ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS REVIEWJULY - AUGUST 20258 By Ville Lehmuskoski, Executive Director, City of Helsinki, Urban Environment Division, Helsingin kaupunkiHelsinki, the capital city of Finland, is a dynamic, pleasant and rapidly growing northern metropolis. It is currently home to around 675,000 inhabitants, while nearly 1.6 million people live in the whole of the Helsinki region. The city's growth is expected to continue to be strong. According to population forecasts, Helsinki will have roughly 850,000 inhabitants by 2050 and the entire metropolitan area approximately two million. The growing metropolitan area benefits from agglomeration effects, while a larger population base enables a more functional labour market and offers plenty of opportunities that only a large city can provide. Helsinki has ambitious climate goals: our aim is to become carbon-neutral by 2030. Achieving this objective will require investments in emission-free energy production, improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings and promotion of emission-free transport. What is the secret of a good city? A good city is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. A good city also has a well-functioning infrastructure, attractive, evolving and diverse neighbourhoods, good services, top-level universities and something that elevates everyday life by providing the residents with joy and experiences. The cornerstone of developing a growing city is a well-functioning infrastructure. Therefore, Helsinki is making major investments in transport infrastructure, municipal engineering, parks and recreational areas, as well as the city's attractiveness. The total amount of the city's investments in 2024 will be nearly one billion euros, of which infrastructure investments will account for approximately 400 million euros. First Light Rail Line Opened in October 2023In terms of urban development, investments in rail transport are of particular importance. The city has long had functioning and high-quality rail transport. Helsinki has a traditional tram network within a densely built urban environment, as well as radial metro and local rail connections from the suburbs to the city centre. However, there have been fewer crosswise rail connections, which is why the network is now being supplemented.We opened the region's first light rail line from Itäkeskus in Helsinki to Keilaniemi in Espoo in October 2023. The new 25-kilometre line was a major investment in emission-free public transport. The cost of the project, carried out under the alliance model, was 382 million euros. The project was a great success, as it was completed ahead of schedule and under the budget.Helsinki is currently building a light rail line from the new district of Kalasatama to Pasila. The length of this line will be 4.5 km and it will begin operating in autumn 2024. The Crown Bridges project is also under construction, connecting the island of Laajasalo in eastern Helsinki to the city centre with a ten-kilometre light rail connection. This project also includes a 1,200-metre bridge, Kruunuvuorensilta. When completed, it will be the longest bridge in Finland and amongst the longest in the world dedicated to only public transport, cycling and walking.HELSINKI INVESTS HEAVILY IN RAIL TRANSPORT,COMFORT AND GREENERYVille LehmuskoskiOPINIONIN MY
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