The goal of carbon neutrality means decreasing the greenhouse gas emissions of the area by 80% from the 1990 level and locking up the rest in carbon sinks. Of all the major cities of Finland, this goal is the most ambitious and it achieves the objectives of Finland’s Government Programme ten years in advance and the EU objectives 25 years in advance. The concrete measures of the city organisation that have been implemented, most recently abandoning coal in April 2019, have decreased the greenhouse gas emissions of the area faster than anticipated. We have already cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from the 1990 level.
The Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) includes 97 measures for climate adaptation and mitigation. The most significant emission reduction potential is in energy efficiency measures, the production of local heat and electricity, and promoting electricity and biofuels in transportation. The goal has also been outlined in the Lahti City Strategy.
Lahti is a part of the pioneer municipalities’ FISU network (Finnish Sustainable Communities) that strives for carbon neutrality, absence of waste and globally sustainable consumption by 2050. In addition, Lahti is part of the Hinku network of carbon-neutral municipalities that brings together municipalities committed to ambitious emissions reductions, businesses offering climate-friendly products and services, and experts of energy and climate fields.