Cities contribute up to 70 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Energy renovations, urban mobility and ICT solutions are linked together in smart city developments to provide better living environments and reduce emissions. City of Helsinki takes major steps together with the residents and local business towards the target to be carbon neutral.

Smart City Lighthouse project mySMARTLife is part of the EU Horizon 2020 program, which tests new solutions to mitigate climate change in cities. Project experiments achieve energy savings of 10 to 20 percent and accelerate access to the best solutions. Solutions tested in Helsinki can be utilized in other cities in Finland and around the world.

An autonomous bus in action (Photo: Jussi Salonen / Metropolia)

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Cooperation between the City of Helsinki and businesses

The Climate Partners network fosters cooperation to reduce emissions that affect the climate as well as to make companies more competitive.The companies that join Climate Partners sign the Climate Commitment together with the Mayor of Helsinki. Each company specifies its own environmental goals.

The objective of Climate Partners is to:

1. Create new operating methods and new business opportunities
2. Increase new and innovative ways of cooperation to reduce emissions in the city area
3. Operate visibly and to actively provide information about the results
4. Share knowledge on best possible practices

What does the Climate Commitment mean?

Climate Partners’ members themselves define their organization’s goals in relation to controlling climate change in the near future. The goals should be aimed at improving the current situation and should outweigh the current legislation. The company can focus on any topic it wants to – e.g. energy savings, energy efficiency, increasing the efficiency of logistics, environmentally friendly procurements, waste treatment or enhancing the commitment of personnel.

What are the benefits of Climate Partners network?

The pioneering companies are introduced in the website and communication. The network creates new operating methods which enable a more responsible approach to entrepreneurship and cooperation with other operators. At the annual seminar, the companies get a chance to introduce their own good practices to other members of the network. It is also possible to organize events associated with the network in the companies’ own premises.

How is the network operated? 

Mayor of Helsinki Jussi Pajunen signs the climate commitments on behalf of the City of Helsinki. Deputy Mayor Pekka Sauri serves as Chairperson of the network, and the network is coordinated by the City of Helsinki Environment Centre together with the City of Helsinki Economic Development. Every year, the City of Helsinki Environment Centre gathers information about the implementation of commitments from network members. It is also possible for institutions like universities, colleges and other organizations to participate in the operation of the network as ’supporting’ members. In addition to the annual seminar, the network organizes workshops on logistics and energy conservation, for example. Climate Partners can also contact the coordinator directly and offer suggestions on network operation.