EUKN - Urban Matrix - Climate Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area 2030

Climate Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area 2030

Introduction

The Helsinki Metropolitan Area has created a Climate Strategy. Its main vision is that improved energy efficiency and sparing use of natural resources will lead to a fall in greenhouse gas emissions in the region and improved competitiveness.

Proposition

The Helsinki Metropolitan Area climate strategy seeks to reduce the per capita carbon dioxide emissions of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area to 39 per cent of the 1990 levels by the year 2030. This will mean reducing per capita emissions by about one third of the 2004 levels by the year 2030.

Description

The goal of the climate strategy is a common vision and appreciation of operating policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The aim is to ensure that greenhouse gas emission cuts become a consistent element in the objectives imposed by various city agencies for their own operations. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area climate strategy mainly focuses on instruments that fall within the purview of city authorities and can be realised through operations and guidance measures. In addition to work by city authorities, the actions of residents and businesses will have a major impact on emission reductions. The emission reduction effort is a demanding goal that will require broad common resolve.

According to the climate strategy vision, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area cities must provide their residents with good living conditions in a manner ensuring that use of natural resources is sustainable and climate change can be effectively mitigated. It is possible to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and the use of natural resources and energy without compromising wellbeing and competitiveness.

The aims and goals of the Climate Strategy are:

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than one third of current levels by the year 2030
to produce a joint view of the cities on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
to find practical ways to meet the reduction commitments
to prepare an agreement of the YTV cities and other parties on common ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The main vision for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030 is: "Improved energy efficiency and sparing use of natural resources leads to a fall in greenhouse gas emissions in the region and to improved competitiveness."
In addition to the main vision there are six sectoral visions:
Greenhouse gas emissions from transport have fallen by at least 20 per cent. Public transport, walking and cycling are the preferred forms of mobility.
Sustainable urban structure is based on supplementation and integration with support from rail transport.
Per capita electricity consumption has begun to fall
Building design, development and use are guided by whole life cycle costs, energy efficiency, versatility and degree of use. Buildings cause minimal emissions over their entire life cycle. The cities set an example.
The level of consumption is sustainable. The amount of waste created has fallen in relation to production and population.
Output of heating, electric power and cooling is competitive, with low specific emissions, and mainly combined generating capacity.

Contact info

The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV)
Helsinki
Finland
http://www.ytv.fi/eng

Publication date

Article info
Author: The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV)
Organisation: The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV)

Links

Climate Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area 2030

Project Report

Document type

policy

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Keywords

Environmental sustainability