News

The proposed amendments will accelerate the development of the nature values market in Finland and promote the steering of private funding to improving the state of nature. The amendments would enter into force in August 2026.

The European countries participating in Santa Marta express their strong support for the Santa Marta First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels and appreciate the leadership as shown by Colombia and the Netherlands. Santa Marta establishes an action-oriented platform to scale up work and to elevate energy transition. This is critical for addressing the climate emergency.

By its decision, the Ministry of the Environment has extended the approval of the qualifications of building designers and site managers approved by all construction supervision authorities of municipalities between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2024 as qualifications under the Construction Act until 1 January 2030.

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.