Press Releases
Finland promotes water protection in UN Ocean Conference
30.6.2022 14.12

The United Nations Ocean Conference was held in Lisbon from 27 June to 1 July 2022. At the Conference, states pledged to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially that concerning life below water. Finland’s delegation was led by Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. State Secretary Terhi Lehtonen and Permanent Secretary Juhani Damski attended the Conference as well.
EU Environment Ministers agree on legislative proposals for Fit for 55 package – expanding emissions trading proceeds
29.6.2022 4.24

The EU target of carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest was decided during Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2019. On 29 June 2022, the EU Environment Council in Luxembourg reached general approaches on the key legislative proposals of the 55% emission reduction target by 2030, i.e. the Fit for 55 package, after long negotiations.
Finland stresses importance of finding solutions to global education crisis at UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
28.6.2022 9.37

The UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will meet in New York between 5 and 15 July.
Finns are increasingly worried about state of nature – biodiversity loss is now recognised as threat
28.6.2022 9.00

Finns are clearly much more worried about the state of nature on the global scale than about the state of Finnish nature. A barometer on the connection to nature was conducted to find out about our relationship with nature and with preserving biodiversity, and how the responsibilities should be divided between the different stakeholders.
EU Environment Ministers discuss Fit for 55 Package – agenda includes emissions trading, emission limits for cars and LULUFC Regulation
27.6.2022 8.16

The EU ministers for the environment and climate issues meet in Luxembourg on 28 June, where they will discuss the EU’s Fit for 55 Package. Finland’s representative at the meeting will be Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Maria Ohisalo.
UN Goose Management Working Group meets in Helsinki to discuss population trends and joint measures
21.6.2022 10.08

The annual meeting of the European Goose Management International Working Group under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds AEWA will be held in Helsinki on 21–23 June 2022. AEWA and its Individual Species Working Groups (ISWG) are important for Finland in terms of the protection and sustainable exploitation of the migratory aquatic and shore birds found in Finland. The meeting will consider the most recent data on goose population trends and decide on possible further measures with respect to the populations within the mandate of the European Goose Management Platform.
Consultation under way on the Act on the Built Environment Information System
17.6.2022 16.40
The Ministry of the Environment requests comments on the act concerning the new Built Environment Information System. The act is part of the digital transformation of the built environment. The legislation is being reformed in such a way that the digitalisation of the sector can proceed. The change will have an impact on the information management of numerous stakeholders. Data created in building permit and zoning processes will be harmonised, machine-readable and readily accessible.
How should the sustainability of cities be measured
13.6.2022 9.44
The project carried out by the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE ‘Indicators for sustainable urban development’ was a multi-stage participatory process to draw up a proposal for key indicators for sustainable urban development. The aim is to support cities, ministries and other stakeholders in monitoring sustainable urban development. The follow-up project to be started now will test the key indicators that have been identified in municipalities interested in this work.
New Climate Change Act into force in July
9.6.2022 13.59

The Climate Change Act lays the foundation for national work on climate change in Finland. The reformed Act sets emission reductions targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050. Now the target of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035 has for the first time been laid down by law.
Climate plans of municipalities included in Climate Change Act – proposal sent out for comments
8.6.2022 15.02
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.
News
Candidates sought for Multidisciplinary Expert Panel of IPBES
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11.2.2022 13.38
Citizens’ Jury tested in Finland to support climate policy preparation
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26.8.2021 11.50
Returning expired medicines has increased in Finland
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26.8.2021 9.53
Sustainability, natural environment, equality – Nordic building blocks for the New European Bauhaus initiative
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31.5.2021 11.03
Hiilihelppi provides tips on how to reduce the carbon footprint of living
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23.4.2021 15.32
Nordic ideas to enrich the New European Bauhaus
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1.4.2021 10.32
Ministry of the Environment participates in a joint European research project on forest sector – The call is open until 13 April 2021
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27.1.2021 7.41
Environmental administration to introduce a built environment information system
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28.9.2020 10.57
The year of celebration for European landscapes
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7.9.2020 3.44
The Environment Council conclusions: need for urgent measures to protect and restore biodiversity
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19.12.2019 14.54
Network of nature reserves in Barents region gains two new sites in Northwest Russia
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5.12.2019 7.06
High Level Celebration Conference of the first EU wide ecosystem assessment in Helsinki 13 December 2019
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25.11.2019 14.12
Finland will celebrate European Heritage Days 2020 with the theme Places to Grow
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11.11.2019 8.26
Strong support for the continuation of the EU's Urban and Territorial Agendas
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17.10.2019 16.47
Digital innovations kick off Presidency discussions on regional and urban development
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12.9.2019 16.15
Photography Exhibition on Arctic Biodiversity in the Lobby of the Ministry
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22.5.2019 12.10
Timanttiteko award for 2018 granted to National Climate Change Adaptation Plan implementation group
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21.3.2019 17.00
Ministry of the Environment to grant half a million euros in support for climate change projects
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14.2.2019 9.25
Latest status report shows that further measures are needed to improve the state of the sea
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13.12.2018 6.01