Climate plans of municipalities included in Climate Change Act – proposal sent out for comments

The Ministry of the Environment sent out the proposal supplementing the Climate Change Act for comments on 8 June. In future, the Act would oblige the municipalities to draw up climate plans either alone or together with other municipalities in the region. Provisions to clarify the procedure for requests for review would also be added to the Act. Comments are to be submitted by 3 August.

The Climate Change Act is being reformed in two stages. In the first one, a comprehensive reform of the Climate Change Act was prepared, and the reformed Act should enter into force on 1 July 2022. In the second stage, the Act will be supplemented by a proposal whereby the obligation of municipalities to draw up climate plans would be included in the Act and provisions to clarify the procedure concerning requests for review would be added.

“Climate work carried out in municipalities boosts the work done by the State, and almost two out of three Finns live in a municipality that has set an earlier target for carbon neutrality than the national one. We already have extremely active, both large and small, climate-friendly municipalities. By this Act we will encourage all municipalities to get involved in this work. Municipalities will become even stronger and more self-sufficient when climate measures are planned systematically and fossil fuels are phased out,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Maria Ohisalo.

Statutory obligation to municipalities to plan climate work

According to the draft proposal, the scope of application of the Climate Change Act would be extended to include not only central government authorities but also municipalities. Municipalities should prepare a climate plan that will set out an objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the municipality and the measures to reduce these emissions. Municipalities could also set objectives and measures related to adaptation and carbon sinks. In some regions, Regional Councils could coordinate the planning if the municipalities prepare a joint plan. One of the aims of the proposal is to boost climate work in municipalities where this has not yet started or made much progress. 

Government grants would be awarded to municipalities for the preparation of the climate plans. In its spending limits discussion of spring 2022 the Government made a decision to allocate three million euros per year for the preparation of climate plans in municipalities.

Of the 294 municipalities in Mainland Finland, 71 have already drawn up their own climate plans. In practice the new obligation would mainly concern small and medium-sized municipalities as most of them have not yet prepared climate plans. Municipalities have a key role in climate change mitigation because they make significant decisions on e.g. land use, transport planning, energy production and procurement operations. 

Request for review concerning decisions under Climate Change Act clarified

A new provision will be included in the Climate Change Act to clarify the procedure for requests for review. Now the Climate Change Act does not contain provisions on the procedure for requests for review concerning government decisions. This has led to an ambiguous legal situation in terms of whether reviews can be requested regarding climate change policy plans and, under the Administrative Judicial Procedure Act, which parties would have the right to appeal. The objective of the provision is to enhance the clarity of the Act and promote the realisation of legal protection in decision-making on climate policy.

According to the proposal, the right to request for review would apply e.g. to a party whose right, obligation or benefit may be specifically affected by the impacts of climate change or actions related to climate change mitigation or adaptation. In accordance with the Administrative Judicial Procedure Act, parties with the right to request for review could appeal government decisions under the Climate Change Act to the Supreme Administrative Court. 

What will happen next?

The Ministry of the Environment requests comments on the proposal by 3 August 2022. Comments can be submitted by all organisations and private individuals at lausuntopalvelu.fi. 
The proposal supplementing the Climate Change Act is to be given to Parliament in autumn 2022. 

Inquiries

Riikka Yliluoma
Special Adviser to Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
+358 295 250 091
[email protected]

Outi Kumpuvaara
Senior Specialist, Legal Affairs
Ministry of the Environment
+358 295 250 225
[email protected]

Jarmo Muurman
Senior Ministerial Adviser
Ministry of the Environment
+358 295 250 185 
[email protected]

Karin Cederlöf
Specialist
Ministry of the Environment
+358 295 250 010
[email protected]