Follow-up study updates long-term emission reduction scenarios to meet the carbon neutrality targets by 2035

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy commissioned a study from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the purpose of which is to update the calculations and analyses of the PITKO study to meet the targets set in the Government Programme for climate neutral Finland by 2035. Published in February 2019, the PITKO study assessed the long-term development of total greenhouse gas emissions in Finland.

The study to be conducted by VTT will take into account the updating of the LULUCF sector scenarios carried out in a separate project of the Natural Resources Institute Finland, and the preparation of sector-specific low-carbon roadmaps, which is about to begin.

The project will be implemented such that preliminary assessments can be presented together with the project results to the Government’s Ministerial Working Group on Climate and Energy Policy on 11 November 2019. The final report will be completed in December 2019.

The PITKO study published last February by VTT and the Finnish Environment Institute, which assessed Finland’s emission reduction scenarios until 2050 and key sector-specific pathways towards carbon neutrality, will serve as the basis for the long-term strategy work on climate and energy policy. According to the study, Finland could be carbon neutral around 2040.

The previous scenarios will now be supplemented by taking into account the Government’s climate neutrality target in 2035. In practice, this means more rapid measures to reduce emissions and to strengthen carbon sinks.

The results will be used for the preparation of emission reduction measures, in the preparation of a national long-term low-emission strategy (LTS) to be submitted to the EU, and in a seminar held as part of the public consultation included in the preparation of the strategy.

Tiina Koljonen is the project manager at VTT. Other people participating in the implementation are Antti Lehtilä (integrated TIMES-VTT modelling of the reference scenario and policy scenarios) and Hanne Siikavirta (sector interviews, reporting) as well as VTT’s technology and system specialists. Sampo Soimakallio from the Finnish Environment Institute is responsible for overall reviews related to carbon neutrality, and Juha Honkatukia from Merit Economics for national economy modelling and assessment.

The project will be steered by the same group that was the steering group in the PITKO study published last February. The group is chaired by Petteri Kuuva, Senior Ministerial Adviser from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Inquiries:
Petteri Kuuva, Senior Ministerial Adviser, MEAE, tel. +358 29 506 4116
Tiina Koljonen, Principal Scientist, VTT, tel. +358 20 722 5806