European Union climate policy

The project involves examining the impacts of different implementation options for post-2030 EU climate policy architecture on Finland’s emissions, costs, public finances and chances of meeting national emissions targets. The project will also assess how Finland could best combine additional national measures with EU-level schemes to meet national targets and maximise the impact on EU emissions. The project will also explore the role of technological carbon sinks in EU climate policy. From the architecture, about five or six potential scenarios will be selected, all of which are realistic yet as different as possible, covering the range of possible policy actions. The project will model emissions in the EU and Finland using a tailor-made emissions trading model, based on earlier work by the Finnish Climate Change Panel. The project will also include a broader assessment of the legal architecture for achieving the 2040 climate target. The assessment is, in terms of reviewing instrument options, a qualitative analysis of the alternatives available for developing the legal architecture that goes beyond just modelling focused on emissions trading. Project results estimated to be complete: December 2025 Panel member responsible: Professor Lassi Ahlvik Involved in the project: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Helsinki
Projects

EU2040 – Implementation options for the European Union’s 2040 climate architecture

During its current term, the Finnish Climate Change Panel will consult on the following: the EU’s 2040 climate target, the EU’s next NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) under the Paris Agreement, and the legislative framework required for their implementation between 2031 and 2040. The aim of the project is to provide information support for the climate policy architecture being consulted on in order to achieve the 2040 targets and climate neutrality.
News

Finnish Climate Change Panel memorandum and report: Achieving climate targets requires rapid corrective action in the LULUCF sector

The Finnish Climate Change Panel's latest publications deal with Finland's pathway to carbon neutrality and the situation in the land use, or LULUCF, sector. Meeting the 2030 commitment set by the EU is an important step towards carbon neutrality by 2035. The challenges in the LULUCF sector must be resolved if we are to avoid other sectors having to bear more of the load when it comes to climate actions. Forest use must change if Finland is to meet its national climate targets and those jointly agreed within the EU.