Climate Policy Roundtable meets to discuss low-carbon construction

The Climate Policy Roundtable will hold its 12th meeting on Thursday 9 December. The main theme is low-carbon construction.

Construction and buildings produce about a third of Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from the construction sector must be reduced to make sure that Finland will be able to reach its national and international climate targets. The topics to be discussed at the Climate Policy Roundtable include how we can boost the transition to low-carbon construction while at the same time ensuring social justice. The members will also consider what kind of incentives the regions, municipalities, cities, companies and sectoral organisations would need.

“To achieve the target of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035, climate actions are needed in all sectors of society. Emission reductions in the built environment have a key role in this. Houses built today will still be standing in 2100. This is why a low-carbon built environment must be designed and promoted with foresight and a long-term perspective,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari, who chairs the Roundtable.

Roadmap for low-carbon construction: climate study for buildings, emission limits for new buildings

Most of the emissions from the built environment are associated with the energy consumed by buildings. As new buildings are already highly energy efficient, the perspective must be extended to construction materials and emissions during the entire life cycle of the building.

The aim of the roadmap to low-carbon construction prepared at the Ministry of the Environment since 2016 is that, by the mid-2020s, the life cycle carbon footprint of buildings would be regulated by law.

The key elements of the roadmap include climate studies for buildings and carbon budgets for new buildings. The climate studies would show the climate impacts of the entire life cycle of a new building and of extensive renovation of a building and the time after that. The climate studies of buildings would serve as the basis for emission limits to be set for new buildings. The draft Decree of the Ministry of the Environment on the climate study for buildings was circulated for comments in summer 2021. This Decree is part of the process to reform the Land Use and Building Act. The deadline for submitting comments on this ended on 7 December.

The Climate Policy Roundtable brings together a broad spectrum of stakeholders from different sectors of society. The purpose of the Roundtable is to create a common understanding of how Finland can make a just transition to a carbon neutral society by 2035. With its work, the Roundtable supports the preparation and implementation of Finland’s national climate policy.

To follow the work of the Roundtable in social media use #ilmastonpyöreäpöytä and #hiilineutraali2035.

Inquiries

Milja Henttonen
Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change (requests for interviews with the Minister)
tel. +358 50 599 3094
[email protected]

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

Jarmo Muurman
Senior Ministerial Adviser, Secretary-General of the Climate Policy Roundtable
tel. +358 295 250 185
[email protected]

Matti Kuittinen
Senior Specialist
tel. +358 295 250 268
[email protected]