Climate change in Finland
Encyclopedia
Environmental issues in Finland discuss the environmental issue
in Finland
.
The government ordered the evaluation report, published in February 2003, from the Electrowatt-Ekono Oy that was part of Pöyry
. Pöyry is a national and international company having tradition in the development and consulting of the forest industry. According to this evaluation report Finland’s national target was to increase during 1995-2010:
By fuel:
21 tonnes, Canada 20 tonnes, Switzerland
18 tonnes and Finland
18 tonnes.
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.
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.Peatlands are Quick and Cost-Effective Measure to reduce 10% of greenhouse emissions, UNEP 11.12.2007 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.
In conflict with the EU, IEA
and IPCC
reports Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry claim peat to be renewable energy. 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.
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."
Extreme 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.
Environmental issue
Environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.-Types:...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Climate strategy 2001
Finnish national renewable energy program was done in 1999 and it was accepted as the national climate strategy in 2001.It included targets for the renewable energy but no limit in the use of the fossil and nuclear energy. The target can be compared to the EU directive 2001/77/EU that also promoted renewable energy in the electricity production.The government ordered the evaluation report, published in February 2003, from the Electrowatt-Ekono Oy that was part of Pöyry
Pöyry
Pöyry is a global consulting and engineering firm focusing on the energy, forest industry and infrastructure & environment sectors. It changed its name from Jaakko Pöyry Group in 2006...
. Pöyry is a national and international company having tradition in the development and consulting of the forest industry. According to this evaluation report Finland’s national target was to increase during 1995-2010:
- Renewables of primary energy +36 TWh (achieved 1995-2001: 17 TWh)
- Renewables of electricity +8,35 TWh (achieved 1995-2001: 3,1TWh)
By fuel:
- BioenergyBioenergyBioenergy is renewable energy made available from materials derived from biological sources. Biomass is any organic material which has stored sunlight in the form of chemical energy. As a fuel it may include wood, wood waste, straw, manure, sugarcane, and many other byproducts from a variety of...
+33 TWh (achieved 1995-2001 16 TWh) - Bioelectricity +6,2 TWh (achieved 1995-2001: 2,8 TWh)
- HydropowerHydropowerHydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
+1 TWh (achieved 1995-20010,23 TWh) - Wind powerWind powerWind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
+1.1 TWh (494 MW) (achieved 1995-2001 59 GWh 32MW) - Solar energy 50 GWh warming 50 GWh electricity 40 MW capacity (achieved 1995-2001 2 GWh 1 GWh 1,5 MW)
- Heat pumpHeat pumpA heat pump is a machine or device that effectively "moves" thermal energy from one location called the "source," which is at a lower temperature, to another location called the "sink" or "heat sink", which is at a higher temperature. An air conditioner is a particular type of heat pump, but the...
s 1 TWh (achieved 1995-2001 250 GWh)
Emissions
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, AustraliaEnergy in Australia
Energy in Australia describes energy and electricity production, consumption and export in Australia. Energy policy of Australia describes the politics of Australia related to energy....
21 tonnes, Canada 20 tonnes, Switzerland
Energy in Switzerland
The energy economy in Switzerland developed as the rest of Europe, but with some delay until 1850. There are three different periods. The agrarian society until the mid-nineteenth century, a small scale energy economy based on wood and biomass , which was in general renewable energy...
18 tonnes and Finland
Energy in Finland
Finland lacks domestic sources of fossil energy and must import substantial amounts of petroleum, natural gas, and other energy resources, including uranium for nuclear power.-Overview:...
18 tonnes.
Agreements and law
Finland is a member of the EUEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and thus the EU directives are binding in Finland. Finland has approved Kyoto protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
. Finnish government has approved that human indused greenhouse gases cause the global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. Despite this the most harmful use of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
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
CO2 emissions from peatPeat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
were 15 % and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
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.Peatlands are Quick and Cost-Effective Measure to reduce 10% of greenhouse emissions, UNEP 11.12.2007 Peat land drainage destroys the habitat of many species, and heavily fuels climate change. Peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
is the most harmful energy source for global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
in Finland.
In conflict with the EU, IEA
IEA
IEA can stand for several different things, such as those listed here:* Institute of Economic Affairs* Institute of International and European Affairs, formerly the Institute of European Affairs* Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Moscow...
and IPCC
IPCC
IPCC may refer to:*Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, of the United Nations*Independent Police Complaints Commission, of England and Wales*Irish Peatland Conservation Council...
reports Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry claim peat to be renewable energy. 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
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. 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.
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
Carbon tax
A carbon tax is an environmental tax levied on the carbon content of fuels. It is a form of carbon pricing. Carbon is present in every hydrocarbon fuel and is released as carbon dioxide when they are burnt. In contrast, non-combustion energy sources—wind, sunlight, hydropower, and nuclear—do not...
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
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
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."