Comments from citizens to spur reform of the climate change policy plan – How can we reduce emissions effectively and fairly?

The Ministry of the Environment invites views and opinions on how emissions can be reduced effectively and fairly through an online survey open to all. The survey is open from 19 January to 19 February. The responses will help to prepare a new medium-term climate change policy plan.

“Finland’s aim is to be carbon neutral by 2035. Achieving this goal requires action and change from every one of us. That’s why it’s important to hear what kind of emission reduction measures Finns consider to be effective and fair. It pays to complete the survey, this is a real opportunity to have an impact,” says Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate.

The themes of the survey – transport, food and housing – affect the daily life of every Finn and also account for the majority of our carbon footprint. The survey presents various possible measures to reduce emissions and asks about their impact on the respondent’s activities and their acceptability. In addition, there are open-ended questions where respondents can express their own thoughts in more depth.

A summary of the responses will be submitted to the working group preparing the medium-term climate change policy plan. It will also be published on the website of the Ministry of the Environment during spring. The answers will be processed anonymously.

The medium-term climate change policy plan will be updated to meet the Government’s goal of achieving a carbon-neutral Finland by the year 2035. The plan contains a description of the development of emissions in the past and estimates the development of emissions based on the current policy measures in relation to the targets. The plan also outlines new policy measures, and their effectiveness is assessed in relation to the objectives.

To support the preparation of the plan, a working group was set up in October 2020, with representatives from the key ministries and the Climate Panel. The draft plan will be completed in the summer of 2021 and will be submitted to Parliament as a report in autumn 2021.

Household consumption accounts for 66 per cent of Finland’s total emissions, calculated on the basis of the carbon footprint. The Climate Panel has estimated that the household carbon footprint should be reduced by about 70 per cent from the level of 2016 in order to meet the 2030 climate targets.

Inquiries:

Riikka Yliluoma, Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
tel.  +358 50 414 1682. [email protected]

Miia Berger, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 250 265, [email protected]