Turku has now received recognition from the European Commission for the City’s pioneering role in the realisation of its Climate City Contract related to the mission.
The The European Union’s Mission of 100 Climate-neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 aims to support 100 European cities to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Turku was selected as one of the mission cities. Out of Finnish cities, Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Lahti and Lappeenranta were also selected. The cities selected for the mission pave the way to help all cities in Europe reach climate neutrality by 2050.
Cities chosen for the Mission must develop a Climate City Contract, evaluated and approved by the European Commission. The Commission approved the Turku Climate City Contract in March 2024. Turku Climate City Contract includes planned measures for reducing emissions, an investment plan for funding the measures and the City’s commitment to aim for carbon neutrality by 2029.
Turku has invited companies and other operators in the region to sign their own climate commitments as part of the Climate City Contract. By signing the commitment, Turku’s climate partners declare that they are committed not only to realising the Carbon-neutral Turku 2029 goal and reducing emissions, but also to communicating about climate actions in their organisation, setting an example for climate work and participating in the activities of the Turku Climate Team. Since the City of Turku can only reduce emissions by about 50% through its own actions, it is important to extensively involve other operators in the region in reducing emissions.
Twenty-two operators from the Turku region have already signed up. The implementing parties and signatories of the Turku Climate City Contract include local higher education institutions, local companies, such as Bayer Turku and Meyer Turku, and other partners, such as the Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland (Varha) and the Turku and Kaarina Parish Union. Our intention is to create more commitments in the coming years and to involve an increasing number of operators in building a carbon-neutral Turku.
