COMET – Espoo Climate Community (2024 - 2026)
The Espoo Climate Community (COMET) project engaged the entire Espoo community in exploring ways to achieve climate neutrality. The measures focused on the three sectors that produce the most greenhouse gas emissions: energy, transport and construction. The project aimed to strengthen partnerships and explore new ways to achieve the shared climate goal through means such as promoting climate-resilient investments, fostering cross-sector collaboration and increasing opportunities for residents to participate in climate efforts. The project was funded by the EU’s Pilot Cities Programme, which is part of the EU’s climate mission.
In spring 2024, the European Commission awarded Espoo’s Climate City Contract the EU Mission Label. It is a recognition of the community’s broad commitment to climate work and strengthens Espoo’s position as a pioneer of the green transition among European cities. Pilot Cities is a learning and piloting programme targeted at cities selected for the EU’s climate mission, where cities and their partners seek systemic solutions to climate challenges.
To mitigate climate change and achieve Espoo’s climate neutrality goal by 2030, the entire society and urban community must be engaged. The Climate-neutral Espoo 2030 roadmap describes the cooperation and concrete measures carried out by the City of Espoo and its partners and residents to achieve the climate neutrality goal. Change requires bold and innovative measures, as well as a new mindset that emphasises collaboration and a fair transition. In Espoo, as in other cities, this work requires the participation of everyone – businesses, communities and residents alike – and the project supported this.
The project Espoo Climate Community (2024-2026) was carried out by the City of Espoo and the Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC).
Towards climate neutrality with climate partners
The project further developed Espoo’s climate partnership collaboration together with the city’s 25 climate partners. The cooperation model was open and iterative, and it was based on shared objectives to reduce the carbon footprint, increase the carbon handprint, and promote the climate heartprint as a means of driving change.
At a practical level, the development work included, among other things, cross-sectoral refinements to the Climate Neutral Espoo 2030 roadmap in the themes of energy, transport, and construction as part of the roadmap’s mid-term review process. The work also involved the development of operating practices, studies, and regular partner meetings. Communication activities were also enhanced by, for example, videos presenting the climate partnership activities.
Promoting climate investments in cities
Through the development of partner collaboration, the project also aimed to build a deeper understanding of the barriers and opportunities related to climate investments in cities. Identifying the city’s role as an enabler and catalyst for private-sector investments, as well as a market shaper through public procurement and investments, was a central element of this work.
Increasing resident participation