INTERNATIONAL ECO COMMERCE PARTNERSHIP (IECP)
Finland
Finland is one of the most innovative EU Member States. The Finnish national innovation system is an
extensive entity, based on education, research, product development as well as knowledge-intensive
business and industry. The innovation policy is bound to science and technology policies, which together
aim at ensuring balanced development and extensive cooperation within the innovation system. Eco
efficiency and environmental approach has traditionally been a baseline of Finnish production technology,
which has been apparent through the research and development (R&D) funding and development of
increased eco efficiency in industrial processes. Today, the national innovation system in Finland is
explicitly involved in the environmental sector. Ministry of Employment and the Economy is developing
operational preconditions for ecologically sustainable and competitive business life, and for the growing
field of environment and eco export. Hence the innovation policy includes a principle of integration of
environmental considerations within all aspects of R&D.
However, eco innovation needs and challenges of Finland are strongly associated with material efficiency.
Performance in material efficiency because of the large share of energy and material intensive industries
such as pulp and paper industry, base metal industry and chemical industry. The greatest challenges for
eco innovations concern high material consumption, the aging of society as well as low material
productivity, energy-efficiency and high GHG emissions, which result from energy intensive industrial
sectors, freight transportation and traffic as well as extensive earthworks and hydraulic engineering. The
Finnish economy is based strongly on added value obtained from natural resources. At the same time
Finland has abundant natural resources in terms of the clean forest, fresh water as well as peat, mineral
reserves and arable land.
Finland has an explicit policy for developing a national innovation system, and eco innovation is a part of
this system by a strong emphasis on specific R&D programs. The country also implements a large
number of relevant strategies and measures such as environmental taxation.
2013 Eco Innovation in Finland Report
ECOnomic Development
Eco Commerce Marketplace
Technology and Regions
Trade Missions
www.EcoCommerceExchange.com