For EU Member States, information is based on their official adaptation reporting: 2023 and 2021 adaptation reporting under the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action (see EU Adaptation ReportingClimate-ADAPT Country Profiles). Note: The relevant information has been copied from the EU official reporting on adaptation (submitted until 15 November 2023), without further elaborating the contents of the text. Some information, valid at the time of reporting, may no longer be valid today. Any necessary additions to the text are clearly highlighted. In addition, information collated in the EEA’s analysis of Climate change and health: the national policy review in Europe (2021). Note: Some information, valid at the time of publication, may no longer be valid today. Any necessary additions to the text are clearly highlighted. 

Information from Governance Regulation reporting on adaptation (2023, 2021)

Health protection and promotion is one of 10 main themes in the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2030 (NAP, 2022), under which actions are prescribed to meet Finland’s adaptation goals. In addition to the NAP, adaptation is strengthened and implemented under several administrative branch-specific plans and sector-specific regulations, including the Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (SAP, 2021). At the subnational level, the Health Protection Act (763/1994) is amongst the acts forming the institutional, legal set up for climate change adaptation.

Based on a recent adaptation policy evaluation, one of the main challenges related to adaptation is labour shortage in the healthcare and social welfare sector and rescue services as well as the maintenance backlog of infrastructure, such as the road network and water services.

Regarding the risk of potential future impacts for human health, the safeguarding of health protection - the most important pillar for the preservation of climate resilience and, consequently, climate change adaptation - takes place in 62 collaborative areas for environmental healthcare. Environmental health action implements, in particular, legislation of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of the Environment that safeguards the safety and security of water services and food supply as well as housing health. The Housing Health Decree (545/2015) lays down provisions on, for example, factors relating to building temperature conditions that are affected by the changing climate.

Information from EEA report. Climate change and health: the national policy overview in Europe (2022)

National policies on climate change adaptation and national health strategies were analysed to identify the coverage of climate-related impacts on health (physical, mental, and social) and the types of interventions addressing them. The report provides a European overview, while the geographical coverage of various aspects of national policies across Europe can be visualized using the map viewer. The results for Finland are summarised here.

Policy documents reviewed:

Finland’s National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022 (2014)

Climate change in the social and health sector: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s climate change adaptation plan (2021–2031)

Aspects covered in the reviewed policy document:

Resources in the Observatory catalogue on Finland

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