Our Scans · Helsinki · Weekly Summary

• With the goal of becoming entirely carbon-neutral by 2035, Helsinki, Finland is perennially ranked among the most sustainable cities on earth. Forbes
• The City of Helsinki and Aland do not belong to any wellbeing services county but are responsible for organising health, social and rescue services in their area themselves, which means that residents of Helsinki and Aland will not vote in the country elections. Ministry of Justice
• Designed by Knight Architects in collaboration with WSP Finland, the 1.2-kilometer cable-stayed bridge will connect Helsinki's city center to the new island suburb of Laajasalo, supporting urban expansion along the waterfront. ArchDaily
• Helsinki is working toward carbon neutrality by 2035, focusing on energy-efficient renovations that could reduce building emissions by 80% while increasing renewable energy use. AZoCleantech
• The City of Helsinki has invested in low-emission transport solutions: more than 30% of the bus fleet in the Helsinki region has been electrified, and over 30 kilometers of new tramways will be introduced in Helsinki over the next decade. City of Helsinki
• Fearing that Moscow could use migrants to exert political pressure on Helsinki, Finland passed new amendments to its Border Guard Act in July to facilitate the erection of sturdier fences. ABC News
• Finnair pilots who are based in Helsinki will position out on Finnair-operated flights to Bangkok and Singapore to start their flying duties with Qantas, while Finnair already has cabin crew bases in both cities. paddleyourownkanoo.com
• Finns Party leaders can rationalise NATO membership by arguing that no attack will automatically draw Finland's forces into battle without a sovereign decision made in Helsinki. Australian Institute of International Affairs
• With the use of drones skyrocketing in recent years, Helsinki is leading the way with healthcare drones, with the potential to revolutionize the way emergency medical services operate. Wealthy Gorilla
• Helsinki is striving to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, has provided extensive public data on its SDG progress and is leading as the first European city to implement a voluntary local SD review. Nature
• Other cities, including some pioneering cities in climate action such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm, were projected to have less than 0.5 tons of carbon emissions per capita and year by 2030, almost achieving the carbon neutrality goal. Nature
• The new area with 40 charging points will shorten charging queues in nearby areas, as taxis will be able to focus their charging on Helsinki Airport instead of having to use public charging points open to all motorists. Finavia
• Nordic datacenter operator atNorth has just disclosed plans to build a new facility at Kouvola, northeast of Helsinki, Finland, that will recycle excess heat from a datacenter for reuse within the local community. The Register
• Moscow has repeatedly warned Helsinki and Stockholm against joining NATO and has warned of retaliatory measures if they do. Al Arabiya English
• The provision of security assurances by the United Kingdom to Finland and Sweden prior to their official announcements to seek NATO membership could happen quickly, mainly because Helsinki and Stockholm have built trust with London working together in the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force. CSIS
• Sweden's governing Social Democrats dropped their 73-year opposition to joining NATO on Sunday and are hoping for a quick accession after Russia's invasion of Ukraine has highlighted Stockholm and Helsinki's vulnerabilities despite their close cooperation with the military alliance in recent years. www.euractiv.com
• Scientists at the University of Helsinki and LUT University, Finland, have analysed the extent to which insect protein could help reduce global warming associated with food consumption in Europe. All About Feed
• Projects started in 2021 and in early 2022 will still maintain the supply of new homes at a high level in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area throughout 2023, which means competition for good tenants will be intense and rent increases moderate. SATO Oyj
• The City of Helsinki has proactively offered assistance to Ukrainians seeking employment, focusing on improving job opportunities for residents and companies. Eurocities
• When Helsinki announced its intention to join the North Atlantic bloc last year, the Kremlin warned about additional international troop deployments in Finland. Antiwar.com
• The invasion of Ukraine showed complete disregard for the fundamental principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including sovereign equality, refraining from the threat or use of force, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and respecting the territorial integrity of states. Royal United Services Institute
• The City of Helsinki has been testing the potential of artificial intelligence and augmented reality to bring new audiences into city decision making and to transform its public spaces. Next City

Last updated: 26 June 2025