SISUKAS project – Strengthening systematic climate work and adaptation in municipalities (2026–2028)

The SISUKAS project deepens municipalities’ climate change mitigation and adaptation and makes municipalities’ climate work more systematic. The aim is to promote the achievement of municipalities’ emission reduction targets, develop climate-smart procurement and carbon sink monitoring, and provide concrete tools to integrate climate action into economic planning and everyday activities. In addition, climate management is supported, the participation of children and young people in climate work is strengthened through adaptation experiments, business cooperation is developed, and climate communication and strategic commitment to climate goals are strengthened.

Key objectives and actions

The practical tools, networks and increased municipal cooperation created together will accelerate the achievement of climate goals and strengthen the possibilities of municipalities to prepare proactively and better for climate risks. The participation of residents and businesses in climate work will increase and awareness of preparing for climate risks will increase. In addition, the vitality of the province and municipalities will increase through climate change adaptation measures. Adaptation to climate change, such as preparedness measures for extreme weather events, will strengthen the resilience and security of supply of the municipality.

Below you will find information on the project’s key objectives and activities, organized by work packages.

Work package 1 – Development of carbon sinks and compensation
- The most effective means and solutions for increasing carbon sinks and storages and compensating emissions will be mapped out, either as own work or as a purchased service.
- The development of municipal carbon sinks and storages will be monitored and targets and measures for strengthening carbon sinks and compensating emissions will be determined.
- The costs of municipalities’ unreduced carbon emissions will be calculated.
Work package 2 – Climate change adaptation and implementation of climate management
- Promote adaptation measures in sectors, update the Kuopio adaptation plan, obtain cost-benefit analyses of measures, prepare checklists for use in KT planning and building construction.
- Develop climate work monitoring and measurement, as well as climate budgeting.
- Incorporate planetary health perspectives into the Siilinjärvi well-being plan.
Work Package 3 – Climate-Smart Procurement and Business Cooperation
- Promote consideration of climate change mitigation and adaptation in procurement. Focus in particular on the most impactful procurements, such as food service and food procurements and construction-related procurements.
- Develop food service and food procurement practices, such as criteria and contract practices, to take into account and promote the climate work done by food and food producers in cooperation with producers, rural services, municipal food services and procurement organizations.
- Promote business cooperation, e.g. by developing a climate partnership model and establishing a business climate working group in Siilinjärvi.
Work package 4 – Involvement of children and young people in climate work and climate communication
- Involve children and young people in climate work, e.g. by implementing participation experiments related to climate change adaptation.
- Ensure the visibility and effectiveness of municipalities in climate communication.
- Cooperate with stakeholders and explore joining international networks.
  Promote climate awareness and sustainability thinking by organizing webinars and events for municipal organizations.

Climate cooperation in the Kuopio region and Upper Savo

The SISUKAS project implements climate work in cooperation with the Kuopio region, i.e. Kuopio and Siilinjärvi, and three municipalities in Upper Savo, i.e. Iisalmi, Kiuruvesi and Sonkajärvi. The municipalities serve as examples for other municipalities and together they build a more climate-resilient, more vibrant and safer future for municipalities, residents and businesses. The climate coordinators of the regions work closely together, coordinate the implementation of climate work and are responsible for monitoring and reporting climate data in the municipalities. The SISUKAS project is funded by the Northern Savo Region from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the participating municipalities.