Summary
Helsinki’s success rate in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals varies: some goals have already been achieved, while others, particularly those related to ecological sustainability, require more intense efforts. Here, you can read a summary of the situation with each goal in Helsinki.
SDG achieved or close to being achieved
Challenges in achieving the SDG
Significant challenges in achieving the SDG
- New Government policy decisions on housing allowances are having a negative impact on the housing and livelihoods of many Helsinki residents. The number of Finns at risk of poverty or marginalisation has continued to increase after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Helsinki’s budget decisions are mitigating several of the cuts imposed by the Finnish Government: for example, Helsinki will not introduce health centre fees, will keep the age limit for after-care in child welfare at 25 and will capitalise Heka’s rent increases in 2025–2027.
- Helsinki aims to end homelessness by 2025. Homelessness has fallen substantially, but the target is unlikely to be met.
Employment and subsistence
- Helsinki has increased cooperation to develop food aid activities through the Stadin Safka model and invested in nutrition counselling.
- The majority of the adult population are happy and feel that their quality of life and health are good, but there are differences in their experiences of quality of life, health and happiness depending on factors such as perceived income adequacy, and perceived quality of life has declined.
- Loneliness is more common in many population groups than it was in the 2010s.
- The mental well-being of children and young people, especially girls, has deteriorated according to many different indicators.
- In particular, the trend in student welfare and bullying in vocational education and training is more negative than in other education groups.
- The share of people achieving the physical activity recommendations has improved to 48%.
- Physical activity among children and young people has increased and their body mass index has shown a positive trend.
- Children and young people’s mental well-being challenges are affecting their learning.
- Experiences of bullying have increased at all levels of education.
- Training in emotional and interaction skills and sustainable development has been widely provided from early childhood education to upper secondary education.
- Helsinki has invested in literacy during the 2021–2025 strategy period, but there is no comprehensive overview of literacy at the city level.
Quality education
- Women’s perceived quality of life has deteriorated significantly more than that of men.
- Around one in five women have experienced discrimination, more than 1.5 times more than men. Around a fifth of the City’s female employees have also been discriminated against in their work in 2023.
- The gender gap in the wellbeing of children and young people has increased. Girls’ experiences of sexual harassment are alarmingly common.
- Helsinki makes visible contributions to the non-discrimination of gender minorities (e.g. through Pride partnership). The knowledge base on the situation of gender minorities in Helsinki requires improvement.
Gender equality
- Water quality and purification are at a high level.
- Further measures would be needed for the qualitative management of stormwater.
- 80% of groundwater is in good condition.
Aquatic ecosystems
- The production of renewable energy has increased.
- The last coal power plant in Helsinki will be closed in 2025.
- The employment situation has been slightly deteriorating since spring 2023.
- More action is needed to tackle long-term unemployment and the employment of foreign-language speakers.
- Many sectors are facing labour shortages. Solving this problem has become one of the key strategic objectives, and work-based immigration has grown significantly.
Employment and subsistence
Industry and innovation
- The number of starting businesses has increased, but so has the number of closing businesses. The business promoter score has weakened.
Industry and innovation
- Socio-economic and ethnic segregation have increased somewhat, especially in the case of children.
- The suburban regeneration model is one of the ways in which Helsinki develops its neighbourhoods and prevents their segregation.
- In education and training, Helsinki has developed a model of needs-based funding and measures to prevent the growth of inequality.
- Major investments have been made in rail and cycling infrastructure and new neighbourhood construction sites, in particular.
- The share of sustainable modes of transport has not increased as hoped. In particular, public transport is struggling, with passenger numbers still not reaching the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Air quality in Helsinki has improved.
- Pioneering efforts have been made to cut emissions from construction, but these are not enough to meet the emission targets. Promoting the circular economy requires investment.
- Helsinki is committed to taking cultural environments into account in its new Cultural Environment Programme.
Sustainable infrastructure
- Consumption-based emissions are high in Helsinki, more than twice as high as direct emissions generated within the city.
- The transition to circularity has been slow and requires active measures.
- Direct emissions in Helsinki decreased by 26.1% from 2022 to 2023.
- Helsinki’s natural carbon sinks absorb about 3% of the emissions generated in the area. To reach the net zero targets, there should be a significant increase in natural and technological carbon sinks and significant further reductions in emissions.
- Traffic emissions are the biggest challenge to reducing emissions locally. In addition to existing emission reduction measures, new ones are needed.
- Greater effectiveness is being sought for climate change adaptation goals.
- Increasing contaminants in stormwater pose a risk to small water bodies and the coastal area.
- The status of the Helsinki sea area is adequate and the status of the inner bays is passable. The status of the sea area has not developed according to expectations.
