The Finnish Government gave a decision on 14th December 2017 on the revised national land use guidelines. The purpose of the guidelines is to make sure that matters of national significance are taken into account in the planning and in actions taken by public authorities.
The aim is to reduce municipal and transport emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and the values of cultural environments, and provide better opportunities for renewal to livelihoods and economic activities. The guidelines also contribute to the efforts to adapt to climate change and extreme weather events and their consequences.
The national land use guidelines are a part of the land use planning system in accordance with the Land Use and Building Act.
© Mikko Vähäniitty/Image bank of the Ministry of the Environment
The revised objectives focus on five main themes:
- Functioning communities and sustainable traffic
- Efficient transport systems
- Healthy and safe environment
- Viable natural and cultural environment and natural resources
- Energy supply capable of renewal
The purpose of the land use guidelines is to
- ensure that the issues that are important on the national level are taken into account in regional and municipal land use planning as well as the activities of the state authorities
- help with achieving the objectives of the Land Use and Building Act and land use planning, the most important of which are a good living environment and sustainable development
- act as a tool in the advance guidance of land use planning in nationally important land use issues and promote the coherence and consistency of advance guidance
- promote the implementation of international agreements in Finland and
- create land use planning preconditions for implementing national projects.
In accordance with the Land Use and Building Act, the guidelines must be taken into account and their implementation must be promoted in regional planning, municipal land use planning and the activities of the state authorities.
Further information
Timo Turunen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 250 303, firstname.lastname@ym.fi