The Finnish Climate Change Act: Architecture, Functions, and Challenges

Abstract

The article examines the key features and functions of the proposed Finnish Climate Change Act (fcca). It also analyses the legal implications of the Act and the qualities and factors which may limit its effectiveness. The paper argues that, despite its weak legal implications, the fcca would provide the regulatory preconditions for higher-quality climate policy-making in Finland, and it has the capacity to play an important role in national climate policy. The fcca would deliver regulatory foundations for systematic and integrated climate policy-making, also enabling wide public scrutiny. The proposed model leaves room for manifold climate-policy choices in varying societal and economical contexts. The cost of dynamic features is the relalow predictability in terms of sectorial paths on emission reductions. Another relevant challenge relates to the intended preparation of overlapping mid-term energy and climate plans with instruments of the fcca.

Energy Governance Systems and Climate Change in the World's Major Economies under the Low Carbon Background

“…Europe, as a leading force in global climate governance, introduced the European Green Deal at the end of 2019 and publicly solicited feedback on the draft of the European Climate Law in early March 2020 [2]. Legislative achievements formally enacted in Europe include the Swiss Federal Act on the Reduction of CO2 Emissions, the UK Climate Change Act [3], the French Green Growth and Energy Transition Act [4], the Finnish Climate Change Act [5], the German Federal Climate Protection Act, and the Danish Climate Bill. In the Americas, Mexico has officially enacted the General Law on Climate Change [6], while the state of California in the United States has introduced the Global Warming Solutions Act (State of California), leading the way in proactive climate change policies and actions at the state level in the United States.…”

Public Perceptions on the Procedural Values and Proposed Outcomes of the Finnish Climate Change Act Amendment

“…We analyze responses to a survey that was available online in December 2019, which was part of the public consultation of the amendment of the Finnish Climate Change Act (609/2015). The Climate Change Act establishes a framework for national climate policy and sets obligations for the state to reduce the carbon emission levels of the 1990s by 80% and aims to improve public participation and access to information (Pölönen, 2014). The main objective of the amendment of Finnish Climate Change Act is to introduce a target of zero emissions by 2035 and negative emissions by 2050, and to update the framework for organizing climate policy among different authorities (Finnish government., 2019).…”