WITH CLEAN ARMS! – limiting arms import from countries avoiding climate responsibility
Dear Friend of the Atmosphere,
In Finland, we have come up with a proposal for a law to ban arms import from countries that are not part of the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation.
The Finnish Defence Forces are planning a purchase of fighters. The value of the purchase is nearly 30 Billion Euros. The aircraft manufacturers from the US have also been asked for an offer. The US, however, is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
It is not fair trade if the US can gain competitive and financial advantages on the expense of the European arms and aircraft manufacturers which bear their responsibility for climate change mitigation.
Arms industry causes carbon dioxide emissions which warm up the climate. Climate warming causes hunger, refugees, and war. These accelerate rearmament. It is not acceptable that a country or a company should be able to avoid their responsibility for climate change mitigation and thus increase global instability – and then benefit from it thanks to increasing arms trade.
If Finland were to pass a law that bans arms import from countries not part of the Paris Agreement, Finland could urge the US into joining the Agreement again.
A fighter deal of 30 Billion is a powerful enticement as such, but the US would also have to consider the possibility that other European countries – including NATO members – follow Finland’s example.
In Finland, it is possible to make a proposal for a law with 50 000 citizens’ signatures. If you want to help us in this, send a message to all Finnish citizens you know, and ask them to sign the proposal for a law ”PUHTAIN ASEIN! – asehankintojen rajoittaminen ilmastovastuuta välttelevistä maista (WITH CLEAN ARMS! – limiting arms import from countries avoiding climate responsibility).
Please share the following links:
- https://www.hiiliosinko.fi/puhtain-asein/
- https://www.kansalaisaloite.fi/fi/aloite/3919
You can also take action to propose a similar law in your own country. You can use whatever measures citizens in your country can take to influence legislative proposals. A good idea is to contact a local member of parliament and ask them to start a similar proposal. Together we are stronger!
The Text of the Proposal
Share this page and ask Finnish citizens to sign the initiative:
Finnish citizens can sign the initiative here:
Puhtain asein! -facebook-page (in Finnish): https://fb.me/puhtainasein
Copyright 2019 – Ilmastorintama