12 Powerful Tweets From The UN’s New No-Nonsense Environment Boss
If his tweets are anything to go by, the UN’s new environment chief will not take no for an answer when it comes to climate action.
The former Norwegian environment minister officially took over as UN Environment Programme (UNEP) executive director this week (8 August) at the organisation’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Solheim is an avid tweeter and his recent posts demonstrate the Scandinavian is not afraid to use direct language and share his opinions, praise, criticisms and calls to action with his almost 30.000 followers and counting.
So Inspiring!
A “Spirited green opening ceremony of Rio Olympics” is how Solheim described Rio 2016’s call to action last week. “Thanks – so inspiring!” he tweeted.
Spirited green opening ceremony of Rio Olympics.
Rain forests and environment centre stage.
Thanks – so inspiring! pic.twitter.com/KFY7XgW2pu— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 6, 2016
Clean up That Bay!
While Solheim praised Rio 2016’s environmental focus, he said Brazil should do some “heavy lifting” and clean up Rio’s Guanabara Bay after the Olympics are over.
Great green focus in Rio Olympics.
But heavy lifting needed after the game:
Time to clean up Guanabara bay! pic.twitter.com/qsi4lkR1ys— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 6, 2016
A Hoax???
The new UNEP chief does not appear to have a lot of time for science deniers, tweeting “Republicans trust NASA can bring us safely to the moon. But its climate science is hoax???”
Republicans trust NASA can bring us safely to the moon. But its climate science is hoax???https://t.co/ooPeEvilNB pic.twitter.com/eYHtgi59kH
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 1, 2016
Big Solar is Cheap!
Tweeting a link about Australia’s solar sector, Solheim quotes from the article: “Cost just going down and down,” pointing out “big solar” costs have halved in just three years.
Costs of big solar in Australia halved in three years.
“Costs just going down and down”.https://t.co/vB5OXcPAIv pic.twitter.com/fueu4Up8vg— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 11, 2016
Billions? We Need Trillions!
Solheim tweeted that the $81 billion spent on climate action by the world’s development banks is not enough. “[We] need private sector investment to make it trillions!” he says.
Development banks mobilize $81bn for climate.
Need more private sector to make it trillions! https://t.co/BEqu1YZfy5 pic.twitter.com/GClqLpf6dN— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 11, 2016
Turning Point!
He is excited about the news that electric charging points may soon outnumber petrol stations. “Turning point!” he tweets.
Electric cars charge points to outnumber petrol stations 2020, Nissan says. Turning point! https://t.co/lXE9dPUFQe pic.twitter.com/xAB3qiiYO2
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 9, 2016
Go Costa Rica!
Solheim praised Costa Rica – home to former UN climate chief and current candidate for UN Secretary General Christiana Figueres – as a “true environment front runner.”
At beautiful La Paz waterfalls.
Costa Rica has increased tree cover from 27 to 52%.
A true environment front runner! pic.twitter.com/nbdBgw4u0B— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 3, 2016
A Whopping 1 Trillion Tons!
The Norwegian tweeted about shocking news from Greenland which “lost a whopping 1 trillion tons of ice just from 2011 to 2014.”
Greenland lost a whopping 1 trillion tons of ice just from 2011 to 2014 New satellite study:https://t.co/hPoz14qcUD pic.twitter.com/9mcUh0d3DY
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) July 31, 2016
Great News: Severe Punishment!
“Great news,” Solheim tweeted, “Chinese polluters will face severe punishment. Blacklists will be drawn up.”
Great news: Chinese polluters will face severe punishment. Blacklists will be drawn up:https://t.co/tadqkF441j pic.twitter.com/EdO4i204iA
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) July 30, 2016
Scary!
Noting that we experienced the hottest June on record this year, Solheim tweeted “Scary!”
June 2016 hottest in recorded history.
14th consecutive month of record breaking heat Scary! https://t.co/SfpmO7V282 pic.twitter.com/lpP8apc2jo— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) July 20, 2016
So Promising!
About US electrical car maker Tesla’s new ‘gigafactory’, Solheim tweeted: “The future is so fascinating – and promising!”
Inside Tesla’s gigantic Gigafactory.
The future is so fascinating – and promising!https://t.co/T32d2J9pwF pic.twitter.com/nIM94AqQWE— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) July 28, 2016
P.I.N.K.
“Great to really get started,” Solheim tweeted on Monday, indicating that he want’s to lead the world’s primary environmental organisation according to what he calls the “PINK” principle: Positive, Inspiring, Near people and Kind to all.
Glad to really get started at UN Environment today.
Let's go PINK!
Positive
Inspiring
Near people
Kind to all pic.twitter.com/e2THGLRrzt— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) August 8, 2016
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