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Sami Pirkkala appointed Secretary General of Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Government Communications DepartmentNational Commission on Sustainable Development
Publication date 8.4.2021 7.49 | Published in English on 8.4.2021 at 15.14
Press release

Chief Specialist Sami Pirkkala from the Prime Minister’s Office has been appointed Secretary General of the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development. Sami Pirkkala has worked on the General Secretariat on Sustainable Development since 2017, first at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and then at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Pirkkala takes over the position from Senior Ministerial Adviser for International Affairs Annika Lindblom, who will continue her work as President of the European Sustainable Development Network (ESDN) and as an international specialist in the work on sustainable development in Finland. Senior Specialist Marja Innanen from the Prime Minister’s Office will continue as Deputy Secretary General of the Commission. 

The Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development is an influential forum that brings together important operators in Finnish society. It has been working continuously since 1993. The Commission is chaired by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, with Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen and Minister of Finance Matti Vanhanen as vice-chairs. 

“I am humbled but also excited to take on this position. It is an honour to work with this unique and internationally respected forum. The Commission plays an important role in accelerating the systemic transformation towards sustainability in Finnish society. I want to do my part to support this work,” says Pirkkala. 

The main task of the Commission is to speed up the implementation of the Global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to link it to Finland’s work on sustainable development at the national level. The Commission also monitors and assesses the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Finland. Its main task for the current year is to produce the 2030 Agenda roadmap, which highlights the kinds of policies that Finland should pursue in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level by 2030. The Commission’s tasks also include promoting, monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the national commitment to sustainable development, entitled The Finland we want by 2050. 

The Commission’s vision is a prosperous and globally responsible Finland that safeguards the carrying capacity of nature. The Commission’s objective is to put sustainable development at the heart of decision-making and policy. It also aims to involve society at large in the implementation of sustainable development and to promote interaction, dialogue and networking between different operators. The Commission seeks to share best sustainable development practices and to actively communicate them at the national and international level. 

The members of the Commission represent a broad spectrum of sectors and stakeholders in Finnish society.  Participants in its activities include representatives from ministries, Parliament, the Finnish Sámi Parliament, the Åland Regional Government, municipalities and regions, other public administration bodies, the business sector, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and science and research institutes.

Inquiries: Sami Pirkkala, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 50 598 0724 and Marja Innanen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 40 777 5582, Prime Minister’s Office

 
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