. We are producing more than 430 million tons of plastic each year, and two-thirds of that becomes waste that ends up in the oceans and in our food chain. And finally, a more familiar but no less alarming reality: our planet is warming, with 2024 being the warmest year on record and 2025 is looking to break that record.
The problems and their consequences are overwhelming. So, the question becomes: how do we move forward? For decades, international conventions have guided global efforts to tackle climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. And though these agreements have achieved real progress, the NDCs submitted prior to COP30 make clear that current action still falls short of the 1.5°C target set at COP21 in Paris. “We now live in an overshoot world,” Krause stated.
A turning point for multilateral environmental conventions?
Experts warn that we are approaching critical tipping points, irreversible changes in ecosystems, ranging from collapsing coral reefs to the destabilizing of ocean currents.
Combined with escalating pollution, including plastics and air contaminants, these pressures reinforce each other. This is known as the “triple planetary crisis,” and it captures how climate change interacts with biodiversity loss and pollution to create feedback loops that amplify risks and negative impacts. The dynamics also work the other way: the drivers of change often reinforce one another, making coordinated responses more important than ever before.
Panellists underscored this point with examples. Changes in the Amazon affect local communities, but also influence global climate patterns. In the Nordics, scientists warn that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a major ocean current, may be nearing a tipping point. A slowdown or collapse would have significant consequences for weather, fisheries, and livelihoods across Northern Europe.
These examples also illustrate another crucial principle: solutions to one problem must not create new risks elsewhere. Climate action cannot come at the cost of biodiversity or community well-being. As Gunn-Britt Retter from the Saami Council emphasized, mitigation measures sometimes threaten traditional ways of life. Instead, she called for solutions that deliver co-benefits, reducing emissions while supporting ecosystems and strengthening communities.
Yet many multilateral environmental conventions still work in silos. They are strong within their specific domains but are rarely connected across issues. However, none of these challenges can be solved alone. As Martin Krause, said on stage, “We might need to break some of the systems we have built to allow for dots to connect.”
At COP30, the message is unmistakable: only integrated solutions can safeguard ecosystems, economies, and communities in a rapidly changing world.
Joint Nordic action
The Nordic Region is well positioned to promote this integrated approach. The Nordic Council of Ministers for Environment and Climate has made integrated, cross-cutting action the cornerstone of its 2025–2030 strategy.
Ahead of COP30, the Nordic Ministers reaffirmed this commitment in a joint declaration highlighting the urgency of coordinated action on the triple crisis: “The world possesses the necessary technologies, expertise, and institutions to overcome the triple planetary crises. What is now needed is political determination and strengthened environmental multilateralism that aligns global ambition with national implementation.”
