Climate Policy Roundtable to discuss just transition towards fossil-free transport
The Climate Policy Roundtable will hold its fourth meeting on Wednesday 28 October. The main topics to be discussed are the roadmap to fossil-free transport and how fair and just treatment of stakeholders will be taken into account in preparing the roadmap.
The transport sector is in a key position in terms of Finland’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2035. Emissions from transport account for about a fifth of Finland’s total greenhouse gas emissions and about 40% of emissions from the non-emissions trading sectors, i.e. the effort-sharing sector.
“Transition to fossil-free transport requires extensive changes in society. The Climate Policy Roundtable is an important forum for discussing how the transition to fossil-free transport can be made in a way that is fair and just,” says Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and vice-chair of the roundtable. Minister Mikkonen will chair the meeting on Wednesday.
The work to prepare a roadmap to fossil-free transport is led by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The purpose of this work is to find means to halve greenhouse gas emissions from the domestic transport sector by 2030 and achieve zero-emission transport by the end of 2045 at the latest. The resolutions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport (draft roadmap to fossil-free transport), from aviation and from maritime and inland waterway transport should be circulated for comment by the end of this year.
“Our efforts to ensure a fair treatment of stakeholders in the preparation of the roadmap include assessments of the social and regional impacts of different measures. The Aalto University was also commissioned to conduct a study on the impacts of the pricing of carbon in fuels on income distribution,” Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka says.
An introduction to the work on the roadmap and to the carbon neutrality target will be given by Director of Unit Päivi Antikainen from the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Professor of Economics Matti Liski from the Aalto University and COO Oskari Nokso-Koivisto from the Aalto Economic Institute will speak about the impacts of the pricing of carbon on income distribution.
The Government appointed the Climate Policy Roundtable on 27 February 2020. It brings together a broad spectrum of stakeholders from different sectors of society. The purpose of the roundtable is to create a common understanding of how Finland can make a just transition to a carbon neutral society even faster than envisaged so far. With its work, the roundtable supports the preparation and implementation of Finland’s national climate policy.
Inquiries:
Riikka Yliluoma, Special Adviser to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, tel. +358 295 250 091, [email protected]
Päivi Antikainen, Director of Unit, Ministry of Transport and Communications, tel. +358 50 382 7101, [email protected]
Merja Turunen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Secretary-General of the Climate Policy Roundtable, tel. +358 295 250 387, [email protected]
