Yle News' All Points North sat down with two special guests this week: Outi Haanperä, a lead climate solutions specialist with the state innovation agency Sitra and Hanna Aho, a climate justice expert from Kepa, a development NGO, to map Finland's path to a greener future.
Haanperä and Aho stripped down a fresh report issued by the UN's climate agency, the IPCC, earlier this week, which called for the world to curb global warming at 1.5 degrees, rather than 2 degrees Celsius. They pointed out that Finland is already experiencing temperature swings affecting domestic food production, most recently during the periods of intense heat last summer. That said, this October has also been unseasonably warm, with temperatures expected to climb to 17 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country over the weekend.
While some Finnish residents may welcome a more Mediterranean climate, both experts pointed out that one degree of warming in the southern hemisphere translates into a 2-degree rise up north, with substantial environmental implications.
Our guests also considered the most efficient ways Finland can cut emissions, including a proposal by researchers from Finland's Environment Institute (SYKE) suggesting that if Finland stopped logging, the country wouldn't just be carbon neutral but would become carbon-positive as Finland's forests are a major carbon sink.
In light of the UN's climate warning, environmental activists will convene on Saturday, October 20 at 2.30pm at Helsinki's Senate Square from where demonstrators will head towards Parliament.
Our most-popular news this week included a story of an aspiring young nature photographer who captured a picture of a rare white-furred bear cub at a nature reserve in Kuhmo. Vero's overhaul of tax cards also piqued interest as did a proposal to offer free snacks -- in addition to lunch -- to all pupils in Finnish schools.
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The All Points North podcast is a weekly look at what's going on in Finland. Subscribe via iTunes (and leave a review!), listen on Spotify and Yle Areena or find it on your favourite podcatching app or via our RSS feed.
This week's show was presented by Denise Wall and Mark B. Odom with guests Outi Haanperä and Hanna Aho. The show's producer was Zena Iovino, and this week's sound technician was Joonatan Kotila.