According to Climate Home News, Finland has passed a law to support one of its most ambitious climate change targets – to make the nation one of the world’s first developed countries to reach net zero by 2035.
The climate law wants the nation to become net negative – absorbing more CO2 than it will emit by 2040.
The target was set by a group of independent economic analysts from the Finnish climate change panel. The unit worked out that Finland could have the potential to have a chance to help limit global warming to 1.5C.
Finland’s environment minister, Emma Kari told Climate Home that this target is very important and that high-income countries must take an active role when it comes to tackling climate issues.
The ability to meet the climate targets will be focused on forests, which cover three-quarters of Finland’s land area. Emissions from deforestation are of concern as trees are being cut down faster and planted at slower rates cancels out attempts to reduce emissions.
Finnish logging companies will turn trees into pulp and paper and sell them for fuel, which has sparked controversy as it is been advertised as climate-friendly and renewable.
Figures from Statistics Finland show that Finland’s forests had released more greenhouse gases than they absorb.
The war in Ukraine is pushing some European nations to re-evaluate their energy consumption. So, the government are proceeding with improving its wind power resources and are planning to make homes less reliant on fossil fuels.
The Finnish government has ensured the ambitious target will be met without the reliance on international carbon offsets.
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