News

The evaluation of Finland’s National World Heritage Strategy (2015–2025) finds that implementation has been broad‑based and substantive. The strategy has reinforced Finland’s standing as a responsible steward of world heritage and deepened cooperation between world heritage sites. The findings and the role of the strategy were discussed at the World Heritage Forum in Vaasa.

The Government has submitted a Europe communication to Parliament concerning the European Affordable Housing Plan published by the European Commission on 16 December 2025. The Europe communication describes the main content of the plan and presents Finland’s opinion regarding it. Finland recognises the importance of a well-functioning housing market but points out that challenges related to housing vary a great deal between Member States. This is why actions by Member States are in the key position in responding to the challenges.

According to the new report, Finnish companies are reducing their emissions globally by substituting for more polluting alternatives. At the publication event of the report on the positive carbon handprint, Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala stressed that the export of clean solutions is both a climate action and a growth opportunity for Finland.

Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP Inger Andersen will visit Finland on 13–14 April. Andersen will meet representatives of Finland and other Nordic countries to discuss ways to strengthen the UN’s work on environmental matters. Andersen will also meet Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala and various stakeholders.

The evaluation explored the objectives of the Climate Act and the means to achieve these from the perspectives of impact, cost-effectiveness and acceptability. The process was led by the Ministry of the Environment. Meeting the objectives requires additional measures, especially in the land use sector.

The Ministry of the Environment will update its strategy as part of the preparations for future challenges and government terms. The online discussion that has now been opened ‘Where is the Ministry of the Environment headed?’ gathers views on what the role and targets of the ministry should be to address the changes in society, and what we should achieve by 2035.

The EU Environment Council will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 17 March. Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala will represent Finland at the meeting. Minister Multala stresses that now it is highly important to defend a consistent climate policy and, in particular, the emissions trading system.

Finland and seven other EU Member States have signed a non-paper that stresses the important role of a strong emissions trading system in the EU. The non-paper is their response to the discussion where certain Member States hope for major changes to the emissions trading system and a lower price for emission allowances.

Finnish consumers are increasingly ordering low-cost goods online, mostly from manufacturers based in China. Based on the proposals of a recent report, the Government will begin to prepare legislation to address problems caused by these cheap imports. There is also emphasis on consumer responsibility.

In 2025, about 6,600 hectares of forest habitats were protected under the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO. Last year Finnish forest owners protected permanently about 3,200 hectares of forest and concluded ten-year environmental forestry subsidy agreements concerning about 3,400 hectares. The area covered by nature management works was about 180 hectares.