The following objectives have been set in the Finnish Government Programme:
- Finland will be carbon-neutral by 2035
- climate emissions from transport will be halved by 2030 (compared to the 2005 level)
- walking and cycling will be increased by 30% by 2030.
Carbon-neutrality means that only as much climate emissions are produced as can be sequestered in the so-called carbon sinks.
The municipalities of the Tampere City Region have their own common goal. The region’s goal is to reduce climate emissions by 80%, compared to the 2007 level, by 2030.
The municipalities of the region work in a variety of ways to achieve the common emissions target. They are looking for ways to help the residents of the region make climate-friendly choices in their everyday lives. One of these ways is improving public transport connections. According to plans, Pirkkala, Ylöjärvi and Kangasala will also be accessible by tram in the 2040s.
The Tampere region is pursuing the emissions reduction target and a more sustainable future in a number of ways.
The cleansing of the automobile stock, i.e. the transition from internal combustion engine cars to electric or biogas cars, is one of them. However, it will not be enough.
Car travel must be reduced. More than half a million car journeys are made in the region every day. The emissions target can be reached, if the number of car journeys per day is reduced by 150,000 in 2030. At the individual level, this means reducing the number of car journeys per week by three.
Car journeys should be replaced by sustainable modes of transport. These include walking, cycling, using public transport and various electric modes of transport, such as electric scooters. Carsharing and carpooling are other examples of means of promoting sustainable mobility.
Using one’s own muscles to travel also has beneficial effects on one’s health and well-being.
The region’s goal is that, in 2030, the share of sustainable modes of transport has increased by 15 percentage points from the current share.