The economic costs of climate policy measures such as emission tax and their effects on income distribution can be regulated by redistributing emission tax revenue back to households. This is the outcome of a study conducted by the Pellervo Economic Research Institute PTT, Merit Economics, and Statistics and Research Åland ÅSUB. The means to do this include earned income tax and/or corporation tax concessions and direct support to households.

Based on a recent evaluation, the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE is a progressive research institute that is widely appreciated in society. It produces research and expertise of a high standard and its societal impact is significant. What SYKE could do, however, is show even stronger leadership as a promoter of sustainable development, both internationally and nationally.

Finland intends to propose the Saimaa ringed seal habitats in the Lake Saimaa archipelago as a new natural site to be inscribed on the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen told about the process to update the tentative list at the World Heritage Forum on 11 November.

The Ministry of the Interior sent the draft government proposal on amending the Money Collection Act out for comments on 6 November 2020. By this amendment, voluntary carbon offsetting services would be excluded from the scope of application of the Money Collection Act. In future, no money collection licence would be required for operations concerning voluntary carbon offsetting.

The negotiations on the Climate Change Act between the Ministry of the Environment and the Sámi Parliament under section 9 of the Act on the Sámi Parliament were held on Tuesday 27 October. The Government proposal for the reformed Climate Change Act should be ready in spring 2021.

The carbon tariffs planned by the EU may curb carbon leakage, but on closer inspection, they can prove problematic in many ways. According to a study published on 29 October, the EU’s carbon tariff project will face challenges in the coming years.

On Wednesday 28 October, the Climate Policy Roundtable met to discuss a fair and just transition to fossil-free transport. The key focus was on measures to be included in the roadmap to fossil-free transport and distribution of the costs arising from emission reductions in the transport sector.

The Climate Policy Roundtable will hold its fourth meeting on Wednesday 28 October. The main topics to be discussed are the roadmap to fossil-free transport and how fair and just treatment of stakeholders will be taken into account in preparing the roadmap.

A foundation has been established for developing Paimio Sanatorium. The memorandum of association was signed on 27 October. The founding members of the foundation are the Hospital District of Southwest Finland, the State, the Alvar Aalto Foundation and the cities of Paimio and Turku.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin will take part in three video meetings with the other Nordic prime ministers on 27 and 28 October. Several other Finnish ministers will also participate in a series of virtual meetings taking place during the week when the Nordic Council would normally hold its plenary session. This year’s Session Week was to be held in Reykjavik but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.