International environmental agreements

This page contains a list of international agreements within the Ministry of the Environment's scope of activities. The complete list of international treaties and agreements that fall within the Ministry of the Environment’s mandate and links to legislative collections in the Finlex database are currently available only on the Finnish and Swedish versions of this web page.

International agreements within the Ministry of the Environment's scope of activities

The objectives and implementation of key agreements

Climate protection

  • 1979 Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
    • 1984 Geneva Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP)
    • 1985 Helsinki Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions on their TranspoundaryFluxes by at least 30 per cent
    • 1988 Sofia Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes
    • 1991 Geneva Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes
    • 1994 Oslo Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
    • 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Heavy Metals
    • 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
    • 1999 Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone

Ozone layer

  • Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)
  • Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987)
    • Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Kigali amendment, 2016)

Climate change

  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
  • Kyoto Protocol (1997)
  • Paris Agreement (2016)

Marine, water and environmental protection

  • Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (Helsinki Convention, 1992)
  • Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention, 1992)
  • Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (UNECE Water Convention, 1992)
    • Protocol on Water and Health (1999)
    • Protocol on Civil Liability (2003; not yet ratified by Finland, not yet in force internationally)
  • Agreement between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden concerning Cooperation in Taking Measures against Pollution of the Sea by Oil (1971) 
  • Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (IMO, London Convention 1972)
    • Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (1996 London Protocol)
  • Agreement on the Implementation of a European Project on Pollution on the Topic "Sewage Sludge Processing" (1973)
  • The Nordic Environmental Protection Convention (1974)
  • Agreement regarding the Establishment of the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) (Agreement between the Governments of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, 1998)
    • Agreement regarding amendments to the Agreement regarding the Establishment of the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) (2016)
  • Agreement with NEFCO on the Establishment of the Baltic Sea Region Testing Ground Facility (2003)
  • Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991)
    • Measures outlined in and amendments to the protocol are listed under the Antarctic Treaty
  • Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic (2016)

Availability of information and participation

  • UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention, 1998)
    • Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (2003)

Waste management

  • Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1989)
    • Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation (1999) (not yet ratified by Finland, not yet in force internationally)
  • Decision of the OECD Council concerning the Control of Transfrontier Movements of Wastes Destined for Recovery Operations (1992)
  • Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (2009) (not yet ratified by Finland, not yet in force internationally)

Prevention of environmental damage caused by chemicals

  • Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC Convention, 1998)
  • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention, 2001)
  • Minamata convention on Mercury, 2017

Environmental impact assessment

  • Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention, 1991)
  • UNECE Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA, 2003) 

Protection of flora and fauna and biological diversity

  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (Biodiversity Convention, 1992)
    • Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (Nagoya Protocol, 2010)
    • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)
    • Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2010)
  • International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946)
  • Statutes of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN, 1948)  
  • Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention, 1971)
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Convention, 1973)
  • Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS Convention or Bonn Convention, 1979)
  • Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS, 1992, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)
  • Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS, 1991, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)
  • Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA, 1996, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)
  • Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention, 1979)

Landscape

  • European Landscape Convention (2000)
    • Protocol Amending the European Landscape Convention, 2016

Bilateral agreements

Sweden

  • Agreement on movements of waste in the border areas (2016)

Norway

  • Agreement on a Finnish-Norwegian Frontier Water Commission (1980)

Poland

  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of Poland on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection (1990)

Russia

  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection (1992)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Russian Federation on Co-operation in Combating Pollution of the Baltic Sea in Accidents Involving Oil and other Harmful Substances (1989)
  • Action Programme for the Purpose of Limiting and Reducing the Deposition and Harmful Effects of Air Pollutants Emanating from Areas Near the Common Border of Finland and Russia (1989)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Establishment of a Mutual Friendship Conservation Area (1989)
  • Action Programme on the Reduction of Pollution and the Implementation of the Protection of the Marine Environment in the Baltic Sea and in other Areas close to the Common Border of the Republic of Finland and the Russian Federation (1992)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Implementation of Environmental Projects in the Republic of Karelia, in the Regions of Leningrad, Novgorod and Piskov, and in St. Petersburg (1993)  

Estonia

  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia in the Field of Environmental Protection (1991)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in the Field of Air Protection (1993)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in the Field of Water Protection (1999)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in Combatting Pollution in the Marine Environment and the related Protocol (1993)
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on joint implementation of emissions reductions of greenhouse gases, the 2002 Project Agreement concerning the Paide Bioenergy JI Project (2003) and the Pakri Wind Farm JI Project (2004) 

Romania

  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of Romania on Co-operation Concerning Joint Implementation and International Emissions Trading Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2006)

Bulgaria

  • Framework Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria on Cooperation Concerning Joint Implementation Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2006)