The Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT has published a biodiversity roadmap drawn up together with sustainability consultants, which aims at a systemic change in the sector to halt biodiversity loss and restore biodiversity. The construction sector will play a key role in the green transition and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 by using large amounts of natural resources and building residential buildings, manufacturing units, and renewable energy infrastructure. Now, the nature-positive construction sector sends a significant message to Finnish businesses and decision-makers that the sector wants to lead the way and adopt operating models and solutions that promote biodiversity.

Prime Minister Orpo’s Government Programme asks the sectors to submit biodiversity roadmaps. In many sectors, including construction, the roadmap work has already started before the Government Programme, while in others the work is only just beginning. The International Convention on Biological Diversity has set 2030 as an interim target by which the state of nature should be put on a path of recovery. Finland has also signed this agreement, which means that we only have a few years to change the operating models of business and the rest of society from those that weaken nature to those that support nature, i.e. those that are positive about nature. 

Roadmaps for sectors play an important role in showing the way, as they direct the scarce resources of companies and society so that they are immediately allocated correctly and effectively. Roadmaps are not binding on companies or stakeholders, but they promote the development of the economic system in such a way that sustainable solutions emerge on the market and a price is put on them. 

Biodiversity loss cannot be solved simply by reducing harm, but thinking must change so that nature is seen as capital that we want to protect and grow. This requires business models not only to reduce harm, but also to produce positive impacts. Companies are making a big part of this change and creating the solutions available. For nature-positive change to succeed on a sufficiently large scale and systematically, support and guidance is needed from stakeholders, such as legislators, subscribers, consumers, investors and financiers, as well as other actors in value chains. 

Each company applies the biodiversity roadmap for its industry according to its vision. In the midst of the difficult economic situation in the construction industry, it is important to look for opportunities and solutions for the future. In this, stakeholders can help companies in the sector and demonstrate that there is demand and willingness to pay for environmentally friendly solutions. 

Virve Viertiö, Sustainability Consultant, virve.viertio@sweco.fi
Piia Pessala, Sustainability Consultant, piia.pessala@sweco.fi