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Library and Cultural Services in Municipal Sustainability Plans – Case Helsinki-Uusimaa

21.3.2025 Municipalities

Municipal library and cultural services act as promoters of circular economy and sustainable lifestyles, disseminators of information as well as environmental educators – through cultural means.

In Finland, municipal sustainability plans, such as climate plans and biodiversity programs, are voluntary but binding plans that steer municipal decision making. Climate plans typically examine the largest sources of emissions and set the municipality’s climate goal. Additionally, the plans present the themes and measures of climate work. In Finnish municipalities separate biodiversity programs are still more uncommon than climate plans, although municipalities have long promoted biodiversity.

Library and cultural services are often featured in sustainability plans as implementers or co-implementers of actions, and as members of working groups. Below are examples of how these services are included in the sustainability plans of cities and municipalities across the Uusimaa region.

Examples from Helsinki-Uusimaa Region

Askola

• In Askola’s Climate Plan 2025–2029, emission reduction measures are organised by municipal departments. 
• The culture and library services are assigned actions related to climate-friendly events, nature-friendly outdoor spaces, and the promotion of environmental literature.

Espoo

• Espoo’s Carbon Neutral Espoo and Nature-wise Espoo roadmaps assign cultural services roles in climate cooperation and communication, particularly in relation to events and partnerships.
• Espoo’s libraries are partners in Nature-wise Espoo communications and events.

Hyvinkää

• In Hyvinkää’s Environmental Programme 2023–2027, cultural and leisure services are tasked with promoting environmental awareness and strengthening sustainable development networks across the education and culture sector. 
• Goals include integrating ecological sustainability into event planning.

Järvenpää

• Resource-wise Järvenpää Roadmap assigns cultural and event services the task of promoting resource-wise events, while library services focus on digital services and materials. 
• The potential of cultural services to promote sustainable lifestyles is recognised.

Lapinjärvi

• In Lapinjärvi’s Climate Plan, the Director of Library and Cultural Services is appointed to the Climate Working Group, which coordinates and organises the municipality’s climate efforts.

Lohja

• One of the themes in Lohja’s Hinku 2.0 Action Programme is sustainable lifestyles, including community engagement and environmental education. 
• Libraries are encouraged to participate in Hinku activities, with ideas such as themed weeks and sharing information about the climate impact of everyday choices.

Nurmijärvi

• Nurmijärvi’s Climate Action Plan assigns libraries a role in environmental education, including organising climate-themed days, events, and discussions. 
• Library and cultural services also contribute to cross-sectoral actions such as eco-support activities and the reuse and disposal of municipal assets.

Porvoo

• Porvoo’s Climate and Environmental Programme 2024–2027 includes actions for cultural and library services, music schools, tourism, and events. 
• These focus on making events and tourism more climate-friendly and supporting local businesses and residents in the green transition.

Raseborg

• In Raseborg’s Energy and Climate Programme, cultural services are involved in developing the sharing economy. 
• This is promoted through collaboration between the city’s Education, Culture, and Urban Development departments, including libraries, events, cultural productions, and partnerships with residents and communities.

Vantaa

• Resource-wise Vantaa Roadmap assigns cultural services roles in three key areas: reducing the need for travel, supporting the sharing economy, and promoting sustainable lifestyles and environmental responsibility among residents. 
• The Vantaa Ympäristövahti environmental management service and follow-up tool  includes a wide range of cultural service actions and tracks their implementation.