A new Climate investment framework has been published to help cities across Europe unlock private climate finance and accelerate the green transition. Co-developed by the Climate Leadership Coalition and the City of Espoo, this tool offers a Nordic blueprint for municipalities and cities aiming to scale up climate-smart investments.
The Climate investment framework provides actionable guidance for cities to align planning with investor expectations, remove administrative barriers, and create investment-friendly conditions. It responds to the European Green Deal’s estimated €522 billion annual investment need by offering a practical and replicable model for cities ready to lead the industrial transformation.
"To reach the scale of investments needed for this transition, cities must take an active role in enabling clean investments. This framework shows how plans can be turned into real economic impact – and it’s ready to be copied", says Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition.
The accompanying Regional energy impact study, also co-developed by CLC and the City of Espoo together with Caruna, Fingrid, Fortum and Sweco, highlights how clean energy investments can generate over 1,400 jobs and significant tax revenue, while supporting climate neutrality goals. The findings demonstrate the broader potential for cities to drive economic and environmental benefits through infrastructure, permitting, and ecosystem development.
These initiatives were presented at a high-level event in Espoo, that brought together city leaders, business executives, researchers and policymakers to discuss how cities can scale up green investments and lead Europe’s climate transition. Speakers included Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Governance for Finland; Kai Mykkänen, Mayor of Espoo; Lauri Inna, Mayor of Pori; Tomas Häyry, Mayor of Vaasa; and Jyrki Tammivuori, CEO of Caruna.
