Overview
The Environmental Strategy for Transport sets out the environmental policy and the principal environmental goals for Finland’s transport sector for the years 2013–2020. The strategy also outlines at a general level the principal means by which it is possible to achieve the goals. The strategy will guide the planning of environmental work by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the government agencies and public bodies within its administrative sector. It will also act as a basis for the environmental programmes of these organisations and consequently for planning the guidance concerning the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. For other players in the transport and environment sectors (e.g. municipalities and companies), the Environmental Strategy for Transport represents a proposal for cooperation in environmental matters. Such cooperation will enable further improvements in the work of the Ministry and its administrative sector in environmental matters.
The objective of the Climate Policy Programme 2009 is that in 2020 specific emissions from new passenger cars sold in Finland will be close to the EU target (95 g/km; compared with about 163.5 g/km in 2008 and about 131 g/km in August 2013), and that the car stock will be renewed at an annual rate of about 7% (approx. 150,000 cars sold p.a.). The objective for the entire car stock is that in 2020 the average CO2 emissions from passenger cars will be 137.9 g/km (about 180.1 g/km in 2008 and about 170 g/km in August 2013).
Conventional environmental measures in the transport sector (catalytic converters, noise barriers, groundwater protection, etc.) will no longer be sufficient for meeting the environmental challenges of transport and responding to changes in the operating environment.
Halting the growth in energy consumption in transport will require changes in modal splits, passenger car use, propulsion systems and vehicle technologies. This energy goal is unlikely to be met without new economic tools, such as road user charges or incentives for acquiring low emission technology. To implement the goals, these solutions must be decided as quickly as possible. This is being investigated by the Ollila working group, which will issue its report in December 2013.
Besides new economic tools, other new transport policy tools and intelligent transport services will also be needed if the ever more stringent environmental targets are to be met. Innovating, piloting and using such new tools will be essential for achieving the environmental goals for transport. The methods pursued must also be considered in wider terms, across ministerial borders, as the input of all stakeholders will be needed.