The Carbon-smart Urban Green Festival draws attention to the research and planning of urban nature

The Carbon-smart Urban Green Festival, organized in Helsinki's central library Oodi 25.-26.8., invites you to learn something new about the research, design, construction and maintenance of carbon-smart urban nature. The festival of this year will be held as a two-day event, including a seminar presenting research results and an event aimed at all city residents. 

'Urban green areas play a significant role in mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. According to our research, in Helsinki the green areas  sequestrate approximately 7% of the emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels, the half being suquestrated in built green environments. In addidion, urban green supports the well-being of both people and the climate', says professor Leena Järvi from the University of Helsinki, director of the CO-CARBON project.

'Thus, we must pay attention to what kinds of green areas we design and how they are built as well as maintained', continues professor Ranja Hautamäki, the vice leader of CO-CARBON project from Aalto University. 

The festival opens on Friday, August 25 with  a scientific seminar named Towards Green and Carbon-smart Cities, where the results of the CO-CARBON research project are presented and the role of urban green as part of urban climate work is discussed. The seminar is aimed especially at urban planning and green industry professionals, the scientific public and all those involved in the development and decision-making of climate-smart cities. You can find the registration for Friday's seminar day here. 

Saturday  August 26 there will be a program for all city residents, also in the vicinity of Oodi. The Finnish-language short researcher talks in Oodi are complemented for example by  Where the Carbon Hides walks in Töölönlahti and Hiili vieköön! workshops for children. In the afternoon, we will hear how activism can lead towards a carbon-smart city. The theme will be led to international level, as the main speaker of Saturday Member or the European Parliament Sirpa Pietikäinen continues on the importance of urban green from blocks to the EU level. Both days also include panel discussions that bring together different actors.

The festival is scheduled for the same week as the Tree Hugging Week and the events on Saturday cleberate also the Finnish Nature Day. You can find a more detailed program of the festival here.