Stakeholder kick-off meeting – Finland

Finnish partner Regional Council of Central Finland arranged the first stakeholder meeting on the 29.8.2023. Stakeholders represented various groups and organisations in the Central Finland region such as development organisation of northern municipalities, forest organisation, educational institutions, government agencies and research institutes as well as municipalities from the area.

In the meeting participants heard a little instruction to a carbon offsetting in general and different types of techniques in it: nature-based, land-use based and technology based. In addition, recent research related to the nature-based carbon offsets was shortly introduced in the meeting. Then we introduced ourselves to each other and told what kind of skills and expertise we bring to the group. Members of stakeholder group also told what kind of projects they are already working on in relation to carbon offsetting, many new projects have started in recent years! Participants also shared what first ideas emerged in relation to the theme of the project. 

At local level Nature-based carbon offset project could relate, for example, to peatland soils that we have in many places in Central Finland. Those areas are potential for carbon storage. We discussed about time scales of the project and time scales of carbon offsetting in natural areas, a great need for concrete impacts of already running projects since ecological crises are very much present. We also heard views on how rural areas are responding to the global change and environmental challenges we face, and what glimpses of change may be on the horizon.

The discussion was rich and innovative and everybody seemed to get inspired about the topic of NACAO. It is very nice to continue with these stakeholders and new ones are welcomed during the coming years.