Biodiversity

Our key strategic choices include supporting biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Mitigating biodiversity loss and climate change requires participation from the entire society, and Kemijoki Oy contributes to achieving the targets.

Hydropower is a renewable, low-emission form of electricity production that mitigates climate change. Some of the actions curbing climate change are also helpful for biodiversity. For our part, we want to minimise our impact on biodiversity loss, and we consider biodiversity in all our operations, both on the strategic and practical level.

Biodiversity is the variety and variability of living nature on Earth or within a certain habitat type.

Biodiversity programme (LUMO) for 2022–2030

Our biodiversity programme is a continuation of our long-term work for the benefit of nature and the environment. The aim of the programme is to promote and maintain biodiversity and ensure that our operations continue to support the mitigation and management of climate change.

  • Our approach to biodiversity
    • We own 20 hydropower plants, 16 of which are in the Kemijoki water area.
    • The riverside areas are mainly owned by Kemijoki Oy.
    • The riverside areas boast habitat types that are vital to maintaining biodiversity, including clear banks, traditional landscapes, natural swamps, wetlands and old-growth forests.
    • Additionally, our river environments include restored fish spawning areas.
    • We own approximately 42,000 hectares of forest in total.
    • The traditional biotopes identified in our operating environment are mainly found in the Kitinen area and along the Kemijoki main channel.

  • The basis and purpose of the programme
    • Promoting and maintaining biodiversity
    • Ensuring that the company’s operations continue to support the mitigation and management of climate change
    • Supporting the EU biodiversity strategy’s objective of stopping biodiversity loss
    • Implementing nature areas with net positive value to biodiversity and people’s recreational activities compared to the current state

  • Key targets
    • Developing indicators for biodiversity
    • Committing to creating migration solutions for migratory fish at Ounasjoki and restoration of running water habitats
    • Investigating the viability of ecological compensation in our sphere of operations, both in water and land areas
    • Specifying the carbon balance of areas owned by Kemijoki Oy and related compensation opportunities
    • Mapping land and water areas that are essential to maintaining biodiversity by 2027