Nature Conservation Act | Greens: The center has broken away from government cooperation

Policy|Nature Conservation Act

Green and the Left Alliance severely criticize the actions of their government partner in the center in relation to the Nature Conservation Act.

On Tuesday, the representatives of the center took a common front with the opposition in the environment committee. They demanded, among other things, the removal of two sections from the law, even though the center’s parliamentary group and ministerial group approved them last spring.

The pending overall reform of the Nature Conservation Act has been one of the Ministry of the Environment’s most significant projects during this government term. The aim of the reform is to protect biodiversity more broadly.

Read more: The center sided with the opposition, some of the governing parties were ordered to leave the committee meeting

Chairman of the Green parliamentary group Atte Harjanne considers that the center has practically unilaterally disengaged from government cooperation.

“I really hope that the center will return to government cooperation and vote in the room in favor of the nature conservation law unanimously approved by the government,” says Harjanne, according to the press release.

Due to the situation, the Greens will hold an extra group meeting on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

The Left Alliance Chairman, Minister of Education Lee Andersson writes on Twitter that the center does not seem to know whether it wants to be a government or an opposition party.

“Even though I didn’t expect much, the center managed to surprise again by acting blatantly against the common rules of the game. Watering down the Nature Conservation Act is not only a betrayal of the government’s front, but also a betrayal of Finland’s nature,” he wrote.

“During a crisis, it is especially important that the country has a functioning government. Ability to operate means mutual trust and sticking to what was agreed upon. The central government’s soloing undermines the stability of the entire country in these difficult times. It is impossible for me to understand this choice.”

The greens Harjanne states that the nature conservation law has been thoroughly negotiated together with the government parties, and it has resulted in a unilateral proposal approved by central ministers as well.

“This is where the legislative work comes in. Allying with the opposition to change the legislation is not an activity of the ruling party,” says Harjanne.

The greens remind us that one in nine Finnish species and almost half of the habitat types are endangered.

“The new nature conservation law is the government’s most important reform in the field of nature conservation. Changing the Nature Conservation Act at the end together with the opposition is an incomprehensible solution. This kind of activity also destroys the credibility and trustworthiness of politics – above all for the center itself,” states Harjanne.

Environmental Committee chairman Hanna Kosonen (central) does not want to assess what kind of effects the release of the central government will have on the government’s ability to function.

“Others can then speculate on that. I’m just doing my job here.”

During the autumn, the center has made other departures from government cooperation, which has caused doubts about the government’s ability to function.