Road traffic is one of the major producers of CO₂ emissions worldwide. In Finland it represents 1/5^th of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is closely monitored by the Finnish government.

In 2013 a GHG emissions reduction programme was approved, the aim of which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport by 15% from their 2005 level by 2020, in accordance with Finland's national and international commitments. In 2020, greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport must be no more than about 11.2 million tonnes (they currently stand at approximately 13 million tonnes).

Domestic transport energy consumption

The energy consumption per capita in Finland is higher than in many other European countries, mostly due to the cold climate, long distances and scattered population density. Transport amounts to approximately 20% of energy used in Finland, which has also slightly increased over the course of last decade.

In order to improve the indicators of sustainable development, Finland has set a goal to continue to reduce energy consumption of transport, which is in line with the EU’s Energy Efficiency Goals. In addition, Finland has not only adhered to the EU targets on the use of renewable energy sources, which require the whole EU to increase the share of renewable energy in overall energy consumption by 10% yearly until 2020, but even set its own higher goal (20% yearly increase until 2020).

Improving energy efficiency

The Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications has developed a programme to improve overall energy efficiency in the entire transport sector based on mandatory energy audits in all large companies in the transport sector, whether domestic or international. The first audit was planned for end-2015 with a follow-up audit no later than 2019.

The Finnish transportation authority has also actively participated in the negotiations of the European Energy Efficiency Act. This legislation covers the minimum requirements for mandatory energy audits. Furthermore, all transportation operators’ vehicles are already subjected to multiple energy efficiency measures, revolving around economic driving methods. 

Promotion of alternative fuels for cars

Because road transport is one of the main CO₂ and particle matter producers, reduction of emissions reduce emissions can only be ensured via an increase in the use of alternative fuels, such as electricity, hydrogen, gas (LNG, CNG, LPG) and liquid bio-fuels.

In 2013, the share of cars running on alternative fuels (hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, gas, methane, bio-fuels) in Finland was still very low, around 3%. And even though from 2014 to 2015 the amount of the first-time registered hybrid cars rose by approximately 30%, this represented less than 1% of all registered cars in the country. Nevertheless, should this trend continue, it is reasonable to expect that up to 44% of new cars will be hybrids by 2020.

The use of alternative fuels has also been promoted partially via taxation, since 2011 when the Finnish energy tax was reformed.

What is more, all transport fuels used in Finland contain bio-components. In the long run, the use of bio-fuels alone will get Finland to its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.