Minister Tiilikainen: Bill banning the use of coal for energy due next year
Finland co-founds a Powering Past Coal alliance in Bonn Climate Conference

Finland, together with Canada, the United Kingdom and over 20 other partner countries and states, have founded a global Powering Past Coal alliance to encourage governments, businesses and organisations to phase out traditional coal power. The alliance was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn on Thursday 16 November 2017.

The aim is to grow the alliance to at least 50 partners by next year’s Climate Change Conference in Katowice.

Finland is committed to phasing out coal in energy production by 2030.

“Coal is history – in Finland and elsewhere in the world. We have already started to prepare legislation to ban the use of coal for energy as part of Finland’s Energy and Climate Strategy. Our goal is to submit the bill to Parliament next year. I hope we can set an example and inspire others to phase out coal power,” says Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing Kimmo Tiilikainen.

In Finland, the use of coal for energy has been decreasing for the past decade. At present, renewable energy sources account for 39% of the final energy consumption, and the goal is to exceed 50% by 2030. Finland’s taxation system boosts this development, as energy taxes are higher for greenhouse gas generating forms of energy.

Inquiries:
Petteri Kuuva, Industrial Counsellor, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, tel. +358 50 331 5309
Vilhartti Hanhilahti, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 40 836 4823
Riikka Lamminmäki, Communications Specialist, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 29 5250343 (in Bonn)