Country Comments

Finland has experienced below replacement fertility for the better part of half a century. For the past six years the country has seen its population increase annually by an average of 14,000 citizens, which is approximately equal to the number of immigrants entering the country each year. Blessed with abundant renewable resources, Finland’s current consumption of them is well below what is considered sustainable.

According to the EPI index in year 2016 (Environmental Performance Index) prepared by Yale and Columbia Universities, Finland is the world’s cleanest and greenest country.The index compares how ecosystems and people’s health are protected in different countries. The index takes into account how states take care of air quality, clean water and their water resources and how they manage agriculture, forests and fish stocks.

Finland’s air, forests, lakes and drinking water are exceptionally clean by global standards. More than 80% of Finland’s lakes are either good or excellent in quality. More than 70% of Finland’s land area is forest, which makes Finland one of the most forested countries in the world. The air quality in Finland is good, because Finland is situated far from big sources of emissions and because Finland’s own emissions have been successfully curtailed. According to WHO, Finland has the cleanest air of the EU countries and the third cleanest air in the world after Canada and Iceland.

Finland has a long history of endorsing and mainstreaming gender equality. According to the Finnish Constitution, no one shall be treated differently to others on the grounds of gender or other personal attributes. Gender equality is to be promoted in societal activity, working life, pay and employment (Constitution 731/1999). The background to mainstreaming gender equality policy thus lies in the Constitution, as well as in the 1995 Equality Act, which requires authorities to systematically promote equality and to change circumstances that prevent de facto equality between women and men. (1)

https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/countries/finland