Espoo with its local partners awarded the Energy Globe World Award

The Energy Globe World Award gives recognition to the long-term work done in Espoo with its local partners, i.e. Aalto University, and networks for the sake of sustainable development, particularly with regard to energy collaboration. One of Espoo’s key strategic goals is to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. Espoo also has a pioneer role as one of the UN’s cities of sustainable development. To reach the goals set by the UN, the city’s activities put a special emphasis on learning as well as research and innovation activities that produce new solutions.

'The Sustainable City award gives recognition to Espoo for the versatile and fruitful collaboration with various actors in the energy sector when it comes to, for example, developing and implementing solutions related to emission-free heat generation, energy efficiency and emission-free traffic', says Pasi Laitala, Director for Sustainable Development of the City of Espoo.

Founded in 1999, the Energy Globe Award is currently one of the most prestigious awards in the energy and environment sector. The award was received in the event in Yazdi, Iran on 29 January 2019 by Markku Markkula, Chair of the Espoo City Board, and Taina Tukiainen, Professor of Practice at the School of Business and Professor at VTT representing the city’s partners.

In his speech, Markku Markkula highlighted the contributions and responsibility of all communities and citizens in solving major societal challenges.

'The challenges are considerable, but innovations and the efficient use of digitalisation generates results. Espoo’s collaboration with its partners sets a great example for everyone – through our city’s activities, we demonstrate how the UN’s Agenda 2030 is implemented. In the meantime, this creates considerable global opportunities for businesses in our city as well as new jobs', Markkula says.

Source: press release of the City of Espoo

Further information:
Markku Markkula’s speech in the award ceremony in Yazdi, Iran (pdf)
Energy Globe National Winners from 182 countries (pdf)