Marin has been at the center of the media storm since the Finnish tabloid Iltalehti told the news that the Prime Minister’s Office has used taxpayers’ money to provide his family with subsidized breakfasts.
Police are currently investigating the activities of officials. The prime minister, who is not currently suspected of abuse, has announced that he will pay for his family’s food during the investigation itself.
The Finnish startup MaaS Global Oy was also in the news this week about its successful attempts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by tackling car addiction. The company is behind the Whim mobile app, which has caused 12 percent of Helsinki residents to give up their car.
The app is currently available in several European cities as well as Tokyo. According to MaaS Global, Whim has the potential to alleviate pollution and urban congestion by maintaining freedom of movement.
With up to 300,000 users worldwide, the app offers a wide range of services, including electric scooters, public transportation, city bikes and flat-rate taxis for short trips. It allows users to plan and pay for a trip through the same service.
The international media also reported on Finland’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the country’s climate emissions decreased by 5.5 per cent in 2019 compared to the previous year.
Jyri SeppalaThe director of SYKE’s Center for Sustainable Consumption and Production has called the trend encouraging and hopes it will continue after the pandemic.
According to SYKE, the emission reductions are due to increased wind power production, the replacement of oil heating by other methods, cleaner electricity production and a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and peat in district heating.
Estonian newspapers criticized the lack of progress in easing travel restrictions between Estonia and Finland this week. According to ERR news, despite discussions between officials from both countries, the issue has not been resolved or taken forward.
Thousands of Estonians have been prevented from regularly traveling to Finland for work after the rapid rise in coronavirus cases in Estonia in December. However, an EU digital coronavirus passport is a possible solution.
At the same time, a new report from the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) suggests that smoking and the amount of steam are declining in Finland.
The report looked at the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and snus in the country in 2000-2019 and stated that although the use of the first two has decreased over the years, snus is becoming more and more popular among young people in Finland.
The Finnish Prime Minister’s breakfast scandal produces international news
Several international newspapers, including the English-language media, covered the ongoing debate on the monthly breakfast fee of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marini.
The French newspapers Le Monde, Le Figaro and L’Express highlighted the ongoing development in this regard, which was also featured in Svenska Dagbladet, Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Dagens Industr in Sweden.
The story was featured in several newspapers in Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, as well as in other European countries such as Italy and the Netherlands.
The topic has provoked several lively discussions on social media platforms, many of which are in contrast to the situation in Finland with other countries. Numerous commentators have pointed out how leaders of other nations rarely come under the same public control as Marin.
The Finnish Whim application aims to eliminate autism addiction
The application Whim, developed by the Finnish startup MaaS Global Oy, has assured 12 percent of Helsinki residents that they will abandon their car and say the same amount.
The company aims to target car addiction and reduce emissions in the transportation industry by helping to create a world where owning a car is less convenient than using an app. Whim recently merged with the Spanish competitor’s Wondo app (developed by infrastructure company Ferrovial SA).
Both apps allow users to plan optimal routes to their destination while allowing them to purchase tickets or book vehicles. Whim offers pay-as-you-go plans as well as monthly subscriptions.
The original story was published by Business Standard on May 30, 2021, and can be found here.
Finland’s climate emissions are decreasing
According to the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Finland’s climate emissions decreased by 5.5 per cent in 2019 compared to the previous year due to, among other things, replacing oil heating with other heating methods, reducing the use of fossil fuels and using cleaner energy sources.
Road transport was the main source of emissions in Finland in 2019, accounting for 25 per cent of the total. Finland’s goal is to be a carbon-neutral and the world’s first fossil-free welfare society by 2035.
The original story was published by Xinhua on June 1, 2021, and can be found here.
Smoking and the amount of steam are declining in Finland
According to a new study by THL, smoking decreased steadily in Finland between 2000 and 2019. About 14 percent of those aged 20–64 were smokers on a daily basis, and a significant reduction was recorded in all education groups.
In addition, e-cigarette use has declined among young people and adults, with only two per cent of adults aged 20-64 smoking daily in 2018.
However, more and more young people, especially boys, have used snuff. In 2019, 15 percent of vocational school students used snuff on a daily basis. According to the 2016 Tobacco Act, Finland aims to be tobacco and nicotine-free by 2030.
The original story was published by Vaping Post on 26.05.2021 and can be found here.
An EU corona passport could facilitate travel between Finland and Estonia
The Estonian newspaper ERR reports that, despite bilateral negotiations between the two countries, little progress has been made in easing travel restrictions on the coronavirus between Finland and Estonia.
Representatives of the Finnish Embassy in Estonia have revealed that legislation is being prepared to ease movement restrictions for those who have an EU digital corona certificate confirming vaccination.
The original story was published by ERR News on 02.06.2021 and can be found here.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times
Source: The Nordic Page