City residents' climate panel paved the way for a fair transition to zero-emission transport in Helsinki

"The City of Helsinki has studied effective transport emission reduction measures that enable us to achieve our carbon neutrality goals. As part of the preparation, we invited city residents to a panel to assess the impact of climate actions on their daily lives and to consider how the transition to low-emission transport could be implemented in a fair way,” says Climate Director Hanna Wesslin.

The resident panel is a new form of participation in Helsinki. The panel formed its own statement on the subject. Five themes emerged. They are related to the development of public transport, the improvement of winter maintenance, the development of the city structure, improving the conditions of bicycle transport, as well as how to take into account the need for a car in the implementation of environmental zones.

The panel emphasises that in the change to zero-emission transport, safety must be taken into account extensively, as well as different people and special groups, such as the disabled, the chronically ill and the elderly. It is important to involve different groups as part of the planning of decisions that affect them.

The panel discussed, among other things, emission-free private commuting by car. Groups in need of a car must be given the opportunity to drive internal combustion engine cars or a longer transition period for emission-free driving. According to the panel, the groups that needed cars included taxi, disability taxis and other transport services, home delivery of food and goods, transport to health care, car transport needed by interpreters, other assistants and support services.

"The panel provides a backstop for decision-makers, as the statement includes the weighed view of the citizens. The panellists hope to hear later how environmental issues in transport have progressed in decision-making,” says Pyry Luhtanen, who participated in the panel.

The Transport climate panel was Helsinki on a miniature scale

The Helsinki climate panel was assembled in such a way that 5,000 persons living in Helsinki were randomly invited to the Transport climate panel. Interested parties responded to the survey, on the basis of which the city assembled a diverse group of 64 people in the panel anonymously. The selection criteria and the final participants of the panel correspond to the resident base of Helsinki. Representatives from the City of Helsinki's Elderly Citizens, Disabled and Youth Councils were also invited to the panel.

In the panel, ordinary Helsinki residents reflected on how mobility would be smooth and fair in the future for everyone, including people living in different areas and family situations, people using different modes of transport and people with different income levels, even though private car use will decrease. The Transport climate panel met four times. The panel formed a common situational picture on the topic and wrote a statement to support decision-making and further planning.

The panel presented its statement to the Urban Environment Board on Tuesday, 1 October. The investigation related to transport emission reduction measures will be discussed by the Committee later during the current Council term.