Phase Regional Plan for Waters and Energy

Initiation Phase 6/2024 – 1/2025

• establishment of the regional planning steering group 2024
• Regional Council decision to initiate regional planning 10.6.2024
• setting plan objectives and defining themes
• preparation of background studies
• preparation of the Participation and Assessment Plan (OAS)
• announcement of plan initiation (MH 27.1.2025) and OAS made available for public review

Proposal Phase 6/2026 – 3/2027

• responses to feedback from the preparation phase
• preparation of the proposal
• making the plan proposal available for public review

Approval Phase 3/2027 – 6/2027

• responses to statements and objections
• finalization of the plan proposal
• Regional Council approves the plan proposal

The Future of Sustainable Energy Supply in Varsinais-Suomi: The Future of Sustainable Energy Supply in Varsinais-Suomi

Background studies on water protection:
The water protection theme relies largely on recent national and regional studies produced by other parties. These have been conducted particularly on field erosion, but also on flood risk areas, for example.

Map-based Erosion Classification of Finnish Fields (link to pdf file) – Coverage and usability of maps. Harri Lilja, Eila Turtola, Jari Hyväluoma, Oiva Hakala, Markku Puustinen and Jaana Uusi-Kämppä. MTT Report 133. 2014

Map-based Erosion Classification of Finnish Fields (link to pdf file) – Achieving national coverage and WMS service. Harri Lilja, Markku Puustinen, Eila Turtola and Jari Hyväluoma. Natural Resources and Bioeconomy Studies 42/2017

Nutrient Recycling in Primary Production and Its Effects on Water Status (link to pdf file) – Final report of the KiertoVesi project. Finnish Environment Institute Reports 22/2019.

Monitoring of Finnish Soil, Status and Instruments for Guiding Its Use. (link to pdf file) Editor: Haavisto, Teija. Ministry of the Environment 16.08.2023

Water Protection Effects of Fiber and Structural Lime 2.0 (RAKENNE-KUITU 2.0) (link to pdf file) Final report of the project. Ministry of the Environment 28.6.2024

Guidance, Funding and Effectiveness of Water and Marine Management – Reducing Nutrient Loading from Agriculture. (link to pdf file) National Audit Office of Finland Audit Reports 10/2024. Helsinki 2024.

The status of Finnish sea areas and particularly the Archipelago Sea has been researched and monitored for a long time. Key actors have been the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), universities and regional ELY Centres. Monitoring is carried out using several methods, such as water samples, satellite images, research vessel measurement data, biological monitoring, and modeling and long-term datasets. Environmental Administration online service on water status

The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi has prepared several studies from different perspectives concerning regional commuter rail traffic. The studies are available on the Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi website: Promoting Rail Traffic

The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi has examined the starting points, current knowledge and related objectives of the regional green structure in 2022–2023. The central part of the green structure work is the extensive study Biodiversity in Varsinais-Suomi – Current Knowledge and Protection and Restoration of Endangered Habitat Types. Green Structure Work