Ministry of the Environment (Finland)

{{Short description|Government ministry of Finland}}

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = Ministry of the Environment

| type = ministry

| nativename = {{langx|fi|ympäristöministeriö}}
{{langx|sv|miljöministeriet}}

| logo = Ministry of the Environment Finland logo.png

| logo_width =

| logo_caption =

| seal =

| seal_width =

| seal_caption =

| picture = Aleksanterinkatu 7.jpg

| picture_width =

| picture_caption = The current location of the ministry on Aleksanterinkatu 7

| formed = {{start date and age|1983}}

| preceding1 =

| preceding2 =

| dissolved =

| superseding =

| jurisdiction = Finnish Government

| headquarters =

| coordinates =

| employees =

| budget = €0.256 billion (2013)

| minister1_name = Kai Mykkänen

| minister1_pfo = Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

| chief1_name =

| chief1_position =

| chief2_name =

| chief2_position =

| chief3_name =

| chief3_position =

| chief4_name =

| chief4_position =

| chief5_name =

| chief5_position =

| chief6_name =

| agency_type =

| chief6_position =

| chief7_name =

| chief7_position =

| chief8_name =

| chief8_position =

| chief9_name =

| chief9_position =

| parent_department =

| parent_agency =

| child1_agency =

| child2_agency =

| keydocument1 =

| website = {{URL|http://www.ym.fi/en-US/The_Ministry}}

| footnotes =

| map =

| map_width =

| map_caption =

}}

{{Politics of Finland}}

The Ministry of the Environment (YM, {{langx|fi|ympäristöministeriö}} {{IPA|fi|ˈympæristøˌministeriø|}}, {{langx|sv|miljöministeriet}}) is one of the 12 ministries which comprise the Finnish Government. Headed by the Minister of the Environment, the ministry is responsible for preparing legal matters concerning communities, the built environment, housing, biodiversity, sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection in Finland.{{cite web |url=http://www.ym.fi/en-US/The_Ministry |title=The Ministry of the Environment – working together towards a sustainable future |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |access-date= 20 January 2017}}

The Ministry of the Environment employs some 280 people.{{cite web |url=http://www.ym.fi/en-US/The_Ministry/The_ministry_as_an_employer |title=Working at the Ministry of the Environment |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |access-date=20 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116182600/http://www.ym.fi/en-US/The_Ministry/The_ministry_as_an_employer |archive-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=dead }}

The Ministry of the Environment's administrative branch includes the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA). In matters falling within its remit, the Ministry of the Environment directs the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres). The Ministry also guides and funds Parks & Wildlife Finland within Metsähallitus, the state-owned enterprise administering state-owned land and water areas.

Finland founded the Ministry of the Environment in 1983, which was quite early compared to some other countries.{{Which|date=April 2023}} In the 21st century, the ministry's role of planning housing has increased in importance.{{cite web |url=http://valtioneuvosto.fi/artikkeli/-/asset_publisher/ymparistoministerio-tayttaa-tanaan-30-vuotta |title=Ympäristöministeriö täyttää tänään 30 vuotta |date=2013 |website= |publisher= |access-date=20 January 2017 |language=fi}}

In 2014, the merging of the Ministry of the Environment with Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was discussed widely.{{By whom|date=April 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000000929590.html |title= Ympäristöministeriö halutaan lopettaa? |website=Iltasanomat |date= 22 May 2015 |access-date=20 January 2017 |language=fi}}{{cite web |url=http://www.suomenmaa.fi/keskusta-nyt/sipila-keskusta-kannattaa-luonnonvaraministeriota-6.3.53756.55221cbc23 |date= August 26, 2014 |first1=Katariina |last1=Lankinen |title=Sipilä: Keskusta kannattaa luonnonvaraministeriötä |website= Suomenmaa |access-date=20 January 2017 |language=fi |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201235704/http://www.suomenmaa.fi/keskusta-nyt/sipila-keskusta-kannattaa-luonnonvaraministeriota-6.3.53756.55221cbc23 |archive-date= Feb 1, 2017 }} When preparing the government 2015, Sipilä, Soini and Stubb{{Who|date=April 2023}} preliminarily agreed that the Ministry of Environment would be merged with Ministry of Traffic. However, the minister post was given to Kimmo Tiilikainen together with the post of Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000002827549.html |website=HS.fi |title = Sipilä mylläsi salkkujen sisällöt ja nosti keltanokan ministeriksi|date = 28 May 2015}}

Kai Mykkänen of the National Coalition Party became the new minister upon the appointment of the Orpo Cabinet in June 2023.