Recently updated environment.fi provides reliable information for making sustainable choices

The number-one location for reliable and researched environmental data, environment.fi (ymparisto.fi), has been relaunched. The shared website of the Government's environmental administration brings together information on matters such as natural diversity, climate change, and responsibilities that apply to citizens and enterprises.

“There is an increased need for reliable information on the environment and nature as issues involving the environment and nature have become the centre of social debate.” Ympäristo.fi provides a platform for information that can help make sustainable choices in everyday life while supporting political decision-making”, says Jussi Salmi, Communications Director at the Ministry of the Environment.

Environment.fi is meant for all who are interested in environmental information. For example, it serves experts working in public administration and private enterprises, teachers, as well as citizens of all ages.

The service’s user interface as well as the content have been updated. The user experience and accessibility have been improved, and content has been clarified. For example, the service now includes separate sections for licensing issues and tips for sustainable everyday life. The service’s layout has also been updated.

Sustainable lifestyle protects environment

The data compilations in the Sustainable Life section help us all make environmentally sustainable choices. The section compiles tips related to areas including residential questions, holiday home living, diet, exercise, emissions compensation, and consumption, while offering individuals gauges and services to calculate their personal environmental impact and to reduce it. The section also reveals ways to improve the condition of nearby nature and to participate in making environmental observations.

Environment.fi makes visible the ways in which people can affect the well-being of their environment. For example, the Civic activity section compiles information on the evaluation of environmental impact, whose effect is to ensure that the environmental impact of a planned activity is ascertained in sufficient detail.

The Permits and obligations section brings together information and instructions on moving waste, recycling, and transport. For example, the section on chemicals and hazardous substances includes information and instructions on installation, maintenance, sales, import and waste management of F-gases, ozone-depleting substances and equipment containing them.

In addition, you can find information on topics such as controlling and adapting to climate change, sustainable circular and bioeconomy, natural diversity, recreational use of nature and landscapes, as well as waters and waterways.

Environment.fi is a channel to other environmental knowledge

Environment.fi also provides access to other reliable web pages of the environmental administration. For example, content related to waters, such as the water situation, preparing for floods, and the water-related responsibility can primarily be found in the waterinfo.fi service, where a significant part of the prior water content on ympäristo.fi has been moved. A more extensive collection of issues related to construction and living can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Environment. Issues related to the Baltic Sea have been compiled together with other entities on the MarineFinland.fi website, as well as climate change issues in the climateguide.fi service.

Environment.fi is maintained by entities of the government environment administration - the Ministry of the Environment, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA), and the Regional State Administrative Agencies.

Environment.fi was upgraded in 2021–2023. The main partners in the changes have been Wunder Finland Oy (user interface and technical implementation), Solita (preliminary examination and conceptualisation) and North Patrol (definition and tendering). Availability and accessibility assessments were made by Elicode.

Environment.fi’s content is further completed, especially the Swedish and English-language pages.

You may give feedback on our pages or take part in the discussion on social media under the hashtag #ymparistofi.

Project steering group:

• Chair: Jussi Salmi, Director of Communications, Ministry of the Environment
• Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Finnish Environment Institute, the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA), the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, and the Regional State Administrative Agencies.