Environment
- Transport and environment
- Regulations
- Reducing transport's environmental damage
- Monitoring environmental work
- Transport environmental programmes and policy
- The Administration´s climate policy programme
1. Transport and environment
The most significant environmental challenges for the transport
sector are climate change, the degradation of air quality, noise,
pollution of ground water, the use of natural resources, the
production of waste and the decline of biodiversity.
Transport causes about 20 per cent of Finland’s greenhouse gas
emissions. Of what are known as traditional emissions, transport
accounts for 20 – 60 per cent depending on the compounds. In
addition to exhaust gases transport increases impurities in the air
mechanically such as dust from the street.
The noise and vibration from traffic degrades the quality of the
living environment and the enjoyment of it as well as having an
adverse effect on people’s well being.
The construction and maintenance of roads consume natural
resources and generate waste. In addition, roads and other
structures needed for transport require a significant amount of
space.
Transport also affects biodiversity in many ways as well as the
condition of the Baltic Sea environment.
2. Regulations
A large part of the legislation that concerns transport
environmental questions comes directly from EU Directives. The
Ministry of Transport and Communications participates in the
preparation of these Directives and incorporates them into Finnish
legislation.
In addition to legislation, the Ministry’s officials and its
administrative representatives take part in the preparation of
international agreements concerning the environment and
transport.
3. Reducing transport's environmental damage
The Ministry of Transport and Communications deals with the
reduction of the harmful effects of transport as part of overall
transport policy. The Government Programme proposes that transport
emissions be reduced for example by supporting public transport,
rejuvenation of the motor stock and applications of low-emission
vehicle technology.
The Ministry’s role is to monitor its administrative operations
regarding environmental legislation as well as the implementation
of its national and international environmental obligations. The
Ministry directs and monitors the administrative sector’s agencies
and participates in research and development work that impacts on
the topic.
The Finnish Transport Agency is responsible for environmental work
association with the construction and maintenance of roads as well
as for the functioning of the transport system overall. The Finnish
Transport Safety Agency is responsible for the environmental safety
of transport services. The Finnish Meteorological Institute
produces observation and research data about the atmosphere and
seas and also provides society with services based in this
information. The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority is
building a functioning Information Society which in turn reduces
people’s need to travel.
4. Monitoring environmental work
The environmental effects of the Ministry’s operations have been monitored systematically since 1995. Other administrative organisation also monitor its operation and collect data about their effects. An independent evaluation of the environmental systems was made in 2004.
5. Transport environmental programmes and policy
Within the Ministry, environmental issues are an essential part
of planning, development, implementation and monitoring of the
transport sector. The work is guided by the administration of the
day’s programme and transport policy strategies.
Important aids in implementing the work are the ministerial and
administration sector’s environmental and climate policy programmes
which detail the measures, responsibilities and timetables required
to achieve the objectives.
6. The Administration’s climate policy programme
The Ministry of Transport and Communications administrative sector’s climate policy programme (ILPO) was prepared in March 2009. The objective of the programme is to cut the level of greenhouse gas emissions from transport estimated for 2020 by 2.8 million tonnes. At the same time to prepare to maintain the transport service level at least as it currently is in spite of the increase in extreme weather phenomena.The ILPO programme is made up of five different sets of measures
to reduce emissions. These are:
- renewal of the private car fleet
- improving transport energy efficiency
- directing the growth in personal transport in urban areas towards forms of transport that place less burden on the environment
- utilising the information society and communications policy to achieve Finland’s climate targets and
- the decision on using of financial instruments for managing
transport in 2012.
Renewal of the private car fleet
The target is that the specific emissions of new cars sold in Finland in 2020 would be close to the EU targets (95 g/km) and that the car stock be renewed at an annual rate of about seven per cent.The central measures are monitoring of the effects of the reform of car tax, influencing the choice of car, and research into and promotion of different technical and fuel alternatives.
Improving transport energy efficiency
The objective is to improve transport energy efficiency. The approach will be to use energy efficiency agreements for mass transport and freight transport.Directing the growth in personal transport in urban areas towards forms of transport that place less burden on the environment
The target is that in 2020 there will be 100 million more mass transport journeys and 300 more journeys by foot and bicycle than today, which means an increase in these journeys of about 20 per cent.The means include coordination of transport and land use, promoting mass transport, walking and cycling as well as controlling movements.
Utilising the information society and communications policy to achieve Finland’s climate targets
The information society and communications policy support the achievement of Finland’s climate targets. Information society services reduce emissions in business operations, government and in the day to day life of citizens.Decision on using of financial instruments
If the climate targets are not achieved using soft control approaches such as distributing information, then economic steering approaches could be used to achieve the targets. Examples of economic approaches would be transport fuel taxes or road use taxes. The decision on the possibility of adopting economic approaches will be made in 2012 at the latest.