PEKKA HAAVISTO, the interim chairperson of the Green League, believes Finland should consider whether it can acquire its new fighter jet fleet from a country that does not adhere to the Paris Agreement.
“When the offers were requested, they were certainly requested from countries participating in the Paris Agreement. But what if one of these countries withdrew from the agreement? Would it be right to acquire fighter jets from a country like that? I think that’s worth thinking about,” he told Kauppalehti, Talouselämä and Uusi Suomi on Tuesday.
“I’d be very pleased if the acquisition was made from a country that’s participating in the Paris Agreement,” the ex-minister of the environment added.
His tentative proposal could rule out two options for Finland: the US-made Lockheed Martin F-35s and Boeing F/A Super Hornets. US President Donald Trump has declared that the country will cease all participation in the agreement to combat climate change, arguing that the agreement has an adverse impact on the national economy.
The United States, however, cannot withdraw from the Paris Agreement until 4 November 2020, four years after it adopted the agreement and one day after the presidential elections. If Trump failed in his re-election bid and was succeeded by a Democrat, the country could re-affirm its commitment to the agreement.
Haavisto on Tuesday stressed that his proposal is still speculative.
“The United States has yet to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. If a time came when it did, I’m sure this would be a value issue people bring up,” he said. “No one has yet to draw attention to this and, frankly, I’ve been puzzled by it. The climate question is not trivial.”
Finland is to replace its ageing fleet of F/A 18 Hornets by 2030.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: Uusi Suomi
