Summary Finland country profile - SDGs and the environment — European Environment Agency www.eea.europa.eu
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One Line
Finland focuses on transitioning to a circular economy, meeting Paris Climate Agreement goals, and involving stakeholders.
Slides
Slide Presentation (13 slides)
Key Points
- Finland's environmental sustainability challenges include high carbon dioxide emissions, protection of biodiversity, and the sustainable use of natural resources.
- Finland aims to transform its economy into a circular economy, where recycling and reuse are the norm.
- Finland has focused on two themes for SDG action: a carbon-neutral and resource-wise Finland and a non-discriminating, equal and competent Finland.
- Finland has a multi-stakeholder approach to sustainable development, involving the government, civil society, and other stakeholders.
- Finland recognizes the need for integrated impact assessment tools and more knowledge on the externalities of consumption and production.
Summaries
18 word summary
Finland prioritizes a transition to a circular economy, meeting targets in the Paris Climate Agreement, and engaging stakeholders.
59 word summary
Finland acknowledges environmental challenges, prioritizing a transition to a circular economy and meeting targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. Key themes include energy, forests, aquatic ecosystems, and food systems. The Finnish parliament discusses the 2030 Agenda and receives progress reports. Civil society and stakeholders are engaged through various commissions. Sustainable development is mainstreamed through legislation and economic instruments.
171 word summary
Finland acknowledges its environmental challenges, including high carbon emissions, biodiversity protection, and sustainable use of resources. The country is committed to transitioning to a circular economy, prioritizing recycling and reuse, and meeting targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and SDG 13. Key sustainability themes include energy, forests, aquatic ecosystems, and food systems. The Finnish parliament discusses the 2030 Agenda and receives progress reports. Finland has submitted two Voluntary National Reviews to the UN and has a national sustainable development strategy aligned with the 2030 Agenda. The country has established a network for follow-up and review, with indicators and online discussions on progress. Civil society and stakeholders are actively engaged through various commissions and panels. Finland promotes concrete action through an online tool and provides regular reports and evaluations. The country recognizes the need for ambitious measures, knowledge on environmental impact, addressing inequality, and integrated impact assessment tools for decision-making. Sustainable development is mainstreamed through legislation, economic instruments, voluntary measures, and environmental institutions, in line with international agreements and EU legislation.
523 word summary
Finland acknowledges its environmental sustainability challenges, such as high carbon dioxide emissions, biodiversity protection, and the sustainable use of natural resources. The country is committed to transitioning to a circular economy and prioritizing recycling and reuse. It also recognizes the urgency of meeting the targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and SDG 13, especially during its chairmanship of the Arctic Council.
Finland's actions towards SDGs with an environmental dimension focus on SDGs 2, 7, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The country identifies high levels of material and energy consumption as its greatest long-term challenges. Key themes for sustainability-oriented policies include the energy system, forest use, aquatic ecosystems, and food systems. The Finnish government has established two themes for SDG action: a carbon-neutral and resource-wise Finland, and a non-discriminating, equal, and competent Finland.
The Finnish parliament plays a role in discussing the 2030 Agenda and receiving progress reports from the government. The Committee for the Future oversees the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the Finnish parliament. Finland has submitted two Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the UN in 2016 and 2020.
Finland has developed a national sustainable development strategy called "The Finland We Want, 2050," which aligns with the 2030 Agenda. The strategy includes eight aspirational objectives and an implementation plan. Since 2018, sustainable development has been integrated into the state budget with a focus on measures supporting carbon neutrality and resource wisdom.
The Finnish national network for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda was launched in 2016. It comprises members from various ministries, research institutions, and stakeholder organizations. The network has defined national follow-up and review mechanisms, including around 50 national sustainable development indicators. An interactive online mechanism allows for multi-stakeholder discussions on progress and challenges.
Finland actively engages civil society and other stakeholders in its sustainable development work. The National Commission for Sustainable Development, the Expert Panel for Sustainable Development, and the Agenda 2030 Youth Group play crucial roles. Additionally, a Citizens Panel for Sustainable Development assesses the current state of sustainable development in Finland.
