Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

Industry still dominates Finland's economy, delivering as much as 40%of GDP. GHG emissions from industrial processes accounted for 10% ofoverall emissions in 2008. Since 1990, industrial emissions have increasedby about 140%, making it the fastest developing emissions sector in Finland,even as the industry's share of the economy is diminishing.Most industrial emissions are composed of CO2 output from iron andsteel production. While emissions in this sector have increased, by internationalstandards many industrial processes in Finland are already veryenergy efficient. The metal industry estimates that even with the inclusion ofmining activities, emissions per ton of steel are half the European average.The concrete sector is also an emissions intensive industry. Currently,the sector produces carbon and concrete in near equal amounts. Accordingto the Foresight Report, realistic estimates of emission reductions for theconcrete industry amount to 1%, even with the implementation of efficiencytechnologies. Replacing concrete with climate neutral construction materialsis a more probable GHG emission reduction pathway.Index (1990=100)140120100806040IndustrialprocessesEnergyAgricultureWasteSolvent & otherproduct use200|1990|1992|1994|1996|1998|2000|2002|2004|2006SourceStatisticsFinlandGreenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector 1990-2007Finland's Kyoto Protocol emissions target is to stabilise emissions at the1990 level during the 2008-2012 commitment period. However, over the lastdecade, GHG emissions have hovered around 10% above this commitmentlevel. Industry is partly to blame for this, but carbon emissions from energyproduction and consumption drive much of this growth.Year to year volatility in the country's total GHG emissions is a productof its diversified fuel mix. In general, an unusually wet Nordic rainy seasonwill cause a rise in hydropower sold into the Nord Pool market. Under theseconditions, Finland is able to import more electricity, reducing output offossil fuel-based condensing power plants. Economic pressures on Finland'sindustries, the number of heating days, and variability in renewable energyproduction can also have a significant emissions impact.219