Climate change in Finland

Climate change in Finland

Environmental issues in Finland discuss the environmental issue in Finland.

Renewable energy in Finland is mainly based on bioenergy from the forests and water power

Contents

Emissions

See also: Energy in Finland

Finland was among the top five greenhouse gas emitters in 2001: The consumption emissions per capita of greenhouse gases in 2001 of the top 5 countries were US 29 tonnes, Australia 21 tonnes, Canada 20 tonnes, Switzerland 18 tonnes and Finland 18 tonnes.[1]

Agreements and law

See also: Climate change in the European Union

Finland is a member of the EU and thus the EU directives are binding in Finland. Finland has approved Kyoto protocol. Finnish government has approved that human indused greenhouse gases cause the global warming. Despite this the most harmful use of peat as energy has been financially promoted by Finnish government since 2005. Regarding the climate change expenses, the Polluter Pay -principle has been neglected in Finland at least until 2011.

Coal and peat

See also: Peat energy in Finland
See also: Coal in Finland

CO2 emissions from peat were 15 % and coal and peat 39 % of total fossil fuel emissions in Finland in 2006.

According to UNEP peatlands are the main carbon storage and their protection is one of the main issues in the climate change mitigation.[2] Peat land drainage destroys the habitat of many species, and heavily fuels climate change. Peat is the most harmful energy source for global warming in Finland.[3]

In conflict with the EU, IEA and IPCC reports Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry claim peat to be renewable energy.[4] However, it is undisputed fact that peat is formed during 10,000 years in favourable conditions. Finland has ditched majority of its wetlands. The Finnish peat companies have had acticity also abroad like in Sweden, Estonia and Indonesia. According to IEA country report the Finnish subsidies for peat in 2007-20010 undermined the goal to reduce CO2 emissions and counteracted The European Union emissions trading scheme.[5]

The state owned research institute VTT director Satu Helynen had close connection with the peat industry in 2010. She proposed for the government to exclude carbon tax for peat in 2010. Moreover, she tried to suppress all the second opinions of her collegees in VTT in conflict with the freedom of speech and research ethics. After this conflict came public VTT wrote new directions following: "Scientists should prevent all criticism of the content of VTT publications publicly after the publications."[6][7][8][9][10]

Extreame weather

Summer 2010 storms (Asta 29.-30.7 Vera 4.8, Lahja 7.8 and Sylvi 8.8) caused over 100 million damages. Insurance companies paid 81.6 million € for the storm damages. Trees fell 9.1 million m3. 480 000 persons had power line brakes, max 6 weeks. 35 000 km of the power line was damaged. Compensations costs were over 10 million € for the power customers. Other power company costs included 18 million € for the repair and 4 million $ for extra investments. Co-operation between the responsible organizations and persons did not run effectively after the storms.[11]


References

  1. ^ Which nations are most responsible for climate change? Guardian 21 April 2011
  2. ^ Peatlands are Quick and Cost-Effective Measure to reduce 10% of greenhouse emissions, UNEP 11.12.2007
  3. ^ Jyri Seppälä, Kaisu Aapala, Kimmo Silvo and Raimo Heikkilä 2008: Muistio Suomen IPCC-ryhmän avoimesta Turpeen ilmastovaikutusten arviointi -seminaarista. Suomen ympäristökeskus
  4. ^ Renewable energy sources and peat”, the Ministry of Trade and Industry KTM 10.3.2006 (Finnish)
  5. ^ Energy Policies of IEA Countries – ¨Finland 2007 IEA 26.3.2008, pages 9, 71, 80 and 83
  6. ^ VTT:n painostuspuheet eivät yllätä professoria, VTT on tarkentanut työntekijöidensä julkisuusohjeita, HS 27.8.2010 A10
  7. ^ VTT:n johtajalla turvekytkös, Ministeriölle energiaveroraportin laatineen tutkijan tausta arveluttaa, Teknologiajohtajan esimies kiistää alaisensa edustavan turvelobbareita, HS 9.9.2010 A3
  8. ^ VTT:n johtaja puolustaa jäsenyyttään turveyhdistyksessä, HS 10.9.2010 A5 Piia Elonen
  9. ^ VTT:llä yhteys turvelobbareihin, Energiaselvityksen luotettavuudesta syntyi kohu HS 9.9.2010 A5
  10. ^ ”Tukka nousi pystyyn”, Oikeusoppineet: VTT:n viestintäohje ristiriidassa perustuslain kanssa. Professori Mäenpään mukaan ”pimittämisohjeet rajoittavat sananvapautta, HS 10.9.2010 A5
  11. ^ HS Kesän 2010 rajuilmat saivat Suomen sekaisin HS 28.9.2011 A8

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