First Reading of the Draft Act Amending the Atmospheric Air Protection Act (160 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
Date: 2024-01-25 12:32
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 66
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 4m
AI Summaries: 66/66 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated the first reading of Draft Act 160 on the amendment of the Atmospheric Air Protection Act, which was initiated by Riigikogu member Kalle Grünthal. The draft act focused on persistent condensation trails ("chemical wings" or chemtrails) created by airplanes, the initiator viewing the cause of their formation as nano-component additives (e.g., aluminum oxide) used in aviation fuel. According to Grünthal, these particles are dangerous to health, causing irreversible diseases such as pneumoconiosis and aluminosis, and are linked to complaints filed with the Environmental Board.
The debate was extremely polarized, with the initiator of the draft act relying primarily on interest groups (the Facebook group "Chemtrail Eesti") and empirical observations, while other members (especially Hanah Lahe and Igor Taro) sharply criticized the lack of scientific basis for the bill, suggesting it was copied from conspiracy theorist portals. Hanah Lahe, representative of the Environment Committee, emphasized that adopting such a law without scientific research would essentially mean closing Estonian airspace to air traffic. A significant side issue that arose was the removal of interest group representative Urmas Sepp from the Environment Committee meeting, regarding which Grünthal accused Committee Chairman Igor Taro of lacking conscience and blocking a representative of the people.
Decisions Made 1
The Riigikogu rejected Bill 160 at the first reading. The proposal by the leading committee (the Environment Committee) to reject the bill was adopted with 51 votes in favor and 4 votes against, meaning the bill was dropped from the proceedings.
Most Active Speaker
The most active participant was Kalle Grünthal, the initiator of the draft legislation (an opposition MP), who delivered the longest presentation and fielded numerous questions. Grünthal defended his draft, stressing the public interest and the health concerns of nearly 3,000 people who suspect that aircraft fuel additives (nanoparticles) are being used. He cited US patents and studies confirming the presence of aluminum nanoparticles in contrails. Grünthal was also the primary critic of the Environment Committee, accusing its members (especially Igor Tarot and Hanah Lahet) of removing an interest group representative (Urmas Sepp) from the committee session, which, in his estimation, demonstrated a lack of respect for the public's concerns. His position was that even if scientific data is scarce, Parliament has a duty to initiate an investigation to protect public health.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
As the second item on the agenda, the Riigikogu begins the first reading of Draft Act No. 160 on the Amendment of the Atmospheric Air Protection Act, initiated by Kalle Grünthal.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riigikogu member Kalle Grünthal submitted a draft bill to amend the Atmospheric Air Protection Act, which would ban the use of nano-component energy additives and liquid hydrocarbon fuel additives in aircraft within Estonian territory's airspace. He claims that the aluminum oxide nanoparticles in these substances could harm health and cause pneumoconiosis.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The presenter was thanked, the questions were noted, and Eero Merilind was invited to speak.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The white streaks behind airplanes are condensation trails (contrails), which form high up in the atmospheric layers when aircraft engine exhaust gases mix with water vapor and atmospheric conditions. This process forms ice crystals that reflect sunlight and can persist anywhere from a few seconds up to several hours, depending on the temperature and humidity.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas said, "Your time!" and asked the audience to pose a question.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Eero Merilindi's presentation addresses the expansion that can cause high-level clouds, and how dry air influences this phenomenon.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited his colleague to ask a question and requested that the microphone be handed over to Eero Merilind so that he could pose his question.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
I explained why contrails form and asked whether they are more dangerous than the emissions produced by cars.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Ratas thanks and asks the respondent to answer.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal said that he could neither confirm nor deny what was described because the source had not been named, adding that exhaust gases originating from both cars and airplanes can be dangerous. He stated that the purpose of the bill is to clarify the issue and determine what is actually coming out, noting that condensed water vapor can vary in persistence, but if one airplane leaves a visible trace for about ten minutes one day, and another trace persists for three, four, or five hours, then that is not normal.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas calls Mait Klaassen.
