The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and Greenpeace claim the government has failed to reach its carbon neutrality target and will be taking the issue to the Supreme Administrative Court.
The NGOs argue that the government has not fulfilled its binding obligations regarding the Climate Change Act and the pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2035 in light of new data. A report published in October revealed that forests in Finland are no longer sufficient in removing carbon.
This would be Finland’s first climate trial if the court takes up the case.
Instead, the land-use sector has for the first time turned into a net emitter of greenhouse gases. Deforestation has in recent years increased and forests are growing more slowly than previously expected.
The environmental organisations have decided to act proactively and not wait for the new numbers to be published in December by Statistics Finland and the Natural Resources Institute Finland.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Maria Ohisalo (Green) defended the government, and herself, by saying that funding for sustainable forestry has been increased and investigations on the collapse in carbon removal by Finnish forests have been commenced. Actions may also entail legislative changes, the minister said.
According to Ohisalo, the court case launched by the environmentalists is an important precedent in the country’s climate policy.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
