Finland submits draft update of energy, climate plan to EC

Finland on Friday submitted its draft update of the integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) to the European Commission (EC), said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in a press release.

The draft plan presented an estimate of the impact that Finland’s policy measures will have on the projected development of greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and energy efficiency until 2040.

The energy and climate policy targets of the four-party right-wing government Programme have been incorporated into Finland’s plan.

The Plan’s measures are based on the National Climate and Energy Strategy of 2022, the Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan and the Climate Plan for the Land Use Sector.

It also took into account the increased level of ambition of the EU’s climate and energy policy and the acceleration of the clean energy transition driven by the effects of the EU’s Fit for 55 Package (Fit for 55) and the REPowerEU Plan.

The draft covered all five dimensions of the EU Energy Union: decarbonisation (including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy), energy efficiency, energy security, the internal energy market, and research, innovation and competitiveness.

It also describes the impacts of policy measures on the energy system, greenhouse gas emissions and removals caused by sinks. In addition, the plan contains an assessment of the impact of planned and existing policy measures on future investment needs.

The EU has set a reduction target of 50% for non-ETS greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. emissions not part of the emissions trading system) from the 2005 level as Finland’s national obligation for 2030. At the same time, emissions from the land use sector should be smaller than the calculated removals by carbon sinks.

The draft plan does not specify a national target level for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Finland will carefully assess its renewable energy and energy efficiency targets in accordance with the government’s climate and energy policy guidelines once the relevant directives have been implemented.

The national target levels for renewable energy and energy efficiency will be reported to the Commission by June 2024 in connection with the final update of the NECP.

The Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union requires that all Member States submit the drafts of their updated plans to the Commission by 30 June 2023. The first NECPs were submitted to the Commission in 2019.

The NECPs aim to help the Member States achieve the EU’s energy and climate objectives and ensure that the Union move towards a cleaner, more sustainable and resource-efficient energy system. They outline how the Member States intend to achieve the EU's energy and climate targets for 2030.

The Commission will assess the draft plans and provide feedback on it by 31 December 2023.

Any updates to the plans made on the basis of the feedback must be submitted to the Commission by 30 June 2024.