The City of Turku is committed to long-term climate work together with companies and communities in the region. The city's ambitious and systematic climate work has elevated Turku to the ranks of internationally recognized leading climate cities for the fourth time already. Mayor Minna Arve received the best climate cities award in Paris on 16 February 2023.

Turku's climate work

You can read more about the objectives and implementations of Turku's climate work on the Turku.fi/en/climate-website.

Also read Turku Climate Plan 2029

CDP Europe Awards 2023

Information and program of the award ceremony on the CDP.net website

List of the best climate actors scored by CDP (cdp.net)

Turku's position among the world's leading climate cities has been built through determined work for several years. In 2014, Turku was one of Finland's first cities to start reporting on their climate actions to CDP's global environmental information system. It is the most significant and extensive reporting tool for monitoring climate action in companies, financial institutions, cities and states.

The City of Turku hopes that several Finnish municipalities, companies and communities will join the international comparison of climate measures.

– Priority-oriented and ambitious climate work is a clear competitive advantage for the Turku region because sustainable and green solutions are solutions of the future in every industry. I am also very happy that our way of doing climate work in a systematic and network-like manner has once again received international recognition, says Mayor Minna Arve.

At the moment, more ambitious climate work is done at the urban level rather than nationally, on average. The role of companies as developers of innovations and solutions is also central. That would not be possible without supporting networks.

Information and support for climate work for companies in the Turku region are offered  via the Turku Climate Team and circular economy co-operation. The Climate Team already has 96 climate actions by local actors, which can be viewed on the City of Turku website. Circular economy creates prosperity and new jobs in the Turku region and strengthens the region's economy, respecting nature.

The City of Turku is also involved in the development of the Union of the Baltic Cities network for sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region. Through the global network of sustainable cities, ICLEI, Turku receives and offers peer support for setting and achieving more ambitious climate targets.

Participation in network activities and the monitoring of climate action have contributed to identifying development needs and finding ways to implement concrete measures in Turku's climate work. Climate measures have improved the everyday conditions of Turku residents and strengthened the pleasantness and attractiveness of the city, for example by means of sustainable mobility and community structure.

– The reporting provides us with valuable feedback and means to develop and implement more effective climate solutions. The largest emission reduction project towards a climate-positive area has already been implemented. We still need to be able to reduce emissions significantly and quickly, says Risto Veivo, Climate Director of the City of Turku.

Success as a climate city brings Turku international visibility

Turku's long-term climate work is also reflected in the fact that last autumn CDP scored Turku among the strongest climate cities for the fourth time. The assessment and the classification based on it are fair and consistent for all participants.

The best-ranked cities was awarded at the CDP Europe Awards 2023 on Thursday 16 February. It brings together political and business leaders, researchers and journalists to discuss sustainable development solutions. The theme of the event is to make the norm related to social and economic systems climate and nature positive.

Mayor Minna Arve and Climate Director Risto Veivo participated the event as representatives of the City of Turku. Mayor Arve received the award and was then be interviewed by Euronews TV on Turku's climate work. The interview will be broadcast on Euronews in March.

The aim of the City of Turku is to be carbon neutral by 2029, when the city will turn 800. Already, more than half of the greenhouse gas emissions in the Turku region have been cut from 1990 levels. At the same time, the region's economy has grown, and new low-carbon solutions and circular economy have produced new expertise, competitiveness and work.