Evaluation of the Implementation of Finland's National Strategy for Adaption to Climate Change 2009
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
15.06.2009
Julkaisusarja:
Publications of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 4a/2009This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
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http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-453-502-1Tiivistelmä
Finland’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change was completed in 2005. A Coordination Group for Adaptation to Climate Change was appointed to follow and promote the implementation of the strategy, with representatives of ministries, research institutes, research funding agencies and regional actors. The Coordination Group steered the evaluation of the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy conducted in winter 2008–2009, which will be utilised in the future work of the Group.
The evaluation of the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy was conducted by a survey of whether and how the measures presented in the strategy have been launched in different sectors. According to the preliminary adaptation indicator developed in the context of this work, Finland, on average, is on step 2 in adaptation (on a scale from 1 to 5). This means that among the decision makers there is at least some understanding of the impacts of climate change and the need for adaptation measures has been recognised, at least to a certain extent. Some practical adaptation measures have also been identified and plans have been made or even launched for their implementation.
The most advanced sector in the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy has been the water resources management, where adaptation to climate change is already well integrated into the decision-making. In the transport sector, community planning and agriculture and forestry the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy has also proceeded quite well, but in most sectors the work is only in early stages. The precondition for launching the adaptation measures is the recognition of the need for adaptation to climate change in different sectors, which in turn must be based on applied research on adaptation and communication of the results in a way that allows their utilisation in decision-making.
The Climate Change Adaptation Research Programme ISTO has produced a lot of useful information in support of the adaptation measures, but the smaller resources than was envisaged have not allowed comprehensive studies on all relevant sectors. The implementation of the Adaptation Strategy should be enhanced by increasing the resources allocated to adaptation research and awareness of climate issues in decision-making at all levels. The implementation of adaptation measures in practice also calls for more cooperation between sectors, especially at the regional level. Finland’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change will be reviewed in 2011–2013 and, besides the new needs identified in Finland, the content of the strategy will be revised on the basis of the adaptation strategy work in the EU and more extensive international cooperation in the context of climate change adaptation.
The evaluation of the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy was conducted by a survey of whether and how the measures presented in the strategy have been launched in different sectors. According to the preliminary adaptation indicator developed in the context of this work, Finland, on average, is on step 2 in adaptation (on a scale from 1 to 5). This means that among the decision makers there is at least some understanding of the impacts of climate change and the need for adaptation measures has been recognised, at least to a certain extent. Some practical adaptation measures have also been identified and plans have been made or even launched for their implementation.
The most advanced sector in the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy has been the water resources management, where adaptation to climate change is already well integrated into the decision-making. In the transport sector, community planning and agriculture and forestry the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy has also proceeded quite well, but in most sectors the work is only in early stages. The precondition for launching the adaptation measures is the recognition of the need for adaptation to climate change in different sectors, which in turn must be based on applied research on adaptation and communication of the results in a way that allows their utilisation in decision-making.
The Climate Change Adaptation Research Programme ISTO has produced a lot of useful information in support of the adaptation measures, but the smaller resources than was envisaged have not allowed comprehensive studies on all relevant sectors. The implementation of the Adaptation Strategy should be enhanced by increasing the resources allocated to adaptation research and awareness of climate issues in decision-making at all levels. The implementation of adaptation measures in practice also calls for more cooperation between sectors, especially at the regional level. Finland’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change will be reviewed in 2011–2013 and, besides the new needs identified in Finland, the content of the strategy will be revised on the basis of the adaptation strategy work in the EU and more extensive international cooperation in the context of climate change adaptation.