In Finland, Hanasaari coal power plant at central and Salmisaari power plants at Helsinki produce roughly 50% of the heat in the entire region, which spews out two million tonnes of the carbon emissions every year.
Greenpeace activists from Finland and volunteers from Denmark, Austria and Spain demanded to close its oldest coal-fired power plant in Helsinki and to use the renewable energy completely.
Alppila, a bulk carrier transporting coal was prevented. One of the activists even climbed on board and was promptly detained by the Alppila crew.
Like all political leaders around the world, Finland’s politicians also promise again and again that they will keep the world safe from climate change. The climate summit in Paris offers Finnish politicians a chance to show the seriousness of their promises by closing down the decrepit Hanasaari power plant and changing over to renewable energy like other Scandinavian capitals.
Starting the coal phase-out for real is a perfect way to garner the attention of the World as people all around are gearing up to the climate summit in Paris.
A recent poll commissioned by Greenpeace shows that the majority of Helsinki citizens favour closing down the Hanasaari coal power plant and 77% of the respondents want Helsinki to shift to renewable energy completely.
Source: Greenpeace
