KEY MOMENTS WHEN HISTORY WAS MADE

Where did it all begin – and how did we end up here?

^{In the 1970s Lake Vesijärvi was one of the most polluted lakes in the country.}

The journey of Lahti becoming the European Green Capital started with the conservation of Lake Vesijärvi. The project, launched in 1987, was the largest restoration of a food web ever undertaken. More than a million kilos of roach were removed from the Enonselkä Basin, and over a million young pike-perch were planted in the lake. This resulted in a significant decrease in harmful blue algae blooms.

The work carried out for the conservation and restoration of the lake brought important environmental expertise to the city. In 1996 the Department of Environmental Ecology of the University of Helsinki was established here in Lahti. The restoration project in particular created a foundation for teaching and research. Over past two decades the department has developed leading expertise on stormwater management, algae, green roofs, soil and circular economy.

Decades of green innovations

In 2003 the Grain Cluster was formed and, as a result, many local businesses embarked on Lahti’s environmental journey. The cluster is a network of farmers and industrial companies in the Lahti region that develop circular economy and business. Thanks to the cluster, many side streams of the manufacturing processes of grain products are now better recovered – and the amount of landfill waste has been decreased.

Our city orchestra also showed that music can be environmentally friendly, too. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra became the first carbon neutral symphony orchestra in the world in 2015. They joined the climate effort with the goal of reducing emissions especially in transportation and audience mobility The project was implemented together with LUT University and won the international Classical:NEXT innovation award in 2018.

^{Lahti stopped using coal in April 2019.}

Inspiring other cities

Lahti stopped using coal in spring 2019 when a new bioenergy plant replaced the old coal-fired power plant. The city is now heated with recycled fuel and local certified wood. This significant energy transformation reduced Lahti Energia’s carbon dioxide emissions by 600,000 tonnes per year, which corresponds to the annual emissions of about 60,000 Finns.

This year Lahti is honoured to become a European Green Capital and the first city in Finland to receive the award. In 2021, the best European environmental solutions are highlighted and people, companies and communities are celebrated and encouraged to take bold environmental action together.

Most notable environmental actions taken over the years

1987–1994: Lake Vesijärvi I project: combining biomanipulation with selective fishing.

1994: Water quality of Lake Vesijärvi starts to improve.

1996: First Environmental Policy of Lahti is formed.

1996: University of Helsinki’s Department of Environmental Ecology is established in Lahti.

1997: The first annual Environment Week.

1998: An extensive waste management system is introduced.

2003: Grain Cluster is founded (company network & value chain of grain products).

2007: Lake Vesijärvi Foundation is established.

2009: An ambitious emission reduction target is included in the city’s strategy: 80% CO2 reduction by 2025 compared to 1990 levels.

2013: Lahti is the first city in the world to utilise the WWF Green Office system at a city-wide level.

2014: Adoption of the principles of green space and forest management with an ecosystem services perspective.

2014: Redesign of Lahti’s public transportation begins: focus points include the new city travel centre, new bicycle lanes and wider pedestrian pathways.

2017: 1,000 hectares of nature conservation areas are protected.

2018: 97% of municipal waste is reused or recycled.

2019: Use of coal is phased out and the city moves towards cleaner energy.

2019: Programmes for climate change preparation and nature conservation are created.

2019: The world’s first personal carbon trading scheme is tested in Lahti.

2020: Integrated Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and a city master plan are enacted.

2021: Lahti becomes the European Green Capital.

2025: Lahti becomes a carbon neutral city by 2025.

2050: Lahti has a zero-waste circular economy.