Through its activities, Metsähallitus supports Finland’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. State-owned forests are significant carbon sinks and carbon storages, and wind power project development promotes renewable energy production. Metsähallitus’s new climate programme includes a wide range of measures to promote positive climate impacts, reduce negative impacts and promote adaptation to climate change.
Areas managed by Metsähallitus are important for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
“With our climate programme, we will take climate impacts and the risks and opportunities related to climate into account even more systematically in all our activities,” says Juha S. Niemelä, Director General of Metsähallitus.
We will increase the carbon sink of forests and promote renewable energy production
Metsähallitus’s strategic objective is to increase the carbon sinks of state-owned multiple-use forests by 10 per cent by 2035 and the carbon storages of trees in state-owned lands by 10 per cent by 2030 compared to the reference year 2018.
The target for carbon storages should now be achieved five years earlier compared to the previous climate programme. Calculations completed by the Natural Resources Institute Finland this spring show that state-owned forests remain a significant carbon sink. The carbon storage will grow, even though the sink has decreased due to slower forest growth and more accurate calculation methods.
“We will increase the carbon sinks and storages of state-owned forests with a comprehensive set of measures. These measures include timely silviculture that suits the habitat, forest fertilisation, utilisation of selectively bred seed and sapling material and taking climate objectives into account in felling plans,” Niemelä explains.
Metsähallitus will increase its positive climate impacts by promoting the production of renewable energy in state-owned land and water areas.
“We will continue the project development of wind power and lease state-owned areas for renewable energy projects. We have high expectations especially of the development of offshore wind farms,” Niemelä says.
We will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent
Metsähallitus aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2030 compared to 2024. Staff will be trained to take climate considerations into account in all activities, and lower-emission modes of transport will be favoured when travelling. Metsähallitus will close properties that are unnecessary for its core operations and pay attention to emissions from the use of premises.
Most of Metsähallitus’s carbon footprint consists of timber harvesting and transport. Low-emission machinery will be favoured in the procurement of timber harvesting and transport services, and Metsähallitus will also pilot electric machinery during this climate programme period.
We will promote the adaptation of nature to climate change
There is a link between climate change and biodiversity. In addition to climate change mitigation, the climate programme also includes measures to promote the adaptation of nature to a changing climate. Metsähallitus will continue active restoration and nature management measures that promote biodiversity in both protected areas and multiple-use forests as well as develop the ecological network of state-owned lands. Species protection and combating invasive alien species will also be ensured.
“We will also identify new opportunities for increasing biodiversity. For example, piloting will improve our capabilities to utilise the natural values market in the future,” Niemelä says.
We will prepare for the impacts of climate change through our own activities
The climate programme is an extensive package that Metsähallitus will also use to anticipate and prepare for a changing climate and its impacts through its own activities.
“We will develop our operations and anticipate the impacts of climate change on, for example, the management of protected areas, forestry and land use planning in state-owned areas. The latest research data and the opportunities provided by digitalisation are used in development,” Niemelä emphasises.
Further information:
- Juha S. Niemelä, Director General, tel. +358 50 5003681
- Lead Specialist, Responsibility, Tiina Vuoristo, tel. +358 40 5425365
- Director of Communications, Liina Aulin, tel. +358 40 7709400
- More information on the climate programme