Development Perspectives for Land Use in Finland

The Ministry of the Environment and Finnish Environment Institute published the Development Perspectives for Land Use in Finland on 15 January 2024.

• Development Perspectives for Land Use in Finland, Towards a Sustainable Regional and Urban Structure | Institutional Repository for the Government Valto

The Development Perspectives for Land Use in Finland provide information on the current state and future of the Finnish regional and urban structure and the development needs. The perspectives were prepared in extensive cooperation with stakeholders. According to the report, in the rapidly changing operating environment the regional and urban structure must sustain changes, adapt to them and renew itself in a sustainable way. The development must be based on the circumstances and strengths of different regions.

The development perspectives will be maintained on an ongoing basis. They are composed of three parts:

• The description of the current situation that is maintained on an ongoing basis explores the key changes in the regional and urban structure and the factors behind them.
• The future outlook outlines possible future development paths that we must be prepared for in the development of the regional and urban structure. Another aim is to identify future scenarios that are unlikely but, if realised, could have a significant impact on the development of the regional and urban structure.
• The development perspective to be prepared during the last year of this government term defines the needs and objectives in developing the regional and urban structure and the actions to support these.

The Development Perspectives for Land Use:

• offer up-to-date information on the development of the regional and urban structure to support planning and decision-making,
• are in place to interpret emerging trends and to anticipate future development and needs,
• ​​​​​​​help different actors in society develop their activities in a more sustainable direction.

The results of the work on the development perspectives can be used in many different sectors of society and in the public sector from municipalities to the central government. The results can be utilised e.g. in the planning of land use, transport systems, service network, housing and central government finances and in reforming the legislation on land use and the national land use objectives.

The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for preparing the development perspectives together with the Finnish Environment Institute. The development perspectives are prepared in cooperation with other ministries and with the agencies, regional councils and municipalities.