On Thursday 22 October 5 British Council Climate Advocates visited the Residence of the British Ambassador to Finland, Dr Valerie Caton, to meet with Finnish climate change policy makers from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and the Confederation of Finnish Industries. The Advocates are part of the British Council Challenge Europe project, which has recruited more than 400 young people (aged 18-35) from 17 European countries, all of whom are committed to tackling climate change. In Finland the teams last year and this year consisted of 15 young people who best represent the next generation of leaders and influencers in their respective countries: we call them “Climate Advocates” because they are interested in positive change. For more information please visit the British Council's dedicated Challenge Europe website.

The Climate Advocates had prepared for the process leading up to COP 15 and the visit to the Residence by attending an International Climate Camp in Slovenia from 20-25 September, 2009. The Camp brought together a multinational group of Climate Advocates and provided a creative space in which to share their experiences, gain new knowledge, and generate ideas that they would like to see presented at COP 15. The Finnish Advocates presented a top ten list of priorities to policy makers they want to see considered at COP:

1. Binding Targets for CO2 concentrations that give us a realistic chance of staying under a 2°C rise

2. An alternative to GDP as a measure of progress

3. To get the prices right: reflect the true environmental and social cost

4. Finance for structural change to low carbon transportation, green buildings and food production

5. To Ease Technological Transfer to developing countries

6. To address global population growth

7. An adequate contribution to the adaptation fund for developing countries

8. A global sectoral approach to emissions reduction

9. An agreement to establish mandatory targets at a national level for renewable energy production

10. For all countries to establish a Ministry dedicated to climate change to ensure implementation of agreed targets

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