Hi! I’m economicsdan and I have no idea how blogging officially works. With that in mind, I just wanted to let you know that these are just my thoughts from different experiences during my internship at the Embassy of Finland, External Economic Relations team. This and upcoming posts may have many ideas or just one short take focusing on what I’ve learned or just my opinion on the matter. Don’t take it too seriously.
I’ve noticed a lot of the times in the news that recently the U.S. does not seem very forthcoming when it comes to tackling climate change. Well…yes true, at least at the national level. but when Hannele Pokka, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, visited early 2020 I was surprisedwith what I saw. First of all, I felt lucky enough to be able to attend high level meetings with her ranging from Congressional people to organizations like the UN Foundation and World Resources Institute. But no, I guess I wasn’t cool enough to join in for the meeting at EPA. That’s okay. Anyways, what I saw was that many state level actors have continuously strengthened their actions and pledges with the Paris Agreement or otherwise despite the lack of federal support. A good example of what states are doing are America’s Pledge or the US Climate Alliance. Despite it probably not being enough in the longer term, it gives me hope. It gives me hope that the US does see that it is not just about the environmental impact but that it is closely tied positive economic impact (if climate change is stopped in time). Or at least a lower adaption costs if acted upon sooner.
You can call me an optimist. -economicsdan
Unrelated fun fact: Finland aims to be carbon neutral by 2035. The ambition and roadmap are there.
What In The World Is Happening 