Use of natural resources is still increasing
Majority of materials extracted from Finnish nature are non-renewable
A large amount of raw materials is extracted annually from Finnish nature for use in economic processing. A significant share (around 80%) of this extraction consists of non-renewable natural resources, particularly excavated soil and earth materials. Finland has also become a major mining country, which is reflected in the growing extraction of various metal ores. Of the non-renewable resources, only the extraction of fossil fuels (peat) has decreased.
About one fifth of domestic extraction is biomass, most of which is industrial wood. Wood is, after soil and earth materials, the most important single raw material type, and its extraction has also steadily increased over the past decades.
Raw materials taken from Finnish nature are used in domestic final consumption, but also in further processing for exports. At the same time, domestic final consumption requires raw material inputs from abroad. Raw material consumption (RMC) describes the domestic final use of raw materials, taking into account all raw materials needed for the production of imported and exported goods.
Finland’s natural resource consumption is among the highest in the EU
Finland consumes significantly more raw materials than the EU average. Between 2010 and 2021, Finland’s economy used between 215 and 280 million tonnes of raw materials (RMC). Per capita consumption was 39–52 tonnes, which is clearly higher than the EU average (14–15 tonnes).
Raw material consumption has generally been increasing since 2015. By material type, Finland consumes the most soil and earth materials, which account for an average of 60% of all raw material consumption. The high level of consumption is largely driven by the large volume of construction.
The consumption of fossil fuels has decreased proportionally the most, while the consumption of metal ores has grown. These changes may at least partly reflect the energy sector’s transition towards renewable energy sources and increased demand for raw materials in building renewable energy solutions.
Importance of raw material imports
A large share of Finland’s natural resources comes from abroad, either as raw materials embodied in imported goods or as fuels and other raw material inputs used in production. Finland is primarily a net importer of raw materials, meaning that more raw materials are brought into the country than exported. The role of imports is particularly significant for fossil fuels and metal ores.
Goal is to reduce natural resource consumption
Overconsumption of natural resources has been identified as one of the challenges for sustainable development in Finland. The strategic program for the circular economy from 2021 aims to make the use of natural resources sustainable. The aim is to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and halt domestic consumption of renewable resources to the 2015 levels by 2035.
Means include the sustainable use of natural resources and the circular economy
The goal is achieved through efficient use of natural resources while avoiding waste of raw materials. This also involves increasing recycling and improving durability of products. The aim is to double both resource productivity and material recycling rates from the 2015 levels by 2035.
