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The Finnish Government commits to reducing its carbon footprint by a fifth by 2026

Government Communications DepartmentNational Commission on Sustainable Development
Publication date 15.3.2019 9.33 | Published in English on 20.3.2019 at 14.50
Press release 156

The Finnish Government has made a commitment to taking measures that will reduce its carbon footprint by a fifth by 2026. This is part of the commitment of the Prime Minister’s Office to taking measures that consists of eight different elements. The commitments set out the objectives for the Government’s ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability.

The calculation of the Government’s carbon footprint comprises electricity, heat and paper consumption, waste management and air travel. The initial level is 15,800 co2 tonnes a year and the target to 2026 is less than 12,640 co2 tonnes.

“Reaching the targets requires measures to be taken by all government ministries and their staff. I am confident that this will be achieved by concrete actions within the organisations and by guiding our cooperation partners to follow the principles of sustainable development in their actions. The whole Finnish Government wants to do its part to promote the sustainable development goals and to combat climate change”, says Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The aim is that the commitments cover all activities within the Prime Minister’s Office. Sustainable development targets are set for public procurement, digital systems, restaurants and catering for meetings, waste recycling and premises. Socially sustainable development is improved by giving more attention to the staff’s wellbeing, coping with work, competences and skills, and ecological work and working environment. The progress made in the commitments is monitored and reported on an annual basis.

Society’s Commitment to Sustainable Development is the national sustainable development strategy agreed by the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development, as well as a concrete tool for this work. It is a shared long-term vision of the Finland we want to have in the future. Society's Commitment includes mutually agreed practices and objectives that are required to secure a good life now and in the future. Its vision is a prosperous and globally responsible Finland that protects the carrying capacity of nature. Society’s Commitment to Sustainable Development is one of the key tools in implementing the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Finland.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä published the sustainable development target of the Prime Minister’s Office in December at the seminar held at the House of the Estates Finnish Climate Action – More and Faster.

Read more about the commitments of the Prime Minister’s Office at Commitment2050.

Inquiries: Kimmo Takamaa, Development Manager, tel. +358 295 160 859 and Marja Innanen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 40 777 5582, Prime Minister’s Office

 
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