Commitment205.fi is an online tool that promotes participation and concrete action on sustainable development. Over 2,000 operational measurable commitments have been made across various sectors. Finland provides regular national reports on its progress towards achieving the SDGs and undergoes external independent evaluations.
Finland acknowledges the need for more ambitious measures and the gap between current action and the need for transformation. It aims to gain more knowledge about the environmental impact of its consumption and production and address inequality. Integrated impact assessment tools are considered essential for decision-making and societal learning.
Finland has a strong foundation for sustainable development, including legislation, economic instruments, voluntary measures, and environmental institutions. Sustainable development is widely shared and mainstreamed in the country, with a strong appreciation for nature. International environmental agreements and EU legislation provide a solid framework for national policies and measures.
To continue progressing, Finland seeks to better understand and measure the environmental impact of its consumption and production. It also recognizes the importance of addressing inequality to achieve a just transformation and emphasizes the need for integrated impact assessment tools in decision-making and societal learning.
558 word summary
Finland recognizes the need to address its environmental sustainability challenges, including high carbon dioxide emissions, biodiversity protection, and the sustainable use of natural resources. The country aims to transition to a circular economy, where recycling and reuse are prioritized. Finland also emphasizes the urgency of achieving the targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and SDG 13, particularly in the context of its chairmanship of the Arctic Council.
Finland's actions towards SDGs with an environmental dimension focus on SDGs 2, 7, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The country acknowledges that its greatest long-term challenges lie in high levels of material and energy consumption. Key themes for sustainability-oriented policies include the energy system, forest use, aquatic ecosystems, and food systems. The Finnish government has developed two themes for SDG action: a carbon-neutral and resource-wise Finland, and a non-discriminating, equal, and competent Finland.
The Finnish parliament has played a role in discussing the 2030 Agenda and receiving progress reports from the government. The Committee for the Future is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the Finnish parliament. Finland has also submitted two Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the UN in 2016 and 2020.
Finland has developed a national sustainable development strategy called "The Finland We Want, 2050" which was updated in line with the 2030 Agenda. The strategy includes eight aspirational objectives and an implementation plan. Sustainable development has been integrated into the state budget since 2018, with a focus on measures supporting carbon neutrality and resource wisdom.
The Finnish national network for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda was launched in 2016. It consists of members from various ministries, research institutions, and stakeholder organizations. The network has defined national follow-up and review mechanisms, including around 50 national sustainable development indicators. An interactive online follow-up mechanism allows for multi-stakeholder discussions on progress and challenges.
Finland actively engages civil society and other stakeholders in its sustainable development work. The National Commission for Sustainable Development serves as a key mechanism for SDG action. The country also has an Expert Panel for Sustainable Development and an Agenda 2030 Youth Group. A Citizens Panel for Sustainable Development, composed of ordinary citizens, assesses the current state of sustainable development in Finland.
Commitment205.fi is an online tool that promotes participation and concrete action on sustainable development. Over 2,000 operational measurable commitments have been made across various sectors. Finland also provides regular national reports on its progress towards achieving the SDGs and has undergone external independent evaluations.
Finland recognizes barriers to progress, including the need for more ambitious measures and the gap between current action and the need for transformation. The country aims to create more knowledge on the environmental impact of its consumption and production. It also acknowledges the need to address inequality and calls for integrated impact assessment tools.
Finland has a strong foundation for sustainable development, including legislation, economic instruments, voluntary measures, and environmental institutions. Sustainable development is widely shared and mainstreamed in the country, with nature being highly valued. International environmental agreements and EU legislation provide a solid framework for national policies and measures.
To further progress, Finland aims to better understand and measure the environmental impact of its consumption and production. It also recognizes the importance of addressing inequality to achieve a just transformation. Integrated impact assessment tools are seen as crucial for decision-making and societal learning.