Ministry of the Environment

The Ministry of the Environment’s mission is to secure a better environment for future generations. The preconditions for a sustainable living environment and growth are a good natural environment and biodiversity, a society relying on carbon-neutral circular economy, and sustainable urban development.

We prepare for the Government and Parliament issues that concern communities, the built environment, housing, biodiversity, sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection.

The Ministry of the Environment’s goal is achieving a good ecological status for Finnish lakes and rivers as well as the Baltic Sea. The attainment of this objective is promoted by river basin management planning and the planning of the marine strategy as well as through programmes of measures prepared in broad-based cooperation with actors and stakeholders. Efforts to improve the status of the Baltic Sea are made both through national measures and in cooperation with the other Baltic Sea states. The ministry promotes and funds research and development in the water sector as well as handles international and EU water issues.