From problem solving to prevention and Green Lahti

Environmental work is nowadays high on Lahti's agenda. The city's strategy vision sees Lahti as an attractive, vibrant environmental city. Lahti also seeks the role of a forerunner in sustainable development i.e. by halving its greenhouse gasses from 1990 level by 2025. The work for a better environment began already in the 1970'swhen local Lake Vesijärvi was badly polluted mainly by untreated waste-water. The obvious and smelly problem activated the residents and a solution was sought after together with the city. It can safely be said that this very concrete environmental problem set the basis for Lahti city's environmental work and outlined the co-operation between different stakeholders for years to come.

The future goal will be to fulfil the local politicians' vision of Lahti as an attractive and vibrant green city.

The problems with the environment also rouse the need to make scientific studies about the state of the environment and here University of Helsinki was the one to answer the call. Nowadays in Lahti there is a department devoted to environmental sciences that trains future specialists to the field. The increase of environmental know-how has accumulated new environmental business to the area and also led to building of an environmental cluster that concentrates on Cleantech technology.

By 1990's and after the Rio conference the problem solving turned into problem prevention and Lahti was first in line to start raising awareness about environmental issues and how everyone could become more sustainable. By networking and awareness campaigns important environmental questions were brought to public discussion. This work still continues.

To share experiences, to learn more and to collaborate, the city has become a member of several international networks such as UBC, ICLEI and BLA21F. This cooperation has been very fruitful for learning new ways to raise responsibility on environmental issues.

Signing the Aalborg Commitments in 2007 brought sustainable development more comprehensively into public discussion. Without economic and social basis and without deeper collaboration of different organizations and stakeholders it is not possible to implement environmental and ecological improvements. The city still needs to tackle huge development issues such as renewing the city centre with sustain-ability in focus, putting emphasis on improving public transportation system and also giving floor to active participation of residents whether it be in decision-making or by empowering them to act as climate smart as possible.