Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Towards Sustainable choices; A nationally and globally sustainable Finland. The national strategy for sustainable development and its synergy with regional and global processes 06 March 2007 Secretary General Sauli Rouhinen, FNCSD Contact: More information:

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development ”The Nordic Model”?  Geopolitics –Northern Europe – close to the Arctic; Northern Dimension of EU –Baltic Sea Region; environment (Helcom), economics, culture, sustainable development (Baltic 21) …  The Nordic wellfare state –Similarities & differencies –Long history of cooperation  Everyman´s access to nature  Etc….

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Finland - the political context  Consistency in politics – continuity over the breakage of the beginning of 90´s and capacity for strategic planning.  Majority governments and the three-partite system in societal decision-making (govt – labour unions – entrepeneurs).  Capacity for decision making – especially after the early nineties.  Capacity for adaptation – fairly flexible institutions which enable adaptation.  Positive attitude towards societal change, capacity for collective learning (and giving away old practices).  Policy coordination and coherence – sectoral policies mutually supportive.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development “Finnish model” of sustainable development  Leadership on high political level (PM as a chairman)  Continuity ( …) on the political agenda  Continuous vertical and horizontal coordination – National SD commission as the main coordinator –National coordination of the global, regional and EU SDS processes  Broad-based political dialogue amongst the government and the stakeholders  Policy coherence  Transparency and stakeholder cooperation during the strategy processes

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development (FNCSD)  44 members, 37 deputy members  convenes 4-5 times a year in meetings  Commission seminars 1-2 times a year  Sub-committees (ESD, NSDS, Local agenda 21)  Prime Minister (Chair),  Environment Minister (Vice-chair)  5 sector Ministers  Ministries and gov’t agencies  The Parliament  Local government  Academic sector  Business and productive sector  Interest groups  Non-governmental organisations  The indigenous Sámi-people  Two churches

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development (FNCSD) (1993- )  Under the FNCSD operates an inter-ministerial Secretariat –appr. 20 active civil servants from several ministries –preparing the meetings and working programme of the Commission –convening appr. once a month, continuous connection  Operational core Secretariat within the MoE –4 civil servants + assistant (incl. Secretary General and Secretary of the FNCSD) –development, preparation and coordination of the Finnish SD policy and the meetings of the FNCSD and its Secretariat

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Long history of strategies and programmes for sustainable development in Finland: : Sustainable development in Finland : Finnish Action for Sustainable Development : Finnish Government Programme for Sustainable Development : Signs of Sustainability: Finland’s indicators for SD : Evaluation of sustainable development in Finland : New National Strategy for Sustainable Development

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development The New National Sustainable Development Strategy

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development National SD Strategy Group  Chair: Ministry of Finance (under-secretary of state)  Vice-chairs: Ministry of the Environment Ministry for Social Affairs and Health  Secretariat: Secretariat of Sustainable Development in Ministry of the Environment Members:  Ministries of Transport, Energy, Agriculture & Forestry, Education, Labour, Foreign Affairs;  Business and Industry  Entrepreneurs and Commerce  Local Authorities  Agricultural Producers  Environmental organisations  Youth  Development cooperation  Labour Unions  Province/Lapland

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Themes of the New Strategy “TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE CHOICES” Main themes:  Balance between the use and protection of natural resources  Sustainable communities in a sustainable regional structure  Well-being throughout the lifecycle  The economy as a safeguard for sustainable development  Finland as a global actor and bearer of responsibility  Supporting sustainable choices

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Vision and target framework  General vision –Assuring well-being within the limits of the carrying capacity of nature nationally and globally The objective is to create sustainable well-being in a safe and pluralistic society that promotes participation, and in which all people bear responsibility for the environment  The timeline for the targets is beyond the current generation, extending until about 2030

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Principles for all dimensions of SD  The mutual dependence of the economic, ecological, social and cultural dimension of sustainable development.  Extending beyond the current generation and the long-term nature of policies.  Global, national and local consistency between various policy sectors.  A strong scientific foundation and an approach based on the assessment of risks and propabilities.  Strengthening of human resources by offering better prerequisities for sustainable choices and equal opportunities for individuals to attain self-fulfilment and influence society.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Balance between the use and protection of natural resources  Climate change – mitigation and adaptation ( National energy and climate change strategy & National adaptation strategy )  Over-exploitation of planet´s natural resource reserves/natural capital assets ( National Programme to Promote Sustainable Consumption and production, 2005 )  Loss of biodiversity ( National BD Strategy 2006 )

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

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Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Sustainable communities in a sustainable regional structure  A polycentric and networked regional structure. This will require state and municipal co-operation concerning infrastructure.  The target is to attain functionally diverse and structurally sound communities and a good living environment.  Vitality of rural areas by ensuring the operational preconditions for agriculture and forestry. Bioenergy production potentially important.  In order to ensure the good and equal availability of public services, a national municipal policy will be created.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Well-being through the lifecycle  Society provides active citizens with equal opportunities for independent action, life management, and responsible action in society and the local community.  The social security and service systems must cover the entire lifecycle of a citizen, be socially just and economically sustainable in the future as well.  A high employment is a key requirement for sustainable development. Work is essential factor in the well-being of individual, and a lack of work is a significant factor for social exclusion.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Well-being throughout the lifecycle  Gender equality; The gender perspective will be taken into account in all decision making.  A service and income transfer system that provides a strong framework for ensuring intergenerational solidarity based on the needs of different age groups.  Prevention of social exclusion in social, health, educational and employment policies.  Improve the capacity of the ageing population in the future, delay the need of the ageing for care, and focus services according to the care need.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

The economy as a safeguard for sustainable development  A Nordic welfare society. A 75 per cent employment rate is a precondition for a sustainable foundation for a welfare society.  A dynamic information society that takes advantage of opportunities and has efficient production in terms of the environment.  Readiness for change and the ability to take advantage of the national strengths. Simultaneously, Finland has to provide developing countries with the chance to utilise their strengths.  In the future, Finland´s economic success and well- being will continue to be based on a high level of competence and ensuring equal educational opportunities for the entire population.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Finland as a global actor and bearer of responsibility  Finland will act constructively, actively, and initiavely on behalf of the realisation of sustainable development in the world.  Strong international organisations and contractual arrangements will be needed to influence globalisation.  Finland will support strengthening the United Nations. Supports the establishment of a UNEO.  Stable development in neighbouring regions.  Sustainable development must be more strongly integrated into all EU policy areas.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Supporting sustainable choices  New tools, such as economic instrument, to encourage more sustainable choices.  The importance of sustainable development will be strengthened in educational policy and in the basic and in-service education for teachers.  Finland will use the most efficient and effective policy instruments for each specific situation.  Economic instruments provide the opportunity to promote sustainable production methods, consumer habits and lifestyles, make environmental steering more efficient and increase the cost-efficiency of environmental policy.

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development

Road map  Approval of the Strategy by the FNCSD 13 June 2006  Overall guidance of the implementation process by the National Commission for SD ( )  Council of State (Government) reading and decision-in-principle (14. Dec 2006) – guidelines for the implementation in public administration  Treatment in stakeholder organisations – action plans. Proposals for the next government programme (FNCSD meeting )  Parliamentary reading (in various sub-committees) (to be decided later on)

Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development Complementary strategies and programmes  Strategy and Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (2006)  Finland´s National Programme to Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production (2005)  The Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (June 2006)  National Strategy for Energy and Climate change  National Action Programme for Biodiversity  The Sustainable Development Program of the Sámi 2006 (adopted by the Sámi Parliament)