Climate action in Finland: Latest state of play

Briefing 30-08-2021

The EU's binding climate and energy legislation for 2030 requires Member States to adopt national energy and climate plans (NECPs) for the 2021-2030 period. In October 2020, the European Commission published an assessment for each NECP. Finland's final NECP is from December 2019. A high proportion of Finns (61 %) expect national governments to tackle climate change. Finland generates 1.5 % of the EU's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and has reduced emissions at a faster pace than the EU average since 2005. The country's emissions intensity is lower than the EU average, and following a similar downward trend. The energy industry and transport are the main emitting sectors in Finland, together accounting for 50 % of total emissions in 2019. With a coal phase-out commitment, and new nuclear facilities starting operations this decade, energy industry emissions will drop. Finland has identified additional measures to reduce transport sector emissions. Biomass will be used for biofuels in transport as well as heat and electricity generation. Under EU effort-sharing legislation, Finland was required to reduce non-ETS emissions by 16 % by 2020, compared with 2005, while for the year 2030 the reduction must reach 39 %. Finland achieved a 43.1 % share of renewable energy sources in 2019. The country's 2030 target of a 51 % share is focused mainly on wind and biomass. Energy efficiency measures centre on building stock renovation and voluntary energy efficiency agreements across industry and households.