Strong focus on nature conservation in the 2021 Budget
The Government budget session confirmed that funding for nature conservation will stay at a record high level. Next year the funding targeted to nature conservation will be EUR 100 million higher than in the beginning of the government term. The funds will be used e.g. to implement the habitats protection, restoration and management programme ‘Helmi’ and the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland (METSO).
Preliminary decisions were made to allocate EUR 27 million to purchasing forest sites under the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland and the related compensations, and at least EUR 12 million to mire conservation under the Helmi habitats programme. The total budget of the Helmi habitats programme is EUR 46 million.
Besides nature conservation, the programme of the Ministry of the Environment on more efficient water protection will continue by means of support for the implementation of effective water and marine management measures. One major project to be funded under the programme is concerned with the application of gypsum on arable lands in the catchment area of the Archipelago Sea, implemented in cooperation with farmers and other operators in the area.
In the budget item of the Ministry of the Environment, EUR 0.7 million is reserved for implementing the programme to promote a circular economy, but the total budget funds allocated to promoting a circular economy are much higher. The implementation of the Plastics Roadmap will continue. EUR 1.25 million in total is reserved for the development and upkeep of a monitoring system for the waste sector and product information and the related reporting.
Support for energy renovations, housing construction boosted especially in growth areas
Energy subsidies for residential buildings will continue by EUR 40 million. The climate work of municipalities and regions is promoted and the scientific base of the climate policy secured by the funds allocated to the Finnish Climate Panel.
To increase State-subsidised rental housing production, temporary start-up subsidies will be granted to municipalities covered by the land use, housing and transport agreements up to EUR 39 million.
In the areas covered by the land use, housing and transport agreements the start-up subsidy will be EUR 5,000 higher per apartment in regular rental housing production of the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA) if the building concerned is a block of flats with a wood frame. In other areas the start-up subsidy in regular rental housing production of ARA is EUR 2,000 per apartment in blocks of flats with a wood frame. In areas covered by the land use, housing and transport agreements, housing production is also promoted by subsidies for municipal engineering, which may be granted up to EUR 25 million. The new urban areas covered by the land use, housing and transport agreements will also be eligible for these subsidies as well as for the higher start-up subsidy for residential buildings with a wood frame.
The authorisation for interest-rate subsidies to state-subsidised social housing production is EUR 1.8 billion, and EUR 285 million is allocated to loan guarantees and EUR 100 million to state guarantees for the renovation loans of housing companies. Most of the state-subsidised housing production will be targeted to major growth centres, especially the Helsinki region.
The creation of a digital register and data platform will continue by means of an appropriation of EUR 7.3 million. This will be used to support the development of digital built environments in municipalities and connecting these to the national structures.
Besides interest-rate subsidy loans, building and renovation of housing for special groups is supported by investment subsidies up to the total of EUR 90 million. These subsidies will primarily be targeted to promoting housing production for the most vulnerable groups. In the Budget and from the Housing Fund of Finland, a total of EUR 33.5 million is allocated to renovation subsidies, mainly targeted to retrofitting of lifts and support for renovating apartments for older and disabled people.
The final figures will be decided at the government plenary session on 5 October.
Inquiries:
All email addresses are in the format [email protected]
Timo Juurikkala, Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, tel. +358 40 555 4013
Natural environment
Tarja Haaranen, Director General, tel. +358 295 250 282
Environmental protection
Leena Ylä-Mononen, Director General, tel. +358 295 250 023
Built environment
Timo Tähtinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 250 306
Budget proposal of the Ministry of the Environment
Timo Jaakkola, Financial Manager, tel. +358 295 250 214