“We need to reach the finish line together” – the mayor of Espoo invites to join the climate cooperation

“We need to reach the finish line together” – the mayor of Espoo invites to join the climate cooperation

Climate Leadership Coalition’s CEO Tuuli Kaskinen speaking at the event in Espoo
Changed

The City of Espoo is inviting its partners to join the climate covenant and the cooperation to reach carbon neutrality.

Espoo has the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. For a growing city, this requires new solutions for energy production and consumption, traffic, circular economy, land use and construction. Building a carbon-neutral society requires bold new thinking and new perspectives. The necessary expertise can often be found nearby: local research, companies and innovation collaboration. Cooperation to reduce the Espoo community’s carbon footprint and increase its carbon handprint, i.e. the export of clean solutions, was bolstered at the Mayor’s invitational event in Otaniemi. 

A European development environment 

Espoo’s position as a development environment for smart and sustainable urban solutions of the future is strengthened by the inclusion in the European Union’s mission to achieve 100 climate neutral and smart cities. The mission is one of the spearhead projects of the European Union’s research and innovations programme.  

“In the Espoo story, we have set the goals of reducing the carbon footprint and increasing the handprint. The EU is also interested in new innovative solutions and ways of driving systemic change through open cooperation. Sustainable development and climate action are an essential part of Espoo’s award-winning innovation story,” says Deputy Director of Strategy Pasi Laitala.

The cities selected for the mission are working together with local interest groups to prepare a climate city covenant to expedite the green and digital transition as well as rapid emission reductions to reach the carbon neutrality goal.

Image
speakers presenting at the event

In the picture from the left: CEO of VTT Antti Vasara, Aalto University’s Vice President for Innovation Janne Laine and City of Espoo’s Development Manager Elina Wanne, who hosted the event.

The invitation to partners is open  

The climate city covenant will be prepared over the course of 2023 as part of the Sustainable Espoo programme. Partners are invited to join the shared commitment and cooperation with the City. 

“The commitment consists of a text to be signed by the City and its partners, as well as partner-specific appendices. During the process, we will determine the partners’ wishes for the cooperation with the City and create a model for the local implementation of the EU mission in Espoo. The invitation to partners is now open,” says Manager for Sustainable Development Helena Kyrki

Include your organisation in the Espoo community’s shared journey towards carbon neutrality.

Further information 

Manager for Sustainable Development Helena Kyrki, helena.kyrki@espoo.fi