Municipal projects

The Municipal Climate Change Solutions Programme has funded 82 municipal climate projects (as of the end of 2022). The project themes are designed by the municipalities and regions themselves to meet their needs. The programme has also organised two calls for applications for grants for small-scale experiments. The first call focused on low-carbon consumption and the second on climate experiments in municipalities. A total of 24 small-scale experiments have been funded.

Municipal climate leadership refers to the organisation’s operating methods and tools for guiding the entire municipality’s measures that affect the climate. At the beginning of the programme, climate leadership focused on the development of strategy and monitoring tools and the implementation of measures. Later, economic leadership, including short-term operating economy and longer-term investments, was included in the call for applications for climate leadership funding.

Climate leadership projects have created, for example, climate watchdog tools to monitor and measure the progress and effectiveness of climate measures and climate budgets to link climate work more closely to economic monitoring.

National tools have also been developed to support climate leadership, and these have been used locally and regionally.

Examples:

The climate watchdog project of Häme University of Applied Sciences built a regional climate leadership monitoring system.

Häme climate watchdog of Häme University of Applied Sciences (Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulun Hämeen ilmastovahti) (pptx)

The City of Joensuu’s HIKKA project develops sustainable operating models to consider circular economy and carbon neutrality better in the operations of the city’s Urban Environment Division.

Joensuu: Carbon neutral circular economy city – designing and building (HIKKA) (Hiilineutraali kiertotalouskaupunki – suunnitellen ja rakentaen (HIKKA)) (pptx)

The City of Turku’s VÄKI project develops climate budgeting as a tool for preparing, directing and monitoring the Turku Group’s extensive investment programme, combining the implementation of climate objectives and the circular economy.

Turku: Low-carbon circular economy city – investment steering and climate budgeting (VÄKI) (Vähähiilinen kiertotalouskaupunki − investointien ohjaus ja ilmastobudjetointi (VÄKI)) (pptx)

List of all projects in Finnish

Climate cooperation between local governments and companies aims to engage local companies in climate work and to increase companies’ climate expertise. The projects have promoted dialogue and information sharing between local governments and companies in connection with companies’ emission reduction measures and sustainable business activities as well as encouraged joint climate action.

Examples:

A cooperation project between Vantaa, Kerava and Järvenpää aims to produce a local model that will continue to promote climate issues for companies operating in the municipality in particular, without separate project funding in future.

Vantaa, Kerava and Järvenpää: Climate cooperation between industry and local government (climate partnership) (Elinkeinoelämän ja kunnan välinen ilmastoyhteistyö (Ilmastokumppanuus)) (pptx)

The City of Kaarina’s project develops the climate work of companies operating in the region and makes the climate actions already implemented by companies more visible and measurable through an operating model.

Kaarina: Increasing and highlighting companies’ climate actions (Yritysten ilmastoteot kasvuun ja näkyviin) (pptx)

The project, led by Valonia, develops the climate expertise of business counselling in six municipalities in Southwest Finland – Naantali, Raisio, Masku, Lieto, Loimaa and Somero – and encourages the companies in the municipalities to low carbon.

Valonia: Development of business counselling in the municipalities of Southwest Finland – Naantali, Raisio, Masku, Lieto, Loimaa and Somero – in support of climate action (Varsinais-Suomen kuntien – Naantalin, Raision, Maskun, Liedon, Loimaan ja Someron – yritysneuvonnan kehittäminen ilmastotoimien tukena) (pptx)

List of all projects in Finnish

Sustainable lifestyles and participation improve municipal residents’ opportunities to operate more sustainably. Municipal residents are encouraged to climate-friendly action and are engaged in climate work, for example, through various campaigns and changes in operating methods.

Examples:

The City of Kuopio promotes sustainable food culture and reduces the climate impact of food services in early childhood education and schools.

EcoFellows Ltd developed an Eco-hero Junior (Taloussankari Junior) game, which teaches futures skills and illustrates themes related to climate, economics and wellbeing by means of gamification. The target group for the game is the 4th and 5th-graders.

EcoFellows Ltd and Tampere: Economy and climate game for young people (Talous- ja ilmastopeli nuorille) (pptx)

The Regional Council of Päijät-Häme, Hartola, Hollola, Heinola, Lahti, Orimattila and Padasjoki jointly implemented the project 1.5-degree Municipality (1,5 asteen kunta). The project carried out an experiment with a sustainable lifestyle in families and challenged municipal councils to a lifestyle experiment.

The Regional Council of Päijät-Häme, Hartola, Hollola, Heinola, Lahti, Orimattila and Padasjoki: Lifestyle experiment (Elämäntapakokeilu) (pptx)

List of all projects in Finnish

Projects aimed at reducing emissions from transport promote, for example, park-and-ride facilities, the use of public transport, teleworking and sustainable school transport and draw up recommendations for action by municipalities on sustainable mobility.

Examples:

A project by the City of Joensuu tested teleworking methods across municipal borders. The experiments facilitated working remotely on the premises of one’s own municipality, such as libraries and empty office premises.

Joensuu: Promotion of teleworking (Etätyön edistäminen) (pptx)

The City of Porvoo’s project on sustainable commutes creates wellbeing-promoting mobility practices for workplaces in Porvoo and reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by commuting and business travel.

Porvoo: Sustainable work commutes (Kestävästi töihin) (pptx)

The aim of the joint project between Kotka, Hamina and Pyhtää is to reduce regional transport emissions through public transport.

Kotka, Hamina and Pyhtää: Promotion of public transport (Joukkoliikenteen edistäminen) (pptx)

List of all projects in Finnish

Energy-efficient and resource-wise climate and circular economy activities promote the sustainable use of energy and materials. Projects have, for example, created and implemented operating models and tools to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings, the reuse of materials and the utilisation of side streams. Projects have been carried out in cooperation with housing companies, enterprises and other municipalities in the region.

Examples:

The projects of the Helsinki Region Environmental Services HSY created energy efficiency in housing companies through resident communications and developed a toolbox for property managers to improve the starting of energy renovations.

In Lohja, the implementation of energy-efficiency measures for facility services is enhanced by means of action plans. The aim of the project is to demonstrate that it makes economic sense for the city to implement energy-efficiency measures now and in the future.

Lohja: Energy know-how for the City of Lohja’s facility services (Energistä tietotaitoa Lohjan kaupungin tilapalveluihin) (pptx)

Utajärvi has produced a handbook that describes extensively the challenges and opportunities of using recycled materials. In addition to the handbook, an emission and cost calculation tool was built that can be used to examine, for example, the emissions and costs of infrastructure construction in different scenarios.

Utajärvi: Circular economy handbook for the Mustikkakangas industrial area (Mustikkakankaan teollisuusalueen kiertotalouden käsikirja) (pptx)

Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa have cooperated regionally to improve the energy efficiency of housing companies through the Housing Company Club (Taloyhtiöklubi) project.

• Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa: Energy-efficient housing companies through regional cooperation (Taloyhtiöt energiatehokkaiksi alueellisella yhteistyöllä) (pptx)

List of all projects in Finnish

More information

Olli-Pekka Pietiläinen, Project Manager
Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Environmental Protection Department, Climate Telephone:0295250316 [email protected]

Veera Visuri, Senior Specialist
Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Environmental Protection Department, Climate Telephone:0295250325 [email protected]

Municipal projects

Climate and economic leadership in municipalities

Climate cooperation between local governments and companies

Sustainable lifestyles and the participation of municipal residents

Low-carbon transport

Energy-efficiency and resource wisdom

Municipal climate experiments

More information