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3.3.2026 | Finland’s development cooperation has strengthened the sustainable use of forests and water, improved access to clean energy, and supported disaster risk management in several partner countries, according to a new independent evaluation. The evaluation assessed results in the environment and natural resources sectors from 2010 to 2024, as well as opportunities for private-sector collaboration.

9.2.2026 | The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Science‑Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) underlines the responsibility of businesses for their impacts on nature. The current business conditions do not support halting biodiversity loss. Broad structural changes are needed and can be driven by governments. However, businesses already have the knowledge and opportunities to act in ways that are sustainable for nature.

1.3.2023 | Finland’s new Special Envoy for Climate Change Kerstin Stendahl has been following international climate and environmental negotiations for nearly three decades. Stendahl has held leading positions in the Ministry of the Environment and in the United Nations, among other places.

27.8.2026 | On 27 August 2026, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to supplement the national implementation of the EU framework Regulation on non-road mobile machinery and the Euro 7 Regulation. The Regulations are related to vehicle approval, market surveillance and environmental requirements. At the same time, certain other national provisions would be laid down to amend the vehicle legislation.

16.2.2023 | The Government has adopted a resolution on the National Strategy for the Prevention of and Response to Environmental Damage extending to 2035. The Strategy was adopted at the government session on 16 February. Its main objective is to guide the authorities’ preparedness for current and future threats of environmental damage. The Strategy needed to be updated to ensure that the responsibilities of different actors are in line with the current legislation.

17.10.2023 | Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs will open a call for discretionary government grant applications for the organisation of continuing training on international environmental law and diplomacy. The call for applications will be open for universities and other organisers of continuing training from 17 October to 3 November 2023 at 16:00.

1.9.2022 | Desertification is a wretched process that is caused by fertile soil becoming dry and impoverished and that eventually ruins the soil’s productivity completely. Soil that is unfit for cultivation is a major trigger for migration flows in Africa and the Middle East.

Foresight activities and work on the future Climate change, an ageing population and technological development are transforming Finland and changing its outlook for the future. Many other social, technological, economic, environmental and politica...

31.5.2022 | The high-level UN meeting Stockholm+50 will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on 2–3 June 2022. The meeting will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first UN conference on the environment, assess the environmental actions taken in the past 50 years and present concrete recommendations to improve the state of the environment.

13.12.2021 | According the OECD’s review, the development of Finland’s environmental policy has been positive in recent years. The OECD considers the carbon neutrality target and targets related to promoting biodiversity and a circular economy as highly relevant. However, the current measures will not be enough to reach the targets that have been set and, according to the OECD, this will be a challenge for Finland in the coming decade.

Government Report on the Future Each electoral term, the Government submits to Parliament a Report on the Future, which aims to identify issues that will be important for decision-making and require particular attention in the future. The report a...

1.12.2023 | This year, the UN Climate Change Conference, or COP28, will host the first-ever Health Day and climate-health ministerial. The purpose of the thematic day is to highlight how climate change affects people’s health and wellbeing as well as the resilience of health systems and societies and to point out that the climate crisis is also a health crisis.

7.12.2023 | On 7 December 2023, the Government decided to amend the 2G network licence terms. Telecommunications operators will now be expected to maintain 2G technology until the end of 2029. Operators may then, if they so wish, adopt newer technologies in the frequency bands currently reserved for 2G technology.

22.11.2024 | The strategic analysis of the operating environment drawn up in connection with the first part of the Report on the Future was published by the Government on Friday 22 November. The analysis provides an overall picture of changes in Finland’s operating environment.

5.12.2023 | Finland’s delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 has 14 negotiators, four from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Ministry’s negotiating team is headed by Anna Merrifield, Director of the Unit for Climate and Environmental Diplomacy.

1.9.2026 | On 1 September 2026, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reached a decision on its budget proposal for 2027 and is steadily implementing the agenda it agreed at the spending limits session. The agenda includes EUR 100 million of investment in construction and numerous transport infrastructure projects. The Government’s targeted measures will support economic growth.

22.11.2022 | Finland’s Ambassador for Climate Change Jan Wahlberg says that while the Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt has been criticised for its weak results, progress was nevertheless made to help the world’s poorest countries stricken by climate disasters. Future conferences of the parties will decide on the structure of the fund and its sources of finance.

3.2.2023 | Somalia’s first Minister of Environment and Climate Change Khadija Mohamed Almakhzoumi visited Finland this week on the invitation of Minister Maria Ohisalo.

25.11.2024 | The roadmap of the Natural Resources Institute Finland presents two alternative scenarios for the change in the use of peatland fields in different regions. The plan was drawn up together with stakeholders as part of the Catch the Carbon package of climate measures for the land use sector, and it offers support for the official preparation processes and policy making.

Sustainability in state-owned companies Sustainability is becoming more and more important for the competitiveness and shareholder value of companies. As an owner, the State expects companies to lead the way in sustainable business. The State’s ex...