KHO 2019:37

The Finnish case, adjudicated in the Supreme Administrative Court was about whether or not a permission to drill a dwell could be granted. Permission is required according to the Water Act, which obligates comparison of interests when considering such permission.

Although the Supreme Administrative Court recognized climate change as one of the biggest environmental threats not only in Finland but world wide, it stated that the amount of greenhouse gas emissions the project would reduce, was to be estimated only as slight, and indirect, and thus could not be considered as a significant benefit for common good, and the benefit of the reduction of greenhouse gases could not be considered as a basis of granting the permission.