Climate and resource wise Kuopio 2035 – Viksu Kuopio -Programme
One of the main goals of Kuopio’s strategy is to be a climate- and resource-wise Kuopio. Diverse nature and a clean environment are Kuopio’s wealth. The burdens that growth brings to the environment are managed, and the climate and resource-wise goals are still considered ambitious. We want to be carbon neutral in 2030 and a pioneering city in the circular economy.
Climate and resource wise goals
The City of Kuopio aims for a zero-emission, zero-waste and sustainable consumption level by 2050. The following key objectives have been set to reach these goals:
- Kuopio will be carbon neutral by 2030 at the latest. Kuopio aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2030 compared to the level of 2007.
- The amount of household waste in the Kuopio region will decrease and the recycling rate will increase to 65% by 2030.
- Consumption-based carbon footprint halved by 2030 compared to the 2005 level.
Climate and resource wise Kuopio 2035 – Viksu Kuopio -Programme
The guidelines for the city group’s climate and resource-wise work are defined in the Climate- and resource-wise Kuopio 2035 (Viksu Kuopio) program approved in 2024, which implements the goals of Kuopio’s strategy for a climate- and resource-wise Kuopio.
The climate and resource wisdom program gathers together the city’s other programs that implement the main goals of climate and resource wisdom and thus functions as an umbrella for separate theme programs.
The goals and measures of the climate and resource wisdom program are divided into five different thematic entities, which are:
- A carbon-neutral, climate-safe city
- Uncomplicated, smart movement throughout Kuopio
- Smart life in a diverse environment
- Sustainable use of natural resources and vitality in circular economy
- Clean energy and smart solutions.
From the beginning of the preparation of the program, it has been important to make the program interactive. In the preparation, service design processes have been utilized and the content of the program has been examined from the perspective of different target groups. Residents, stakeholders and representatives of institutions have been widely involved in the preparation of the program’s goals and measures. Two future workshops were organized in the fall of 2022, one for representatives of institutions and the other for stakeholders, which also included city personnel. The content of the program has been worked on in more than 40 stakeholder meetings, and about 1,000 residents responded to the resident survey.
The program binds the city group’s service areas and the city group’s companies. In addition, the program has cooperation entities and partners as Responsible Parties, who for their part participate in the promotion of climate and resource-wise goals. Through participation and cooperation, a common will and commitment to common goals has been strengthened.
The realization of the goals of Kuopio’s climate and resource wisdom program is monitored annually. The implementation of the measures and the good practices that have been started are reported to the steering group of the climate and resource wisdom program and the city government.
The climate and resource wisdom program can be found below. The program replaces the separate resource-wise and climate policy programs. However, the climate change adaptation and preparedness plan that was part of the climate policy program (2020-2023) is still considered a separate tool, it can be found below.
The old Resource Wisdom Programme (2017-2023) and its monitoring reports can be found below. The program was replaced by the current climate and resource wisdom program in 2024.
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Resource Wisdom Programme 2017-2023 (pdf, in Finnish) Final report of the Resource Wisdom Programme 2028-2023 (pdf, in Finnish) Annual report of the Resource Wisdom Programme, 2022 (pdf, in Finnish) Summary of the monitoring report 2021 (pdf, in Finnish) Annual report of the Resource Wisdom Programme, 2021 (pdf, in Finnish) Summary of the monitoring report 2020 (pdf, in Finnish) Annual report of the Resource Wisdom Programme, 2020 (pdf, in Finnish) Summary of the monitoring report 2019 (pdf, in Finnish) Annual report of the Resource Wisdom Programme, 2019 (pdf, in Finnish) Summary of the monitoring report 2018 (pdf, in Finnish) Annual report of the Resource Wisdom Programme, 2018 (pdf, in Finnish)
Other programmes promoting climate and resource wisdom
Climate and resource-wise goals are also promoted in Kuopio with several other city programs:
- Kuopio city region public transport programme 2030 (pdf, in Finnish)
- Programme for promoting cycling (pdf, in Finnish)
- Biodiversity programme
- Energy efficiency action plan (pdf, in Finnish)
- Waste policy programme
Local and national collaboration to promote climate and resource wisdom
The city encourages all societies and companies in Kuopio to participate in the resource wisdom efforts. Societies and companies can apply for a Viksu Kuopio label and use it to communicate about their environmental efforts.
The city participates in the national network of resource-wise pioneering municipalities, Finnish Sustainable Communities (FISU), where municipalities collaborate in resource wisdom work. Kuopio also participates in the regional climate efforts of North Savo.
In addition, the city participates in the Association of Finnish Municipalities’ climate work, Eco-support activities and the international ICLEI network.
Kuopio was also part of the Circwaste – Finland towards circular economy network (2016-2023), in which ten cities were committed to implement the objectives of the national waste plan. The aim was to recycle at least 55% of municipal waste and 70% of construction and demolition waste as well as to reduce the amount of waste to a level corresponding to that of 2000 by 2020. According to the preliminary study, in 2018, the recycling rates in Kuopio were 56% for municipal waste and 81% for construction and demolition waste.
Energy efficiency
The City of Kuopio has joined the municipal energy efficiency agreement for 2017–2025. The aim of the agreement is to improve the efficiency of the city’s energy use by 7.5% (approximately 10,600 MWh) by 2025. By the end of 2021, Kuopio had reached 81% of the goal (savings 8545 MWh/year).
Read more about energy efficiency agreements.
Energy efficiency refers to the implementation of energy-consuming activities with minimal energy consumption. The European Union and the state set energy efficiency targets and obligations for municipalities as part of their activities.
Energy efficiency has been promoted in Kuopio, for example, by means of advanced monitoring of energy consumption in different premises, by conducting energy audits in properties, by switching to renewable energy use, and by switching to LED lighting indoors and outdoors.
To improve its energy efficiency, the City of Kuopio has prepared an energy efficiency action plan for 2017–2025 (pdf, in Finnish).
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