Accelerating climate efforts and low-carbon investments in Finland

Introduction

The Finnish Climate Change Act has an objective of carbon neutrality in 2035. Besides the national objective, the EU Commission has set for Finland a -50% target for emissions under the effort sharing regulation (ESR) by 2030. The Ministry of the Environment has drawn a Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan (MTCCPP, approved in June 2022) to meet the EU target and to ensure that the ESR emissions decline enough regarding climate neutrality. ACE LIFE aims at the full implementation of the MTCCPP.

Implementation Measures

According to the MTCCPP, halving the ESR emissions is achieved by over 100 measures across the effort sharing sector. Based on the identified gaps in the implementation and the available climate funding, ACE LIFE executes concrete mitigation actions in the key areas needing the most support in Finland:

1. Develop plant protein and paludiculture value chains.
2. Cut emissions of heavy-duty transport and machinery.
3. Replace fossil fuels used by SMEs in industrial processes.

The results are measurable emission reductions from model and pilot investments, improved policies, and dissemination activities to scale up mitigation measures together with substantial complementary funding.

Project Organization

ACE LIFE is organized in 10 work packages, including a strong emphasis on the dissemination of best practices, policy development, boosting investments, and climate funding. The 22 project beneficiaries (excluding 3 affiliated), with 27 associated partners and stakeholder networks, bring together all the relevant actors. The project has nationwide coverage.

Objectives and Alignment

The objectives of ACE LIFE are directly linked to the EU 2030 energy and climate policy framework, the 2050 climate neutrality objective, and the Paris Agreement. The project supports the targets of the LIFE program by:

• Enhancing capacities.
• Stimulating investments.
• Developing, demonstrating, and promoting innovative mitigation solutions.
• Contributing to the knowledge base.
• Disseminating and applying best practices.