Finland’s president pledges to cut carbon footprint
Like hundreds of other Finns, President Sauli Niinistö has signed an online pledge to take steps to reduce his personal carbon footprint by half within ten years.
In part, the purpose of the pledge is to send a clear message to world leaders to reach agreement that will stabilize the global climate system and reduce the harmful effects of climate change.
President Niinistö says that be started reducing his own personal carbon footprint several years ago.
“It began when we installed a geothermal heat pump in our home,” explains Niinistö.
Steps include reducing waste and emissions-free electricity
The president has also switched to emissions-free electricity and the increased use of LED lighting. He says that he now also intends to make sure that as little food as possible in his household goes to waste.
The president is encouraging more of his countrymen to sign the pledge to cut their own carbon footprints.
President Niinistö will be heading Finland’s delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference that begins in Paris on Monday.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: COP21: View from Yukon, Canada, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finnish negotiators optimistic about COP21, Yle News
Germany: Energy giant sued for climate change, Deutsche Welle
Norway: Arctic residents in hot water, Deutsche Welle’s Iceblogger
Sweden: Sweden hosts global climate conference for kids, Radio Sweden
United States: Cleaner atmosphere means more Arctic ice melt: study, Alaska Dispatch News
