Resource Wisdom Programme

One of the main objectives of the City of Kuopio strategy is to make Kuopio a climate and resource wise city. Diverse nature and a clean environment are what make Kuopio a great place to live. We must manage the strain that urban growth places on the environment and commit to ambitious climate and resource wisdom objectives. We want to be carbon neutral in 2030 and become a pioneer in circular economy.

Climate and resource wisdom objectives

The City of Kuopio aims for a zero-emission, zero-waste and sustainable consumption level by 2050. The following key objectives have been set to reach these goals:

Kuopio aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2030 compared to the level of 2007.
Kuopio will be carbon neutral by 2030 at the latest.
The amount of household waste in the Kuopio region will decrease and the recycling rate will increase to 65% by 2030.
Consumption-based carbon footprint halved by 2030 compared to the 2005 level.

The City of Kuopio’s guidelines for resource wisdom work have been defined in the Kuopio Resource Wisdom Programme, which was approved in 2017. The programme includes promotion efforts for resource wisdom in six areas:

sustainable energy production and efficient use of energy
promoting low-emission mobility and creating a cohesive and pleasant urban structure
material flows, environmentally friendly procurement, and sensible consumption
climate and environmentally friendly local food and reducing food waste
rational water use and improving the state of natural waters
nurturing biodiversity and supporting the well-being of residents in local natural surroundings.

Resource Wisdom Programme and monitoring

Other programmes promoting resource wisdom

The City of Kuopio has worked actively to slow down climate change and curb greenhouse gas emissions. The first climate strategy for the City of Kuopio was prepared in 2003. The Kuopio City Council approved the current Climate Policy Programme for 2020–2030 in late 2020.

The City of Kuopio has joined the municipal energy efficiency agreement for 2017–2025.

The objectives will also be promoted through a number of other programmes:

Local and national collaboration to promote resource wisdom

Resource wisdom has been highlighted as one of the focus areas of the City of Kuopio’s strategy and integrated into the city’s management system and financial and operational monitoring. The municipal enterprise’s joint Resource Wisdom Programme defines the measures to achieve the objectives for sustainable use of resources. The achievement of the objectives of the Resource Wisdom Programme is monitored by a steering group consisting of representatives of the city’s service areas, the municipal enterprise’s service companies, balance sheet units, and subsidiaries. The progress of the Resource Wisdom Programme is reported annually to the above-mentioned steering group and the City Board.

The city encourages all societies and companies in Kuopio to participate in the resource wisdom efforts. Societies and companies can apply for a Viksu Kuopio label and use it to communicate about their environmental efforts.

The city participates in the national network of resource-wise pioneering municipalities, Finnish Sustainable Communities (FISU), where municipalities collaborate in resource wisdom work. Kuopio also participates in the regional climate efforts of North Savo.

Kuopio is also part of the Circwaste – Finland towards circular economy network, in which ten cities are committed to implementing the objectives of the national waste plan. The aim is to recycle at least 55% of municipal waste and 70% of construction and demolition waste as well as to reduce the amount of waste to a level corresponding to that of 2000 by 2020. According to the preliminary study, in 2018, the recycling rates in Kuopio were 56% for municipal waste and 81% for construction and demolition waste.

In addition, the city participates in the Association of Finnish Municipalities’ climate work, Eco-support activities and the international ICLEI network.

Energy efficiency

The City of Kuopio has joined the municipal energy efficiency agreement for 2017–2025. The aim of the agreement is to improve the efficiency of the city’s energy use by 7.5% (approximately 10,600 MWh) by 2025.

Read more about energy efficiency agreements.

Energy efficiency refers to the implementation of energy-consuming activities with minimal energy consumption. The European Union and the state set energy efficiency targets and obligations for municipalities as part of their activities.

Energy efficiency has been promoted in Kuopio, for example, by means of advanced monitoring of energy consumption in different premises, by conducting energy audits in properties, by switching to renewable energy use, and by switching to LED lighting indoors and outdoors.

To improve its energy efficiency, the City of Kuopio has prepared an energy efficiency action plan for 2017–2025 (pdf, in Finnish).