Turku Climate Forum brings together leading climate actors from Finland and Europe
Finnish cities participating in the European Union's Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission are also gathering in Turku.
Turku, August 27.- The Turku Climate Forum, held today for the eighth time, brings together leading climate experts from the EU, national government, cities, research institutions and businesses to discuss the next steps in climate action and the crucial role of cities in building a sustainable, secure and competitive future.
Finnish cities participating in the European Union’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission are also gathering in Turku. Alongside Turku, Espoo, Helsinki, Lahti, Lappeenranta and Tampere have been at the forefront of urban climate action, developing solutions to climate challenges and achieving significant emissions reductions. The actions taken by these cities contribute to the implementation of the EU’s ambitious climate policy.
Solutions are created in cities
The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly visible in people’s everyday lives. The exceptionally severe heatwaves, floods and wildfires that have affected Europe in recent years have demonstrated that the climate crisis is not a future threat, but a present-day reality. At the same time, societies are seeking solutions to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change and transform their economies in ways that strengthen both well-being and competitiveness.
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Many of these solutions are being developed in cities. Cities are responsible for a significant share of emissions reductions, implementing the energy transition, promoting sustainable mobility and adapting to climate change. Success, however, requires close cooperation between cities, regions, national governments, other stakeholders and the European Union.
EU climate policy is ambitious on a global scale
The European Union aims to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. At the same time, nearly one hundred European cities are seeking to achieve climate neutrality as early as 2030 as part of the EU Cities Mission.
Achieving these targets will require major changes in energy production, transport, construction and consumption. The experiences and practical solutions developed by cities are therefore playing an increasingly important role in implementing European climate policy.
Marjo Nummelin, Finland’s Chief Climate Negotiator at the Ministry of the Environment, emphasises the importance of cities:
"Climate change impacts are becoming increasingly severe around the world, and this summer they have been particularly evident in Europe. Efforts to mitigate climate change are more important than ever, in Finland, across the EU and internationally. Finland is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. Cities and municipalities have a key role in reaching the national carbon neutrality target, and many of them have set even more ambitious goals. At the same time, climate action can strengthen the vitality and well-being of municipalities and accelerate investments in the green transition."
Carbon neutrality frontrunners are leading the way
In cities, efforts towards carbon neutrality have expanded beyond reducing local emissions to include consumption-based emissions, strengthening biodiversity and promoting the circular economy.
In recent years, Finnish Mission Cities have undergone a significant energy transition by phasing out coal-fired power plants and increasing low-emission energy production. At the same time, cities have sought new solutions to reduce transport emissions and strengthened cooperation with the business sector.
Adaptation and preparedness for the impacts of climate change have also become increasingly prominent on cities’ agendas, as a large share of the necessary measures are implemented at the local level. As with climate change mitigation, partnerships and networks are also extremely important for adaptation.
Cities turn climate targets into practical everyday solutions
In Turku, the updated Climate Plan approved by the City Council in June 2026 sets targets for reducing consumption-based emissions for the first time, monitors the affordability of energy and mobility, and integrates economic vitality and green finance more strongly into the city’s climate work. Turku also achieved its target of reducing emissions by 75% on schedule, despite the city’s growth.
New initiatives are also being prepared to reduce transport emissions. This autumn, Espoo and Helsinki will put forward proposals for zero-emission zones for trucks and vans. If implemented, these zones would significantly accelerate reductions in urban transport emissions. The measure offers a clear and realistic way to reduce both emissions and traffic noise.
Lahti has also prepared targets and measures to reduce freight transport emissions and promote the electrification of heavy-duty transport. In addition, Lahti’s recently updated climate programme includes, as a new element, a set of prioritised measures identified as the most impactful and urgent for achieving the city’s carbon neutrality target.
In Tampere, the use of public transport is growing rapidly, largely due to the popularity of the tram system. The number of tram journeys increased by as much as 78% between 2022 and 2025. Public transport is also being electrified at a rapid pace. The electric PlusBus routes, scheduled to enter service in 2028, will bring tram-like efficiency and convenience to the busiest bus routes while reducing transport emissions.
Lappeenranta has focused particularly on reducing emissions associated with heating. Emissions from district heating are already at a low level, and the transition towards climate-neutral electricity and waste heat is progressing. Testing new technologies is also part of the city’s energy strategy: its high-efficiency thermal energy storage system uses AI-controlled algorithms to optimise electricity storage.
Turku Climate Forum builds a shared vision for the future
The Turku Climate Forum provides a unique meeting place for European and Finnish decision-makers, experts, businesses and cities at a time when the direction of climate action will also shape future competitiveness, security and well-being.
The central message of this year’s Climate Forum is that ambitious climate policy is about much more than reducing emissions. It is also connected to the affordability of energy and housing, economic transformation, safeguarding biodiversity, and protecting people’s everyday safety and health in a changing climate.
"The next few years will be crucial for climate action. The role of cities is becoming increasingly important because it is in cities that decisions are made about energy, transport, construction and the living environment — in other words, about the conditions that make a good everyday life possible. The Turku Climate Forum brings together the actors who are developing practical solutions and demonstrating that ambitious goals can be achieved," says Risto Veivo, Climate Director of the City of Turku.
The Turku Climate Forum is being held in Turku on 26 August 2026 as part of the Europe Forum programme. The Climate Forum brings together leading experts from the EU, national government, cities, research institutions and businesses to discuss the future of climate action in Finland and Europe. A recording of the Climate Forum will be available afterwards on the Europe Forum’s YouTube channel.