In contrast to the fear that environmentalists feel about Trump's victory in the United States elections, we see how some countries continue to bring us good news by persisting on their path to a greener and greener world. In this case, it is Finland that studies banning, by law, coal to produce electricity before 2030. While in countries like Spain, coal burning increased 23% last year, Finland wants to look for greener alternatives, thinking about the future of the country.
Last December, the Finnish Government presented a new national strategic plan for the energy sector that foresees, among other measures, prohibit by law the use of coal for electricity production from 2030.
The Finnish government roadmap
If approved by Parliament, where the Executive has a comfortable majority, Finland would become the first country in the world to legislate abandonment total carbon as an energy source, in order to meet its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The strategic plan presented supposes a firm commitment to renewable energies, with special emphasis on the biofuels, and the gradual reduction of the use of fossil fuels.
It also aims to halve the consumption of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, by 2030 compared to 2005 levels and increase the percentage of biofuels at the same time like ethanol from the current 13,5% to 30%.
To do this, he proposes to concentrate the public incentives to subsidize cleaner vehicles and support investments in new biofuel factories.
Transport is one of the sectors with the most Emissions of greenhouse gases and for this reason it is also one of the most affected by the strategic plan of the Finnish Executive.
The aim of the Helsinki Government is that by 2030 there will be at least 250.000 electric cars and another 50.000 fueled by gas, in a country with 5,5 million inhabitants.
It also plans to encourage the renewal of the fleet, the second with the oldest vehicles in Europe, with an average age of 11,7 years, according to the Minister of Transport, Anne Berner.
The efforts of other countries
Finland's plan is ambitious, but It is not the only country that is making efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions that are exacerbating climate change. For example, Canada has a similar plan to Finland when it comes to coal, but much more flexible.
In Norway, 25% of the cars sold are electric. Yes, you read that correctly, 25%, 1 in 4, being also authentic benchmarks in hydroelectric energy and are capable of practically self-sufficient only with renewable energies. An example to follow, despite the fact that it is a large oil producer. It is precisely on this that they have relied to reach such figures. Instead of burning the oil to produce electricity, they have dedicated themselves to exporting it and using the money obtained to manufacture hydroelectric plants.
On the other hand, although it may crash, one of the countries that is investing the most in renewable energy is China. Yes, the second most polluting country in the world has realized that they have to change if they want to guarantee the health of its citizens and in 2013 renewable energy surpassed that produced by fossil fuels for the first time.
It seems that there is light at the end of the fossil fuel tunnel and that countries, increasingly, they are realizing that the production model needs to be changed.
Norway could only run on hydroelectric power. Or with biomass.