HELSINKI, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Addressing the opening session of the 2023 Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik on Thursday, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir stressed that nations must remain committed to the cause of dealing with climate change, ensuring tangible outcomes in climate-related efforts.
"We no longer find ourselves in an era of global warming but of global boiling," she said. According to her, commitment entails a continued focus on rigorous research, fostering a conducive business environment and promoting gender equality as essential components of achieving meaningful results in climate action.
She also emphasized the importance of achieving concrete results at the upcoming United Nations climate meeting, COP28, in November.
The chair of the event, Iceland's former President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, spoke about this year's main theme, "the connection between climate change and the climate crisis."
"The glaciers and ice in the Arctic are melting very rapidly," he said. "And this melting already has serious consequences for other continents as well."
Grimsson said that COP28 represents "the last chance to unite world leaders in pursuit of a common goal."
The 2023 Arctic Circle Assembly, held at the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavik from Thursday to Saturday, features more than 700 speakers in over 200 sessions and panels.
Various partners organize events under the conference's umbrella. These include a panel on China-Nordic cooperation for sustainable Arctic observation, discussions on comparative indigenous studies of the Arctic by the Arctic Studies Center at China's Liaocheng University. Gao Feng, China's special representative for Arctic affairs, will participate in a discussion of the central Arctic Ocean fisheries agreement along with U.S. and Canadian representatives. ■
