Lawsuit filed against Finnish government over climate policy | Yle News

A coalition of environmental and human rights organizations in Finland is taking the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to court over what they perceive as inadequate action to combat climate change. The organizations argue that the government is failing to meet its national goal of carbon neutrality by 2035 and its EU climate commitments during Orpo’s term in office, which began last summer.

The Climate Change Act, which mandates meeting both targets, has been in force since July 2022. However, experts have long warned that Finland is on track to fall short of its climate goals under current measures. This concern was reiterated in the Annual Climate Report released in June, where Environment and Climate Minister Kai Mykkänen acknowledged the situation.

The government’s 2023 program admitted that it would not meet the EU’s carbon sink obligation for forests between 2021-2025. A recent report by the Finnish Climate Change Panel revealed that the government’s actions have actually increased emissions from the transport sector, contrary to the EU’s climate obligations that require significant reductions.

Finland has committed to reducing climate emissions by half by 2030 under EU burden-sharing agreements, with transport being the largest source of emissions. Failure to meet these targets could result in substantial fines for Finland, potentially costing hundreds of millions of euros. The Climate Change Panel emphasized that failing to reduce transport emissions quickly enough would be more costly for consumers than taking domestic action.

The coalition of organizations challenging the government in court argues that the government’s inaction not only undermines the implementation of key articles of the Climate Change Act but also violates fundamental and human rights. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Greenpeace, Amnesty, the Finnish Nature Association, Finnish Sámi Youth, and Climate Grandparents Finland have jointly filed a complaint with the Supreme Administrative Court.

„We demand that the government take immediate and effective action to meet climate targets,“ stated Hanna Aho, a climate expert from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. The collapse of progress towards Finland’s climate targets is largely attributed to the inadequacy of the carbon sink provided by forests, which shifted from a sink to an emission source in 2018.

The coalition argues that the government’s planned measures to strengthen carbon sinks do not align with the requirements of the Climate Change Act or the urgency of the situation. Aho highlighted the government’s failure to update the climate plan for the land use sector, a critical component for carbon sinks, as a key issue.

This legal challenge is the second climate lawsuit against a Finnish government, with the previous complaint against the government of Sanna Marin being dismissed in 2022. However, the coalition believes that the current case meets the criteria for consideration and has cited changing case law as a factor.

In addition to environmental concerns, the organizations are also raising human rights issues in their legal action. They argue that the government’s inadequate measures endanger the right to life, health, and a clean, sustainable environment. The coalition points to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights last spring, which found that the Swiss state had violated human rights by failing to take sufficient climate action.

Elina Mikola, a climate and environment expert at Amnesty Finland, emphasized that climate change exacerbates inequalities and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. The rights of indigenous peoples and children are particularly at risk, with Mikola stating that the failure to act on climate change could be the largest transnational human rights violation in history.

The organizations challenging the government believe that the ECHR ruling on the Swiss case sets a precedent that will influence the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court in Finland. They anticipate that the legal process will take about a year, with the potential for a trial to proceed if the court decides to hear the case.

In conclusion, the legal challenge against the Finnish government reflects a growing global trend of holding governments accountable for their climate actions. By combining environmental concerns with human rights arguments, the coalition of organizations aims to push for more ambitious and effective climate policies to protect both the planet and its inhabitants.