Climate Policy Roundtable discussed Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan
Overarching themes in the Roundtable discussion were the situation in Ukraine and the need for a fast transition away from fossil fuels.
“We are facing a highly exceptional situation in Europe. However, it is important that even in a time like this we can still meet and discuss another serious crisis, climate change. Russia’s attack on Ukraine underlines the need to phase out fossil fuels as soon as possible. A fossil-free welfare state is better in terms of both the environment and security situation,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari, who chaired the meeting.
The main topic of the Climate Policy Roundtable was the adequacy of the measures to be included in the Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan. The plan outlines the measures in the effort sharing sector to meet the EU’s emission reduction target for 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.
Introductions to the evaluations by the research institutes and feedback received in the consultation round were given by Markku Ollikainen, Chair of the Finnish Climate Change Panel, Research Team Leader Tiina Koljonen from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Magnus Cederlöf from the Ministry of the Environment. The key message both from the research institutes and in the feedback was that the measures to be included in the Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan should be further strengthened.
Russia’s actions give an additional reason to boost climate work
The Roundtable considered it important that Finland will continue to act in a consistent way now that the world is facing severe tensions.
“The environment where Finland and Europe are operating has changed dramatically. Besides security policy, the key focus must be on economic and energy policy. It is even more important to accelerate the transition that will increase Finland’s energy self-sufficiency and promote the efforts to phase out fossil fuels. What we need now is actions that increase trust,” says Mari Pantsar, Director at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
The Roundtable pointed out that, besides Russia’s actions, the Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC published on 28 February gives strong reasons to phase out fossil fuels even faster. The discussion also stressed the need to consider how climate actions could be accelerated and security of supply improved at the same time.
According to the members of the Roundtable, further actions should be targeted especially to transport and agriculture, but it is also most important that the actions will not lead to growing conflicts and unrest.
“The Government’s climate policy must have the support of the Finns. Today this is even more important than ever before,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari sums up.
- Photos from the meeting (image bank of the Ministry of the Environment)
- Research institutes: stronger climate actions needed in the effort sharing sector
Inquiries:
Milja Henttonen
Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change (requests for interviews with the Minister) tel. +358 50 599 3094
[email protected]
Riikka Yliluoma
Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, tel. +358 50 414 1682
[email protected]
Jarmo Muurman
Senior Ministerial Adviser, Secretary-General of the Climate Policy Roundtable
tel. +358 295 250 185
[email protected]
The Climate Policy Roundtable brings together a broad spectrum of stakeholders from different sectors of society. The purpose of the Roundtable is to create a common understanding of how Finland can make a just transition to a carbon neutral society by 2035. With its work, the Roundtable supports the preparation and implementation of Finland’s national climate policy.