Ministry of Finance Climate and Environment Strategy paves the way to a cleaner, thriving Finland

The Climate and Environment Strategy clarifies the Ministry of Finance’s approach to and role in the preparation of climate and environmental policies and the related influencing activities. The Ministry takes a cross-sectoral approach and uses the economic and administrative policy instruments available to it when seeking solutions.

The Climate and Environment Strategy published on 13 December supplements the Ministry of Finance’s strategy package. The strategic objective that guides the Ministry of Finance’s activities is to safeguard the freedom of choice of future generations and to build an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable Finland and European Union. The Ministry’s vision – The Ministry of Finance secures future prospects – is the basis for preparing climate and environmental policies and the related influencing activities. The aim of the strategy is to describe the current preparation of matters related to the climate and environment in the Ministry and pave the way for future steps.

“We are aiming for a cleaner, thriving Finland that has sufficient economic resources and uses them efficiently to sustainably fund the benefits and services required by the pledge of the welfare state. The strategy guides us towards building a sustainable society and towards charting the changes and risks that will shape society,” says Director General Mikko Spolander.

Economic and administrative policy instruments play a key role in work relating to the climate and environment 

The Ministry seeks solutions using economic and administrative policy instruments. 
“Our approach to seeking and proposing solutions crosses sectoral boundaries. We use many economic and administrative policy instruments. For example, regulation of the financial markets and taxation can guide the choices made by people and businesses towards the objectives of climate and environmental policy,” Spolander says. 

The Ministry of Finance uses its cross-sectoral approach, intersectoral knowledge and expertise in public administration when assessing the economic and administrative effects of measures.
Together with domestic and international stakeholders, the Ministry ensures that climate and environmental perspectives are taken into account in decision-making and preparation concerning the economy, financial markets, public finances and public administration. At the same time, the Ministry ensures that the perspectives of both economic and governance policy are taken into account in climate and environmental policy.

Strategy prepared in broad consultation with stakeholders

The Climate and Environment Strategy was drafted in the autumn of 2022 by a committee that represented the entire Ministry of Finance, including the Economic Policy, Governance Policy, International Affairs and Financial Markets areas of expertise. 

The Ministry consulted numerous stakeholders during the process. The strategy highlights the priorities that arose from within the Ministry as well as more extensive themes raised by stakeholders concerning the preparation of climate and environmental policy and influence activities in Finland.