Aquatic ecosystems
- The number of nature reserves in Helsinki has increased by five per year in line with the objectives of the strategy, and the implementation of measures under the Biodiversity Action Plan is underway.
- The growth of the city and safeguarding nature values have become a key challenge.
- The status of small water bodies in Helsinki is adequate.
Local nature and biodiversity
- Criminal behaviour among young people and violence against women have increased, and Helsinki residents’ experience of safety has deteriorated.
- Efforts to improve young people’s experience of safety and prevent radicalisation have included training and a partner model between school exercise coaches and youth workers in comprehensive schools and the student welfare of upper secondary schools. Development achieved through project work must be made permanent and the necessary resources must be guaranteed.
- The jointly agreed objectives of the participation and interaction model made during the strategy period are being implemented in all City divisions. The links between sustainability work and participation need to be developed.
- Human rights issues and labour exploitation have become more prominent. Measures have been taken to promote ethical procurement in Helsinki.
Participation and safety
- Helsinki has developed a new model for coordinating NGO cooperation.
- In 2023, almost EUR 47 million were allocated in grants. As grant funding for organisations from elsewhere decreases, the importance of the grants allocated by Helsinki increases.
- International cooperation and interest representation are actively carried out.
Situation in 2025
- Finland has maintained its leading position in the implementation of sustainable development. However, per capita consumption-based carbon emissions and natural resource consumption are at a high and unsustainable level in Finland and Helsinki by global standards.
- A large proportion of Agenda 2030 objectives are implemented at the municipal level, and cities play a key role in achieving these objectives. Key actions related to the promotion of sustainable development objectives in cities include land use and construction, promotion of wellbeing and health, education and activities related to vitality and employment. Helsinki has every opportunity to be a global leader in the sustainability transition.
- During the current council period of office, Helsinki has improved its competence and integration of sustainability thinking. The divisions and the City Executive Office have advanced their own work on sustainability through various programmes, principles and training. Group companies have implemented their own sustainability programmes, and eight large group companies have prepared for EU sustainability reporting.
- Sustainable development goals have been developed and their effectiveness analysed in City-level programmes and plans. Sustainable procurement and financial and operational planning, among other things, have also been developed.
- There has been an increase in mental health challenges and loneliness experienced by children and young people, especially girls. Experiences of bullying have also increased. This is particularly pronounced in the experiences of vocational education and training students.
- Safety and preparedness have featured more prominently in the review, with particular concerns about children and young people’s experiences of safety, radicalisation and violence in close relationships. Indicators show that the number of young people committing crimes and violence against women have increased, for example.
- The conflict between the city’s growth and the objectives of protecting green spaces and the environment has become increasingly apparent, for example in the case of certain urban infill and new development sites.
- The current climate measures will not fully achieve Helsinki’s carbon neutrality target, but it seems that the minimum level of 80% reduction in direct emissions in the area will be achieved by 2030. This means that the remaining 20% of emissions must be covered by natural or technological carbon sinks. Going forward, reducing emissions from transport in particular will be a challenge. It is estimated that Helsinki’s carbon sinks cover only about 3% of the current emissions in the area. Consumption-based emissions are estimated to be significantly higher than the emissions generated in the area, but it is challenging to calculate them reliably.
- Climate change adaptation and risk preparedness also require more effective action, in particular in the areas of stormwater flooding and heatwave preparedness.
- Developing inequalities and regional segregation are among the biggest challenges to social sustainability, and measures are needed to address and prevent them in Helsinki. Particular cause for concern is the segregation of children and young people on the basis of their ethnic background, which is reflected, among other things, in regional differences in schools.
- The majority of Helsinki residents feel that their quality of life and health is good, but this figure has declined over the strategy period. There is significant variation in the prevalence of morbidity and public diseases between the districts of Helsinki.
- With the exception of children under school age, the majority of Helsinki residents engage in too little physical activity for their health, even though the proportion of people achieving the physical activity recommendations has increased slightly over the past two years.
Five selected success stories from Helsinki
- Helsinki has invested in the prevention of segregation and the well-being of children and young people. Through its targeted work to promote children’s rights, Helsinki has become the first Nordic capital to be recognised as a Child Friendly Municipality.
- The Finnish Model for Leisure Activities has become a permanent fixture for pupils in grades 3–9. In upper secondary education, efforts have been made to prevent segregation and improve young people’s mental health through systematic action to promote youth physical activity in almost all institutions.
- In 2021–2023, CO2 emissions in the Helsinki area decreased by 17 per cent and 17 nature reserves were established.
- Helsinki ranked number one in the 2024 international Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) index, which measures the sustainability of travel and event destinations.
- The City carries out sustained work on equality and non-discrimination, such as the City’s Pride partnership, anti-racist work and training, particularly in the Education Division and Youth Services.