Climate City Joensuu 2025 -project (2023-2025) aims to support local business’ climate actions

As part of the Climate City Joensuu 2025 -project, Joensuu is providing local businesses with the opportunity to calculate their carbon footprint as well as conduct a climate risk and vulnerability assessment.

Carbon footprint calculations can help a business plan effective ways to mitigate emissions

Carbon footprint calculations reveal all the indirect and direct sources of emissions for the business. The carbon footprint workshop will be led by Maija Mattinen-Yuryev from Etteplan. After the workshop, the participating local businesses will have access to the carbon footprint calculator and support of students from Karelia University of Applied Sciences to complete the calculations. The students from Karelia will work together with local businesses to define the scope of the calculations; after which the students will complete the calculations and provide each business with a report of their own carbon footprint.

- Carbon footprint calculations can be used when planning and monitoring climate actions as well as to help focus efforts on the most effective actions. This information can also be used when talking about one’s business’ progress with climate actions, explains Pinja Leino, Climate Specialist, Joensuu.

Knowing climate risks and vulnerabilities can help plan businesses for the future

Each businesses faces unique climate risks and vulnerabilities according to their specific sector, location and supply chains. Climate risk and vulnerability assessments provide businesses with information specific to their work. Climate risk and vulnerability assessments will be done in collaboration with Karelia University of Applied Sciences. Energy and environmental engineering students will complete climate risk and vulnerability assessments for businesses as a part of their environmental health and safety course.

- Thus far, business’ climate actions have focused heavily on carbon footprint calculations and potential mitigation strategies. Alongside these calculations, it is important to consider the impacts of climate change and its consequences. Preparing for the impacts of climate change within businesses requires systemic change and commitments from the top, but this work can be started through, for example, student projects, explains Anniina Kontiokorpi, lecturer of energy and environmental engineering from Karelia University of Applied Sciences.

Conducting either carbon footprint calculations or a climate risk and vulnerability assessment or both, can help businesses to move forward with climate actions within their operations.