The Finnish government appears to have resolved its contentious internal climate dispute. The coalition will present its comprehensive climate package on Thursday. Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala of the National Coalition Party will introduce the plan to officials from responsible ministries after a general session of the Council of State. The package includes a report on the national energy and climate strategy and a mid-term climate plan required by the Climate Act. These reports will then be sent to the Finnish Parliament, the Eduskunta, for review.
The energy and climate strategy outlines actions to accelerate the clean transition and advance climate goals. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment led its preparation. The strategy was coordinated with the mid-term climate plan, which falls under the Ministry of the Environment's responsibility. This plan covers emission reduction measures for the so-called burden-sharing sector, addressing both EU obligations and national Climate Act targets. Finland's Climate Act mandates that greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sinks must be in balance by 2035. A commitment to this target is enshrined in Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government program.
The dispute became public in early summer when the government sent a draft of its energy and climate strategy for consultation. Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne of the Finns Party immediately stated her party's dissatisfaction. Ranne, the Finns Party's lead negotiator on climate issues within the cabinet, said discussions would continue after the consultation round. Media reports indicated the Finns Party had hoped the plans would allow for abandoning the 2035 carbon neutrality target. This internal rift highlighted the persistent tension between the government's pro-EU, climate-ambitious parties and the more skeptical Finns Party, a common challenge in Nordic coalition politics.
External assessments have been critical of the government's initial direction. The Finnish Climate Change Panel, composed of researchers, evaluated the draft strategy as entirely insufficient for achieving the national carbon neutrality goal. The government's own summer climate report admitted the target would not be met without significant additional measures. The government intends to outline these new actions in the finalized energy and climate strategy. The political reality is that this deal likely represents a fragile compromise, balancing EU compliance demands with domestic coalition management.
Thursday's Council of State session typically approves items on its decision list as presented. However, a minister retains the right to remove an item from consideration or request documents for closer examination. The Council can also decide to table a matter. The outcome of this meeting will be a key test of coalition unity. For international observers, this process underscores how Finland, despite its green reputation, faces complex political negotiations to align its ambitious legal frameworks with concrete, governable policy pathways. The final package's ambition will signal Finland's stance ahead of future EU climate negotiations and its commitment to a leading role in the European Green Deal.