Finland could soon make history if things pan out the way they’re supposed to. According to the Huffington Post, the country could soon become the first European nation to stop using coal – with a goal to phase out the energy source entirely by 2025.
Finland reportedly imports all of its coal from nearby countries like Russia and Poland. Millions of euros could be saved per year by eliminating coal usage. The Huffington Post refers to data from Finnish Coal Info. The numbers show that coal imports cost Finland between 70 million to more than 300 million euros ($91 million to more than $388 million) annually.
Instead of utilizing the fossil fuel, the country reportedly intends to increase sources of renewable energy — many of which are government subsidized.
The Huffington Post points to numbers from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. It says that coal use, particularly in energy production, accounts for roughly 20 percent of global carbon emissions. The Clean Air Task Force, a non-profit research and advocacy organization, reportedly says that “It is now well established in climate science that CO2 emissions globally must stop, by the middle of this century, to avoid the worst cataclysms of global warming.”
Finland is already making strides when it comes to phasing out coal use. There has reportedly been a 39 percent decrease in coal consumption from January to June of this year, as compared to the same period in 2011.
China leads the world in coal consumption. It reportedly relies on 70 percent of its energy needs, while the U.S. trails in second place.
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