At the end of February 2021 the Regional Government of North Karelia approved the Climate and Energy programme 2030 of the North Karelia region. This new programme includes very ambitious emission reduction target to reduce GHG emissions by 80% to the levels of 2007 by the year 2030.
This is very important step in North Karelia region because Climate and Energy programme is one of the most important policy instruments in the field of energy and climate themes. Also, the target of reducing emissions is the same as described at the Action Plan of the Interreg Europe funded CLEAN project, North Karelia - towards carbon neutral region status.
Sari Pitkänen, Forest and Climate Specialist of Regional Council of North Karelia when asked about the most relevant actions of Climate and Energy programme stated that“it is important to make more specific roadmap of the needed actions during the year 2021. Improving energy efficiency and using more renewable energy sources at the heating is important. We also must focus on reducing the emissions of transport in the near future by improving the use of biogas and biodiesel as fuel”.
Sari Pitkänen added that, “The Climate and Energy programme of North Karelia regions was compiled together with several stakeholders. In all, we had 68 events or meetings to define the vision and targets of the Climate and Energy programme. This participative process ensures the commitment of the relevant stakeholders to the targets that have been set at the program”.
The previous North Karelia Climate and Energy Program was prepared in 2011 and was supplemented in 2017 with a roadmap to oil-free and low-carbon North Karelia. North Karelia received the status of Hinku Region in June 2020 one of the main aims of their Regional action plan at the CLEAN project.
