Sustainable life in a diverse environment
One of the goals of the Viksu Kuopio program is that a sustainable lifestyle and smart choices are easy to make in the near future. The city wants to act as an example and offer information and sustainable alternatives, so that it is easy for residents and businesses in the area to act within the limits of nature’s carrying capacity. Kuopio must take better care of the biodiversity in the forests and urban environment. Rich local nature and a healthy environment are also a precondition for people’s well-being.
“By taking care of the well-being of the environment we also take care of the well-being of people.”
Viksu Kuopio programThe well-being of the environment is part of the residents’ overall health
A sustainable life in a green, diverse environment improves the overall well-being of city dwellers. In the densifying urban structure and changing climate, we must ensure that urban nature and forests are here to support our health in the future as well.
With urban planning and construction solutions, we influence the preservation of green areas and valuable natural sites in residential environments. In accordance with Viksu Kuopio, we are preparing a blue-green network plan for key urban areas, which will help secure the blue-green connections that are important for biodiversity. In Kuopio, we also take care of the ecological condition and biodiversity of lakes and rivers.
We strengthen the carbon sinks of urban green by preserving existing trees in construction areas and increasing canopy cover. As the climate warms, the recreational value of shady areas increases. Areas with trees increase the comfort of an urban area, and green areas help, for example, in rainwater management.
Biodiversity is impoverishing globally at an alarming rate, and according to the Finnish Environment Institute, one in nine of our country’s known species is endangered. The goal of the EU’s biodiversity strategy is to stop the loss of nature by 2030, which is also what Kuopio’s biodiversity program aims for.
It is easy to live a sustainable life
Viksu Kuopio’s goal is that climate-friendly living is possible both in the city and in a more rural environment. The aim is to direct consumption towards experiences and services, and in the future we want to increase shared use of means. The city supports sustainable development, for example, by participating in the innovation development of the circular economy and the sharing economy. The promotion of a communal and sharing-based culture is made visible through events, cooperation, communication and educational work.
We want that in 2035 the people of Kuopio will be more and more aware of their own energy and water consumption and the amount of waste they produce and will act climate-wise. Sustainable development and climate education will become a part of early childhood education.
The city’s forests bind carbon and biodiversity is taken care of
Recreational use of forests, biodiversity and taking care of carbon sinks are emphasized in the management and use of forests. Our goal is to protect at least 10% of the city’s forests and swamps by 2035. In the future, the forests owned by the city will be multi-purpose, diverse, and their care and use will be climate-wise. We want to keep the cutting down of the forests owned by the city of Kuopio at a sustainable level, and increase the carbon sink of the city’s forests systematically with forest management measures.
The biodiversity of forests is improved by increasing the amount of decaying wood and the proportion of deciduous trees in coniferous forests. The forest monitoring system introduced in spring 2024 will monitor the development of forest carbon sequestration and biodiversity in forests owned by the city. In suitable sites, carbon sequestration can be influenced by increasing continuous cultivation.
Goals 2035
The goals of the Sustainable life in a diverse environment -theme are to be achieved by 2035. You can find the planned actions for the years 2024–2035 in the Viksu Kuopio program (in Finnish).
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3.1 Socially and ecologically sustainable housing solutions have increased and the carbon footprint of housing has decreased.
3.2 The safety and smoothness of everyday life is promoted with a barrier-free environment, taking into account children, the elderly, people with mobility and functional disabilities.
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3.3 The biodiversity of urban nature and forests offer a comfortable and health-enhancing living environment.
3.4 The people of Kuopio have a strong relationship with nature, they understand the value of biodiversity and act responsibly for the benefit of their local nature.
3.5 The ecological status of the natural waters is at least good and the biodiversity of lakes and rivers is rich.
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3.6 The city’s forests are multi-purpose, diverse, and their management and use is climate-wise. Forests are managed in a way that suits their nature and purpose of use.
3.7 The cutting down of the forests owned by the city of Kuopio remains at a sustainable level, and the carbon sink of the city’s forests is systematically increased with forest management measures.
3.8 The amount of cutting down the forests is related to increasing the amount of nature conservation and improving the biodiversity of forests.
3.9 At least 10% of the city’s forests and swamps will be protected by 2035.
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3.10 Climate-friendly living is possible both in the city and in a rural environment.
3.11 Consumption is focused on experiences and services, and shared use of means has increased. Repair services are used.
3.12 The people of Kuopio are increasingly aware of their own energy and water consumption and the amount of waste they produce, and act climate-wise.
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3.13 Kuopio residents, companies and operators know the Viksu Kuopio brand and tell to others about their own sustainable Viksu actions.
3.14 The City’s staff know the Viksu Kuopio brand and take it as their own.
3.15 Climate and resource-wise communication will be developed into a more versatile and multi-channel direction.
3.16 The awarding of the Viksu Kuopio badge for activities that are resource-wise and meet the criteria of a circular economy, has become a well-known and desirable thing for the people of Kuopio.