Finland will hold municipal elections on 9.4. The new council members will, among other things, be responsible for decisions on climate change mitigation and energy production. In many Finnish cities the energy production companies are owned by the municipality, giving the council members a chance to guide them to exchange coal, peat and other fossil fuels for renewable energy and energy effiency and savings. With the climate crisis at hand, big decisions must be made during the upcoming council period.
Coal-free Finland campaign has asked candidates in six major cities – Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku and Jyväskylä – to commit to steering their city free of coal and peat use. Several candidates in different parties have responded positively. Now it’s the time for voters to show their support for candidates dedicated to sustainable climate policies.
Here’s how you can help:
- Check your eligibility to vote on the official election site. In Finland it is possible to vote in municipal elections even if you are not a Finnish citizen, if certain criteria are met.
- Pick a candidate who has made a commitment to advocate against coal and peat. You can find such candidates in our six campaign cities here. On that page, 1) pick the mucipality, 2) optionally, choose the party whose candidates you want to see, 3) click ”Hae ehdokkaita”.
- Discuss elections with friends and family, and encourage them to use their right to vote. Let them know about candidates who support the Coal-free Finland campaign goals.
- If needed, check the official voting instructions.
- Cast your vote on Sunday 9th!
Thank you for helping move Finland beyond coal!
Read more about the campaign and energy issues in Finland: Coal-free Finland in English.