Directorate General Environment, Unit E.4. LIFE Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities Financed under the LIFE Programme Country-by-country analysis Finland July 2009 COWI A/S Parallelvej 2 DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark Tel +45 45 97 22 11 Fax +45 45 97 22 12 www.cowi.com Directorate General Environment, Unit E.4. LIFE Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities Financed under the LIFE Programme Country-by-country analysis Finland July 2009 Document no. 7-3 Finland This report has been prepared as a result of an independ- Version 1 ent evaluation by COWI being contracted by the Director- Date of issue July.2009 ate General Environment The views expressed are those of the Consultant Prepared BIM, IL and do not necessarily reflect those of the Euro- Checked BIM, TIH, IL pean Commission. Approved BIM Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities under the LIFE Programme. 1 Country-by-country analysis: Finland Table of Contents 1 Executive summary 2 2 Introduction 2 3 Environmental policy overview 2 4 Overview of LIFE projects in Finland 3 5 Effects of projects implemented 4 5.1 Results and impacts for Nature projects 4 5.2 Results and impacts for Environment projects 5 6 The effectiveness of projects 5 7 The sustainability of projects 6 8 The utility of projects 6 Table of Appendices Appendix 1 Comprehensive overview of LIFE Projects in Finland Appendix 2 Summary tables on LIFE Environment projects in Finland Appendix 3 Summary tables on LIFE Nature projects in Finland O:\A000000\A001146\Final Report for PDF\Country reports\CS_Invidual Rep_Finland.DOC . Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities under the LIFE Programme. 2 Country-by-country analysis: Finland 1 Executive summary Finland has been involved in LIFE Programmes throughout all phases of LIFE, starting in 1992. A total of 101 projects have received support since the start of LIFE, of which 92 (47 Environment and 45 Nature) projects fall within the period covered by this evaluation (1996-2006).Of these seven (2 Environment and five Nature) are still ongoing in 2008. Finnish LIFE projects are, in general, technically successful in delivering the expected results. The sustainability of the projects is high, as confirmed by different stakeholders. Finnish LIFE Environment projects have developed new technological solutions to air, water and soil pollution problems and produced management systems and tools for improving natural resources. Finnish LIFE Nature projects have been highly focused on restoration of nature types and on habitats and have had significant impact on biodiversity conservation and increased the awareness of natural conservation. 2 Introduction This country report on the implementation of the LIFE Programme in Finland is part of the overall ex- post evaluation of the LIFE Programme. The evaluation was commissioned in July 2008 and covers all LIFE projects initiated during the period 1996-2006. The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the relevance and impact of the activities and projects financed under the LIFE Programme. The evaluation comprises country studies in all Member States, except Bulgaria, which has never had any LIFE projects. This report documents the analysis carried out concerning the implementation of the LIFE Programme in Finland. The ex-post evaluation specifically assesses the effect of the LIFE Programme on Europe's nature and environment by analysing results and impacts of LIFE projects implemented under the Nature (NAT) and Environment (ENV) components. The results and impacts have further been assessed along three main evaluation criteria: • Effectiveness i.e. the extent to which planned objectives have been reached • Sustainability i.e. the extent to which positive impacts have continued or are likely to continue • Utility i.e. the extent to which impacts address key environmental needs and priorities in the EU and for the stakeholders concerned. 3 Environmental policy overview Finland's national strategy for sustainable development "Towards sustainable choices - A nationally and globally sustainable Finland" was adopted in June 2006 by the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development. In December 2006 the strategy was also adopted by the Council of State1. The Finnish perspective, according to this strategy, is that the most significant development trends and challenges towards sustainable development are associated with climate change, adaptation to rapid global economic changes, and demographic changes. Globally speaking, the most important challenges are, in addition to climate change, related to global poverty and inequality as well as to population growth. Different environmental policies and plans support the Finnish strategy for sustainable development. 1 Finland's national strategy for sustainable development can be found at: http://www.environment.fi/default.asp?node=9732&lan=en O:\A000000\A001146\Final Report for PDF\Country reports\CS_Invidual Rep_Finland.DOC . Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities under the LIFE Programme. 