Finland, a global leader in sustainable development, has ranked first for the fifth consecutive year in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) implementation ranking. How has Finland achieved this distinction, and why is sustainability considered a core national value? On April 10, an educational exchange event themed "Sharing the Future, Educating for Sustainability" was held at the Embassy of Finland in Beijing. In his opening remarks, Finnish Ambassador to China Mikko Kinnunen emphasized that sustainability must go beyond being a mere slogan and become deeply embedded in daily practices within education, culture, arts, and sports.

Ambassador Kinnunen stressed that sustainability is fundamentally rooted within Finland's education system. The Finnish national curriculum treats sustainability as a core value, integrating it not as a standalone subject but deeply into all school operations and teaching practices across the board.

He mentioned that the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) develops teaching materials, toolkits, and projects for schools. By engaging students in practical tasks, these initiatives guide them to participate in recycling, the circular economy, and sustainable development, fostering a strong sense of ownership and responsibility.

Currently, Sitra has developed circular economy teaching materials covering primary schools, high schools, and vocational institutions. Collaborating with over 50 schools, universities, and organizations, more than 70,000 Finnish children participated in circular economy courses during the 2018-2019 period alone.

Simultaneously, Finland integrates equity and inclusion into its education system through co-educational classes, personalized support, and free education to reduce socio-economic disparities. Ambassador Kinnunen pointed out that national policies guarantee equal educational opportunities for all students, requiring each school to develop its own equality and inclusion plan.

In practice, the Finnish education system operates on the core principle of inclusive education, striving to ensure all students, regardless of background, ability, or special needs, are educated in mainstream classrooms. Finnish education law stipulates that no student can be denied enrollment due to a disability unless they pose a danger to themselves or others.

Finland has no single-gender schools; all institutions are co-educational. Boys and girls learn and interact together in the same classrooms starting from basic education, providing an equal platform for development.

Furthermore, education is free at all stages from pre-school to higher education. At the basic education level, free education includes not only tuition but also textbooks, learning materials, teaching tools, and a free hot meal for every student on each school day. Students with special needs receive additional support, such as free hearing aids. High school education is also tuition-free, with additional provisions like laptops.

Teachers in Finland receive systematic training to identify and address gender stereotypes and discrimination, encouraging students to choose any academic subject without gender-based limitations. In 2025, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture released its 2025-2027 Equality and Non-Discrimination Plan. This plan helps teachers and educators identify and counteract bullying, harassment, and discrimination based on personal characteristics such as gender, appearance, worldview, sexual orientation, or disability. The plan includes eight specific measures covering teacher capacity building, eliminating gender segregation, and developing teaching materials, among other areas.

With its vast geographical area and relatively sparse population, over 75% of Finland's land is forested, making it one of the most heavily forested countries in the world and the most forest-covered nation in Europe.

"We develop a close connection with nature from a very young age," Ambassador Kinnunen stated during the dialogue. He explained that Finns are accustomed to spending time outdoors in forests, national parks, lakes, and by the sea. Nature empowers people in various ways, forming the foundation of Finnish society's commitment to sustainability. As a Nordic country, Finland also faces tangible challenges from climate change, which it takes very seriously.

Finland has set ambitious climate goals. In 2019, during government formation talks, Finland's five ruling parties included the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 in the government program. This involves completely offsetting Finland's carbon dioxide emissions through afforestation, using renewable energy, and purchasing carbon sinks. Four years later, Finland's new Climate Act came into effect, giving this target legal binding force.

When asked why Finland set its carbon neutrality target for 2035, Ambassador Kinnunen explained that the Finnish sustainability model is always nature-centric. "Finnish culture emphasizes respect for nature and establishes the protection of nature as a shared societal responsibility. The behaviors and attitudes Finns develop from childhood can bring about real change."

He also emphasized the importance of sharing global experiences. Since 2017, Sitra has organized the World Circular Economy Forum, an annual event that brings together global policymakers, experts, and practitioners to share cutting-edge circular economy solutions and discuss how businesses can seize opportunities for both economic and environmental benefits. China has actively participated, hosting thematic discussions, engaging in bilateral dialogues, and exploring cooperation opportunities.

Ambassador Kinnunen spoke highly of the cooperation between Finland and China in the field of sustainable development. He emphasized that "energy-related issues are one of the key areas of cooperation between China and Finland," a topic discussed in depth during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's visit to China earlier this year.

According to the Joint Work Plan for Promoting the Future-Oriented New Partnership between China and Finland (2025-2029), low-carbon development and sustainable growth are listed as priority cooperation areas. These encompass key topics like energy transition, the circular economy, and climate and biodiversity. Both sides have identified climate change, carbon neutrality, and the circular economy as priority areas for bilateral scientific and technological innovation cooperation.

Regarding specific cooperation, the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and China's National Energy Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2017, agreeing to collaborate on demonstration projects in areas such as energy storage, smart grids, and geothermal energy.

Among the first batch of Sino-Finnish energy cooperation demonstration projects, the Nansha multi-energy microgrid project in Guangzhou has been completed and is operational. This project was developed through collaboration between China Southern Power Grid's Guangzhou Power Supply Bureau and three Finnish companies. By integrating a combined cooling, heating, and power energy supply system, it serves as a benchmark model for smart, low-carbon parks in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and represents the first successfully operational demonstration project in the energy sector between the two countries.

The MoU was renewed in January this year during Prime Minister Orpo's visit to China. Currently, three pilot bioenergy projects are underway, focusing on district heating systems, innovative carbon technologies, and nanotechnology applications. Ambassador Kinnunen believes that both Finland and China possess extensive technical expertise in sustainable energy and green transition, indicating broad prospects for cooperation.