Finnish MPs across party lines have condemned environmental activists who spray-painted the entrance pillars of the Finnish Parliament in protest at the exploitation of peatlands.
Activists from climate groups Elokapina – the Finnish branch of the UK-based environmental group Extinction Rebellion – and Återställ Våtmarker (Restore Wetlands) from Sweden claimed responsibility for the action, a press release issued by the groups on Wednesday (25 September) reads.
It was necessary to “draw attention to the climate disastrous peat mines in Sweden run by the Finnish state-owned company Neova”, the activists explained, calling for “political action” to end the practice of peat extraction.
But Finnish MPs from across the political spectrum condemned the protest, calling it an attack on democracy and the openness of the Finnish parliament.
“Too sympathetic an attitude towards terrorising society under the guise of climate policy or other causes can encourage activists to engage in increasingly wild and damaging acts,” said Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho (Finns party, ECR).
Parliament’s second deputy speaker, Tarja Filatov (S&D), also commented, calling the protest move unacceptable and a threat to the long tradition of transparency in the Finnish parliament.
“This openness and transparency are a valuable part of our democracy, and I hope that they continue to be so. To do so would jeopardise a valuable tradition and undermine justice for all,” Filatov said
Mika Lintilä, MP for the Centre Party (Greens), whose reaction was widely expected, strongly condemned the activists.
“I’ve worked in this building for 25 years, and I’ve seen all kinds of protests, but this is not a protest. This is a direct attack on democracy and parliamentarianism in the Republic of Finland!” Lintilä wrote on X.
Such actions, or “middle fingers”, do more than good to nature conservation work, said Finns Party (ECR) leader and Finance Minister Riikka Purra on X.
Wetlands “peating” people
Of concern to the activists is the exploitation of Swedish peatlands by peat extraction company Neova, 50.1% of which is owned by the Finnish state and the rest by a Finnish company called Suomen Energiavarat.
Peatlands play a crucial role in the EU’s climate strategy as they store carbon and help combat climate change.
But when they are drained or harmed, as is the case when they are converted to arable lands or forests used in the forestry industry, they release stored carbon and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU’s much-debated Nature Restoration Law sets targets for restoring 30% of drained peatlands to agricultural use by 2030, 40% by 2040 and 50% by 2050, but heavily impacted countries can apply a lower percentage, and there is no direct obligation on farmers.
In the wake of this year’s farmers protests, the EU rubber-stamped an overhaul of six out of the nine environmental requirements farmers must meet to gain access to EU subsidies but kept peatland-related rules in force.
Despite this, a group of EU countries is calling for the relaxation of the rules on mandatory practices to protect peatlands and wetlands under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Finland is not among these countries, diplomatic sources told Euractiv.
[Edited by Daniel Eck]
Source: euractiv.com