3 Country-by-country analysis: Finland The national strategy is complemented by sector, or issue-specific, policies and plans, e.g. for climate change, transport, energy efficiency, waste, etc. The main environmental challenges mentioned in the strategy include: climate change, eco-efficiency, nature and biodiversity, natural resources and waste generation and environmental health. The strategy encompasses four cross-cutting areas of action in a structure which is similar to the 6th EAP2. Box 1 Cross-cutting areas of action in Finland's Sustainable Development Strategy In relation to climate change, it has been emphasised that Finland is committed to maintaining its greenhouse gas emissions for the period 2008-12 as compared to 1994. Finland’s emissions are still 14.5 per cent above the 1990 level but in 2004, they fell by 4.9 per cent, mainly due to CO2 reduction from electricity and heat production. Since the Kyoto target will not be reached through domestic actions alone, Finland plans to make use of the Kyoto mechanisms and carbon sinks. Energy and climate policy in Finland is based on the National Climate Strategy, with the most recent version of the Strategy being approved by the Finnish government in 2006. It includes several measures for energy conservation and renewable energy. Concerning nature and biodiversity, the Finnish Action Plan on biodiversity for the period 1997-2005 is being revised. The results of the evaluation are being used in the ongoing finalisation of a new national action plan for 2006-2016. The aim is to stop biodiversity loss by 2010 and to stabilise a positive trend for the years 2010-206. The new programme also aims to develop a strategic response to serious global threats to the Finnish environment. Regarding Environment and health, in June 2006 the Ministry of Environment adopted the Action Plan for the Protection of the Baltic Sea and Inland Watercourses. The aim of the action plan is to reduce eutrophication of the Baltic Sea and to reduce risks of oil and chemical transport. Also in September 2002, the Finnish Government approved a national programme setting maximum annual limits for emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile organic compounds to be complied with from 2010 onwards. The programme contains measures to reduce emissions from energy production, transport, agriculture and industry, and also sets out ways to curb emissions from machinery, leisure boats and the small-scale combustion of wood. As regards resources and resource efficiency, the Ministry of Environment in Finland started a programme entitled “the New Material Technology in infra building" in June 2006. The aim of the programme is to increase the use of renewable materials, and to reduce both the natural resources needed and the amount of waste produced by building work. The national waste plan is being reviewed and it will include waste prevention objectives covering material efficiency, the life span of buildings and municipal waste generation. 4 Overview of LIFE projects in Finland During the period 1996 to 2006, the LIFE Programme co-financed 92 projects in Finland including 45 Nature projects and 47 Environment projects. A full overview table of the projects is provided in Appendix 1. In Appendices 2 and 3, a number of summary tables are provided for Environment and Nature, respectively. Table 4.1 provides a brief summary. 2 6th Community Environment Action Programme (EAP) O:\A000000\A001146\Final Report for PDF\Country reports\CS_Invidual Rep_Finland.DOC . Ex-Post Evaluation of Projects and Activities under the LIFE Programme. 4 Country-by-country analysis: Finland Table 4.1 Overview of LIFE projects 1996-2006 in Finland Number of Total LIFE con- Main themes cov- Average LIFE con- Average project projects tribution (million ered3 tribution per project duration (years) EUR) (million EUR) Environment 47 23.1 Natural resources and 0.5 3.4 waste, Strategic Ap- proaches (each 26%) Nature 45 35.6 Habitats (78%) 0.8 4.2 Source: BUTLER The LIFE Environment projects co-financed by the LIFE Programme were mainly technological development projects within various sectors, developing and/or testing new processes, products or technologies to reduce the pressure on the environment. The typical type of beneficiary was public institutes or small and medium-sized enterprises and regional authorities, which accounted for practically all projects. The LIFE Nature projects co-financed by the LIFE Programme during 1996-2006 comprise habitat restoration projects (marine stone reefs; coastal lagoons; salt marshes; river basins lakes; freshwater meadows and marshes; raised bogs; heath/dune lands and dry grasslands). In most cases the status of the habitats themselves was the focus of the projects, but in some projects the restoration was mostly carried out to improve the conservation status of certain species or a group of species. The typical type of beneficiary was regional authority, which accounted for 26 projects in total. In few projects (8) the beneficiary was an NGO-foundation, a park-reserve authority or a university.