Mait Klaassen
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mait Klaassen asks a question regarding the nanoparticles originating from these airplanes and claims that the basic principles of atmospheric physics do not allow them to immediately fall to the ground in Läänemaa or the vicinity of Paide. Instead, the particles disperse and remain airborne.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal criticized the opposition's behavior, claiming that nanoparticles can persist in the air and reach the ground with rain, and that scientific evidence is not needed for this. He also accused Mait Klaassen and Hanah Laht of lacking a conscience for not allowing a concerned guest to give a speech.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Hanah Laht to the stage and gave her the floor.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Hanah Lahe announced that she will be completing her master’s degree in environmental management this spring, and asked the committee what scientific sources the draft bill was based on, noting that a large part of the explanatory memorandum had been copied from the portal Eesti Eest.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal stressed that people's concerns must be addressed based on empirical evidence. Unfortunately, the development of the "Eesti Eest!" portal has not moved forward. He disagreed with broadening the scope of the answer to cover the entire debate within the Environmental Committee, and he stated that he had responded to the question about scientific evidence by referencing the water cycle in nature.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Tiit Maran onto the stage and asked him to speak.
Tiit Maran
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tiit Maran asks, against the backdrop of two claims: how large is the proportion of additives, including nanoparticles, present in aviation fuels, and whether coloring the snow blue is sufficient in this regard.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal clarifies that the snow wasn't blue, but was covered with blue, dusty particles. He notes that Urmas Sepp was thrown out of the commission's door and promises to provide details regarding the percentage outside of the session.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas invited Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid stressed that if this issue is causing concern for many people in Estonia, the matter must be taken seriously. We need to check if it is a genuine problem and find solutions. He then asked whether the Health Board has seriously investigated the issue and what steps they plan to take.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal notes that the issue of aircraft fuel additives is very important to people, and they have informed both emergency services and the Environmental Board about it, and have taken photographs. However, the authorities are not responding, and the only way out is a parliamentary debate coupled with a state decision and the thorough inclusion of international evidence.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas says that it is not possible to ask and answer questions on the spot.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Unfortunately, the only input provided is "Other conditions ...," which means I cannot create an accurate one-sentence summary—please provide the entire text.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asked a question and got an answer.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He notes that this is almost a pseudo-statement, and does not believe that the plane's tail could disappear in such a manner, as if it had been sliced off with a knife.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas addresses Hanah Lahe and asks for something.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He reviewed the article and determined it was not a scientific source. He requested better sources, while also commending the interest shown in the health of the Estonian people and the awareness of environmental threats, asking at the same time whether that energy might be better spent addressing climate change.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal confirms the existence of the Great Reset, or the global new reset, emphasizes the importance of solving climate problems, and asks Hanahi why they want the bill excluded from the proceedings and why the data cannot be investigated to prove whether he is telling the truth or lying. Long live the climate revolution.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asks that Eero Merilind be called in.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
This is a quick greeting for the server.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asks for 60 seconds.
Eero Merilind
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Eero Merilind explains why snow and the sky appear blue due to light scattering, and concludes with the question of whether plastic bottles and nanoparticles should be banned.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal points out that the issue of snow and fuel additives is complex and requires clarification and investigation, which is why the draft bill is currently under review.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
This is just a quick call to bring Juku-Kalle Raid to the stage.
