According to preliminary data, Finland’s greenhouse gas emission fell by 4 per cent from the year before in 2022. The total greenhouse gas emissions without the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector in 2022 amounted to 45.8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, which was 2.0 million tonnes less than in 2021. The land use sector (LULUCF) was a net sink of -1.0 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Finland’s emissions have fallen by 36 per cent from the comparison year 1990 and by 47 per cent from 2003, when emissions were at their highest during the 1990 to 2022 time series.
The energy sector was the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Finland, accounting for 72 per cent of total emissions in 2022. The sector’s emissions decreased by 1.3 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent from the previous year. The decrease was particularly due to the fallen consumption of natural gas, which was caused by the high price of natural gas and the ending of imports from Russia.
Instant preliminary data of 2022 will be revised in future. Statistics Finland will release the official data on the greenhouse gases in March 2024. [Please keep reading; article continues after data.]
Well prepared for energy transition
Finland’s energy mix is well diversified with renewables accounting for 42%, nuclear energy for 20% and fossil fuels and peat for 34% of the total energy consumption. In Finland, the share of renewable sources of energy is the second highest in the EU.
Renewable forms of energy production surpassed the use of fossil fuels in the 2020s. Finland is about to become self-sufficient in electricity, of which almost 90% is already fossil-free. The wind power capacity will double in the near future, and a new nuclear reactor, Olkiluoto 3, became fully operational in 2023.
For more facts on Finland and energy, have a look at this short video.
Sources:
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Greenhouse gases [e-publication].
ISSN=1797-6065. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 11.11.2021].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/khki/index_en.html
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Production of electricity and heat [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-5099. 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 11.11.2021].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/salatuo/2020/salatuo_2020_2021-11-02_tie_001_en.html