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Greenhouse gas emissions exceeded the Kyoto target by approximately 10 per cent in 2007

According to the preliminary estimate that must be submitted to the European Commission on 15 January, greenhouse gas emissions in Finland amounted to 78.5 Mt of CO2 equivalent in 2007, which is approximately two per cent less than in 2006. Emissions in 2007 exceeded by good 10 per cent the target level of the 2008-2012 commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol. In the past five reporting years emissions in Finland have exceeded by an average of nearly 7.5 million tonnes, or ten per cent, the amount assigned for them in the Kyoto Protocol (71 million tonnes). Annual fluctuations in the emissions have been large. These have arisen especially from variations in the availability of hydro power on the Nordic electricity market, imports of electricity from Russia and the annual structure and volume of domestic energy production.

In the climate and energy strategy Finland is estimated to require additional emission units in the Kyoto commitment period in order to meet its commitment level. This can be achieved by exploiting the mechanisms offered by the Kyoto Protocol, and forestry sinks. The clean development mechanism allows Finland to receive emission reductions through the implementation of diverse projects to reduce emissions in developing countries, and the joint implementation mechanism through the implementation of projects in other industrialised countries (mainly transition economies). The EU’s internal emissions trading, aimed at the achievement of the emissions reduction targets of the emissions trade sector as cost-efficiently as possible, has the largest significance in the strategy. It is estimated that emissions can be reduced cost-efficiently outside the emissions trading sector (transport, agriculture, waste management, heating of buildings) but the estimated reduction potential is significantly smaller.

The emissions of the dominant energy sector decreased by just under three per cent from 2006 in 2007. The consumption of fossil fuels in power and heat production decreased by approximately 10 per cent. The use of coal diminished most, or by around 14 per cent. However, the overall reduction in the emissions of the energy sector remained small because the use of peat went up by nine per cent. The proportion of energy produced with renewable energy sources in total heat and power production remained on level with the previous year in 2007. The total consumption of primary energy fell slightly.

In 2007, the emissions of the agricultural sector diminished by around one per cent and those of the waste sector by good three per cent from 2006. Altogether, the emissions of the agricultural sector have fallen by a total of 22 per cent and those of the waste sector by nearly 39 per cent since 1990. The accuracy of the emissions calculation for the waste sector has improved from the previous reporting round due to an update of the composition of municipal waste. The emissions from industrial processes have increased by 34 per cent since 1990.

The sinks reported in the land use, land use change and forestry sector diminished by one-fifth, or approximately seven million tonnes, from 2006 in 2007. This is primarily due to larger felling volumes than in the preceding years. In 2007, market fellings totalled a record amount of almost 58 million cubic metres. The forest industry replaced timber imports by increased use of domestic timber. Fellings of saw timber increased by 18 per cent and those of pulpwood by 10 per cent in Finland. Finland’s land use, land use change and forestry sector is a significant sink, even though the soil-based emissions from drained peatland fields and forests are significant. However, in the Kyoto commitment period sinks can only be exploited within certain limits

Source: Greenhouse gas inventory unit, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Riitta Pipatti (09) 1734 3543, Tuija Lapveteläinen (09) 1734 3528, kasvihuonekaasut@stat.fi

Director in charge: Leena Storgårds

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Updated 12.12.2008