Juku-Kalle Raid
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Although the topic of fuel is important, he turns instead to smoking, pointing out that he and a fellow competitor are smokers, and since there are many smokers in the house, perhaps it would be fitting to ban the smokers who are currently in the lead.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
While I don't quite grasp how this ties in with the draft legislation, the idea itself is appealing. It reminds me of an interesting anecdote involving Viktor Vassiljev—the doctor claims that certain substances are separate from nicotine and occasionally work quite well.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the rapporteur, noted that there were no further questions, and invited Hanah Lahe, a member of the Environment Committee, to the Riigikogu rostrum to deliver her report, adding that Igor Taro had raised a point of order.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro thanks the Chair and wishes to make a statement in reply, as the presenter mentioned his name.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas stated that the opportunity for a rebuttal is not provided for under the current Rules of Procedure Act, and the only solution is a legislative amendment, which cannot be implemented immediately.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Environmental Committee discussed the draft bill with the initiator and experts and decided not to support it, following a vote of 5 in favor and 1 against.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the rapporteur, announced that there were questions, and invited Kert Kingo to respond.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo criticizes the rude and patronizing attitude in parliament, recalling the selective use of scientific sources and the ignoring of contradictory studies during the corona period. She asks whether the same practice will continue—where only studies supporting one's own viewpoint are discussed and all other counterarguments are dismissed.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Hanah Lahe stresses that this has nothing to do with belief, and if major legal amendments affecting all Estonians are going to be passed—amendments whose implementation could potentially shut down air traffic over Estonia—they cannot be adopted without scientific research. She adds that it is welcome if someone supports such studies, as this would provide more material for future discussion on the topic.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid criticized the committee's 5-to-1 decision during the first reading. He questioned whether the members were truly convinced that this was a pseudo-problem, whether there was no reason to involve interest groups or experts, and if the intention was simply to kill the draft legislation immediately.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He is conveying the committee's view that members of the Riigikogu should base their decisions on scientific evidence, ensuring the best outcome for the Estonian people.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The address is a request directed at Kert Kingo.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo criticizes the COVID period and claims that the party spoke of faith in science, but that only certain scientists were allowed to be believed while others were not. She asks what the difference is between that and the current position, and whether this topic was discussed in the commission.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
We didn't discuss this in the commission.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
This is a very short address, the sole purpose of which is a request to invite Kalle Grünthal to speak.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal thanks the presiding officer, noting that the interest group representative had been invited and traveled 100 kilometers to attend, and then asks directly: where was the conscience when Urmas Sepp was thrown out of the committee meeting?
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The majority decided that the interest group representative was not entitled to attend the committee meeting because prior clearance had not been obtained from the manager or the committee chairman. They also concluded that, in the future, this coordination should be completed before inviting guests, to ensure they are not disappointed later.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme is invited to the stage.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He expanded the discussion to the topic of geoengineering, highlighting its scientific background dating back to the 1960s, and asked the commission and Estonia whether the particles are dangerous, whether Estonia is involved in this, and what the data shows.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
She/He clarifies the pronunciation of the name, stating that it is Hanah, not Hanna, and that the issue was not discussed in the commission.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas called Kalle Grünthal up to the stage.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal asserts that the answer was incorrect, confirms that he notified the committee chairman about the interest group's presence in two phone calls, offered to show the call records, and asks where the committee's conscience is before the public, considering you voted a person who traveled a long distance out of the discussion.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Hanah Lahe highlighted that the process for inviting the interest group representative was vague: the commission was told that perhaps one person would attend, but no name was provided, and without knowing the name, they couldn't figure out who they were supposed to invite.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas called upon Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme emphasizes the importance of geoengineering, recommending that the young environmental activist Hanah research this topic, analyze various materials, and look into the composition of aviation fuel and its effects on health. She also asks whether we should be addressing this issue in the future.
Hanah Lahe
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Hanah Lahe said that the topic warrants investigation and asked for the cited sources to be shared with her and the committee, arguing that if they are so important, they should have been included in the explanatory memorandum of the draft bill, but this was not done.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas thanked the rapporteur, announced that there were no questions, and opened the debate, inviting Igor Taro, the representative of the Eesti 200 faction, to the rostrum.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro emphasized that the problem lies in education, not in the atmosphere or chemistry, and stressed that parliamentary work must adhere to established procedures and rely on the foundation of scientific, peer-reviewed studies, which ensures the credibility of the debate. Furthermore, he lamented the educational shortcomings of the Riigikogu and urged members to heed reason and conscience and act accordingly, so as not to waste time.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas stated that it is unfair that, pursuant to the Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, the initiator does not have the direct right to participate in the debate, and although the Riigikogu could amend this, he was unable to grant the floor. Furthermore, the leading committee requests that Bill 160 be rejected at the first reading and called upon everyone to take a position and vote.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
At the first reading, draft bill No. 160 received 51 votes in favor and 4 against and was subsequently rejected, meaning it is dropped from the proceedings; the consideration of the second agenda item is concluded.