Finnish gov't gives nod to carbon-neutrality roadmap

Source: Xinhua| 2020-02-04 04:14:00|Editor: huaxia

HELSINKI, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish government on Monday gave the nod to a roadmap for carbon neutrality by 2035, which listed required cutbacks in emissions per sector.

The roadmap was discussed at a government seminar, which brought together a number of government officials and experts.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told a press conference after the seminar that focus must be on emissions, as the estimates about the size of the natural carbon sinks, such as forests, are going up and down. "This makes the cutbacks in emissions crucial," Marin said.

Krista Mikkonen, Finnish Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, underlined at the press conference that the emissions and the sinks must be in balance, otherwise carbon neutrality will not be attained. "Carbon sinks are a major help in reaching the goal," she said.

The Finland's current emissions amount to the 56 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent; Over the next 15 years, at least 17 million tons should be eliminated, Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported on Monday.

Yle noted that experts at the seminar believed that ending the tax subsidies for peat production is the most efficient way to reduce Finnish emissions. Enditem

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