Lappeenranta's Enabling City Transformation Activity: HALT

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Lappeenranta

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Context and Challenges

Lappeenranta has made strong progress toward climate neutrality, notably by cutting emissions from district heating by over 50%, with a projected 95% reduction by 2027. However, residual emissions—especially from transport, land use, and working machinery—remain difficult and expensive to abate. HALT addresses this challenge by applying the carbon handprint methodology to identify interventions that deliver broader climate benefits beyond the city’s direct operations. By integrating land-based carbon sinks, electrified mobility, and biodiversity measures, HALT offers a replicable model for smaller cities seeking high-impact, cost-effective climate solutions.

Objectives

  • Identify and address hard-to-abate emissions
  • Apply carbon handprint methodology to guide strategic interventions
  • Pilot solutions in mobility and land-use sectors
  • Share learnings through events and peer networks
  • Develop scalable tools for managing residual emissions

Key Terms

Carbon Handprint | Shared Mobility | Land-Based Sinks | Co-Design | Replication

Activites and Innovations

  • Mapping residual emissions and analysing cost-efficiency

  • Implementing pilots in electrified mobility and carbon sink restoration

  • Planning handprint interventions using geospatial and lifecycle data

  • Engaging stakeholders through workshops and collaborative networks

  • Disseminating results via national and EU-level platforms

Emission Domains

  • All vehicles and transport (mobile energy)

  • Land use (including agriculture, forestry, and other land uses)

Levers of Change

  • Governance and Policy

  • Learning and Capabilities

  • Financing and Funding

  • Data and Digitalisation

Expected Impact and Outcomes

  • Scalable framework for managing residual emissions
  • Increased carbon sequestration and access to clean mobility
  • Broader regional impact through shared handprint interventions
  • Transferable tools and methodologies for other Mission Cities