Finnish ICMIF member the LocalTapiola Group in partnership with two forestry organisations in Finland – Metsänomistajat (Forest Owners) MTK-säätiö (MTK Foundation) – are donating books on climate change to every Finnish high school during the month of May 2021.
The aim of the book donation is to increase young people’s awareness of climate change and the issues that affect it. Petteri Taalas’ book Climate Change through the Eyes of a Climate Scientist will be donated to Finnish-language high schools. Swedish-language high schools receive a Swedish version of Bill Gates’ book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need. A total of 7,600 books will be donated during May.
High schools can make use of the books they receive in the way they see fit, for example for educational use or by distributing them as scholarships to students graduating in June.
“Climate change is one of the most burning problems of our time, and we need action and knowledge to combat it. We want to play our part in increasing knowledge and understanding of climate change and the risks it poses. Through responsible operations, we aim to improve the safety, financial success and well-being of both our customers and society as a whole,” says Eeva Salmenpohja, Director of Responsibility and Public Relations at LocalTapiola.
The increase in extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as heavy snow winters, heavy rains and storms, strong winds and long periods of heat, are already visible in people’s daily lives as various risks of injury and safety. In the future, the effects of climate change will be increasingly visible in Finnish society as well.
“As an insurance and life safety company, we are a risk management expert. By identifying risks, we can also apply for solutions, for example through responsible investment,” Salmenpohja states.
“Forests play a key role in mitigating climate change. The ability of forests to sequester carbon dioxide and store it in wood biomass and soil reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. At the same time, we are able to produce renewable raw materials, climate benefits and biodiversity in our forests, says Juha Hakkarainen,” MTK’s Forest Director.
The book donation is included in Finland’s Year of Researched Information 2021. This special Year is organised by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Academy of Finland and a delegation of scientific societies which brings together events and actions that form a diverse picture of researched information and its role. During the year, sources of researched information, such as research data, statistics, surveys and analyses are highlighted with a view to offering creativity, enthusiasm and faith in the future, especially for children and young people.
