Environment in Finland Essay ⋆ Environment Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

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Finland is a sparsely populated country of 5.25 million people in northern Europe. The population and economic activity concentrate in the south, whereas large wilderness areas characterize the climatically harsher north and east. The origins of the national economy are close to the offerings of nature (forestry, agriculture, manufacturing of linen and wool), and forestry still plays a prominent role in the economy. A large-scale transition in Finnish society from agrarian lifestyle and migration from small towns to urban industrial centers only occurred in the 1950s and the 1960s. Post-industrial, service-based consumer society characterizes today’s Finland.

Finns have a strong emotional relationship with nature. Finnish mythology is rich with symbolism and narratives representative of the Finnish landscape: forest, lakes, snow, and ancient bedrock. This thematic became prominent in identity-politically inspired art in the 18th century, in the context of awakening Finnish national sentiments. Nature continues to be a popular theme in Finnish art, design, and national iconography, for example on postage stamps and currency.

The natural environment is a favorite space for recreation and leisure. Most of Finland’s half a million summer cottages are found on the Baltic coast and the Lake Region (south and east), and, increasingly, in Lapland (north), which are all popular destinations for foreign visitors. The positive economic impact of these seasonal homes is considerable on the typically small, rural host communities. Outdoor sports, hunting, and fishing are popular hobbies. In addition to municipal recreation areas, Finland has an extensive, government-managed network of conservation and recreation areas, the largest of which are national parks. The Ministry of the Environment coordinates Finland’s environmental administration through research institutes, regional centers, and licensing and funding authorities. The duties include management of water and land resources, environmentally sustainable land use planning in built environments, preventive measures, and conservation.

Citizens’ environmental awareness in Finland is at a relatively high level. Many consumers take environmental issues into consideration in their purchasing choices and recycle actively. Environmental health and risks, sustainable development, and responsible consumer choices are frequent and sometimes hotly debated topics. Environmental organizations range from small, informal activist networks to nationwide civic associations dedicated to nature conservation, animal rights, and environmental education. The Green League of Finland party attracts 8-10 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections, typically from well-educated, young urbanites.

Differing interests and views have also created tension in Finnish society. In integrating Europe, concerns about safety and sustainability focus on food and energy production and often depend on decisions made elsewhere in Europe. Recent environmental conflicts within Finnish society have included the acceptability and methods of fur production (between animal rights activists, producers, and retailers); land ownership, sustainable reindeer herding, and mining rights in Lapland (the indigenous Sami, the local majority population, the central government, and multinational corporations); and the sustainability of Finnish forest companies’ actions at home and abroad (environmental activists, land owners, and multinational corporations). The scope of Finnish society in environmental matters is thus increasingly global, diverse, and, at times, controversial.

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