Reader’s opinion|What is green in the fact that a mine irrevocably destroys the area’s nature?
Shall we be In Finland, do you really think that even the nature of protected areas can be destroyed by mining them? Sodankylä’s Viiankiaapa is a precedent for this. Minister of the Environment Kai Mykkänen (kok) already glimpses the pressing public need and Europe’s green transition as justifications for dismantling the protection of this bog protected in Natura and the bog protection program. The mine would be under a protected marsh, and it would not harm the nature of the marsh. Let whoever wants to believe.
The entities that benefit from the mines market them to us in the name of the green transition. The reason is rare earth metals, for which the world is surprisingly dependent on only a few countries.
The flip side of the matter is that, according to the UN, an estimated 20–50 million tons of electronic waste is generated in the world every year, and at least hundreds of thousands of tons of that end up illegally in developing countries from Western countries, including Finland. In them, it causes serious problems for people and the environment. Only one percent of the need for rare earth metals is covered by recycling. According to Maailma.net’s report (April 9), the amount of electronic waste is growing five times faster than its recycling. Currently, their recycling rate will only decrease in the next few years.
Even so, mines are seen in Finland as a solution to the endless needs of our short-sighted consumer culture. This is done because there are still enough non-renewable natural resources left that the recovery of metals is not interesting. What is green about the fact that a mine irreversibly destroys the area’s nature? Is this what we want? Wouldn’t it be much wiser to increase recycling and reduce consumption?
It is against the sense of justice that in order to protect our country’s protected areas from mining, it has been necessary to establish a citizens’ initiative. However, it is a means of influence within everyone’s reach.
Raija Sillanpää
Joensuu
The reader’s opinions are speeches written by HS readers, which have been selected and edited by the HS editorial staff. You can leave an opinion piece or familiarize yourself with the principles of writing at the address www.hs.fi/kiryotamielipidekeisuis/.
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