Urban climate policy and the Nordic potential for carbon neutrality – the case study of city of Helsinki

Miejska polityka klimatyczna i potencjał państw nordyckich w obszarze neutralności klimatycznej. Helsinki – studium przypadku

Abstrakt: The aim of this article is to discuss urban climate policies, with a special focus on Helsinki, the fast growing capital of Finland. The preconditionfor the study is that metropolitan areas in Finland hold a central place fornational climate policies due to their population and economic impact. Thecase study proves that the city, which had disadvantageous conditions for climatesolutions in the early 90’s, has successfully remodelled its approach andpresently joins the group of world cities declaring carbon neutrality in comingyears. The change was possible due to a favourable political climate, a multistakeholderand inclusive approach, public involvement, and the correlationbetween public and private initiatives. The study is based on statistical data,institutional analysis, and a comparison of the strategic documents of the cityof Helsinki in the area of climate planning.

Bibliografia:

Barber B., How to fix climate change: Put cities, not countries, in charge, The UK Guardian, 7 May 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/07/fix-climate-change-put-cities-not-countries-in-chargeoslo-seoul.

Berglund E., Julier G., Growth in WEIRD Helsinki: Countering Dominant Urban politics and its “Green” Pretentions, “Sociálni studia” 2020, no. 1.

Bulkeley H., Climate changed urban futures: environmental politics in the Anthropocene city, “Environmental Politics” 2021, vol. 30, no. 1-2.

C40 Cities, Defining Carbon Neutrality for Cities & Managing Residual Emissions – Cities’ Perspective & Guidance, https://c40-production-images.s3.amazonaws.com/researches/images/76_ Carbon_neutrality_guidance_for_cities_20190422.original.pdf?1555946416.

C40 Cities, https://www.c40.org.

Carbon Neutral Cities, Helsinki, https://carbonneutralcities.org/cities/helsinki/.

Chan S. et.al., Reinvigorating international climate policy: A comprehensive framework for effective nonstate action, “Global Policy” 2015, vol. 6, no. 4.

City of Helsinki, Helsinki city plan: vision 2050, “Reports by the Helsinki City Planning Department general planning unit” 2013, no. 23, https://www.hel.fi/hel2/ksv/julkaisut/yos_2013-23_en.pdf.

City of Helsinki, The Carbon-neutral Helsinki 2035 Action Plan, Publications of the Central Administration of the City of Helsinki 2018, no. 4, https://www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kaupunkiymparisto/julkaisut/julkaisut/HNH-2035/Carbon_neutral_Helsinki_Action_Plan_1503019_EN.pdf.

City of Helsinki, The Most Functional City in the World: Helsinki City Strategy 2017-2021, https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/en/administration/strategy/strategy/city-strategy/.

Climate Watch Website, https://ilmastovahti.hel.fi/.

Cole D., Advantages of a Polycentric Approach to Climate Change Policy, “Nature Climate Change” 2015, vol. 5.

Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/who-we-are/.

Gupta J., Lasage R., Stam T., National efforts to enhance local climate policy in the Netherlands, “Environmental Sciences” 2007, vol. 4, no. 3.

Hale T., “All hands on deck”: The Paris agreement and nonstate climate action, “Global Environmental Politics” 2016, vol. 16, no. 3.

Hannikainen M., Planning a Green City: The Case of Helsinki, 2002-2018 [in:] Planning Cities with Nature Theories, Strategies and Methods, F. de Oliveira, I. Mell (eds.), Springler 2019.

Helsingin ilmastoteot, https://helsinginilmastoteot.fi.

Helsinki Energy Challenge, https://energychallenge.hel.fi/.

Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, Climate Change in Focus in Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Strategy 2030, Helsinki 2007.

Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority, Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, Helsinki 2012, https://ilmastotyokalut.fi/files/2014/10/11_2012_Helsinki_Metropolitan_Area_Climate_Change_Adaptation_Strategy.pdf.

ICLEI – Local governments for sustainability, https://iclei.org/en/what_we_do.html.

International Energy Agency, Cities are at the frontline of the energy transition, 7 September 2016, https://www.iea.org/news/cities-are-at-the-frontline-of-the-energy-transition.

International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Finland 2018 Review, https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-policies-of-iea-countries-finland-2018-review.

Johnson C., Cities and the Global Politics of the Environment, Saviours, Supplicants or Agents of Change?, Palgrave 2018.

Kousky C., Schneider S., Global climate policy: will the cities lead the way?, “Climate Policy” 2003, vol. 3.

Laine J., Heinonen J., Junnila S., Pathways to Carbon-Neutral Cities Prior to a National Policy, “Sustainability” 2020, vol. 12, no. 6.

Michaelowa A., Castro P., Bagchi Ch., Report on Stakeholder Mapping: Multi-level Interaction of Climate Policy Stakeholders in the Run-up to the 2015 Agreement, Zurich Open Repository and Archive, Zurich 2013.

Monni S., Raes F., Multilevel climate policy: the case of the European Union, Finland, and Helsinki, “Environmental Science & Policy” 2008, vol. 11.

OECD, On-line database, https://data.oecd.org/air/air-and-ghg-emissions.htm.

OECD, Towards Green Growth, Paris 2011.

Ostrom E., A Multi-Scale Approach to Coping with Climate Change and Other Collective Action Problems, “Solutions” 2010, vol. 1, no. 2.

Ostrom E., Polycentric Systems for Coping with Collective Action and Global Environmental Change, “Global Environmental Change” 2010, vol. 20.

Sperling K., Hvelplund F., Mathiesen B., Centralisation, and decentralisation in strategic municipal energy planning in Denmark, “Energy Policy” 2011, vol. 39.

United Nations, Finland will achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, The Partnerships platform for SDGs, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/?p=33186.

PDF: Pobierz