“The ordinary citizen can’t influence climate change through his or her actions”
The individual carbon footprint of a Finn is one of the world’s biggest, and in Finland 68 per cent of carbon footprints are due to household consumption. Your own actions and inactions have an impact.
“Luckily, climate change doesn’t affect my life”
Climate change directly or indirectly affects the lives of every person. It creates refugee problems, crop failures, hunger and disease, as well as adverse and costly weather events. So it’s not “only” just a matter of melting glaciers – whose fate may seem immaterial to some.
“Natural conditions are worsening just as much everywhere in the world”
Climate change affects all countries, but in some areas the impacts are more severe than in others. In the poorest communities people spend the majority of their time and resources for their subsistence, and so it is not possible to care for the environment equally well (Metsäntutkimus magazine 2/2007). Developed countries have a major responsibility to protect the environment. Finland should play an active role too because its mean temperature will increase more than the average elsewhere in the world due to its northern location.
“Animals and plants do not suffer due to climate change”
Over a million species of animals and plants are in danger of extinction due to climate change. Changes in eco systems have an impact on land and marine life.
“The United States withdrew from the Paris climate agreement only for scientific reasons”
US President Donald Trump’s decision to quit the Paris climate agreement in 2017 is mainly based on financial interests and an attempt to safeguard jobs in mining and manufacturing in the US. After China, the US is the world’s second biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses, so its decisions affect the entire world.
Sources
Finnish Environment Institute. Ilmastodieetistä eväitä hiilijalanjäljen hallintaan.
National Geographic News. By 2050 warming to doom million species, study says.
The Guardian. Donald Trump confirms US will quit Paris climate deal