Tampere compensates for flight emissions to where biodiversity impacts of procurements are visible

The City of Tampere compensates the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the 2022 flights of the city's employees and elected officials. The compensation is made through a forest protection project in Borneo, Indonesia, which is part of voluntary emissions trading.  

Flight emissions will be compensated for by a total of approximately 4,600 euros. In 2022, the city's employees, shop stewards and guests paid for by the city flew a total of 2.2 million kilometres, resulting in carbon dioxide emissions of about 330 tonnes. Compensation for one tonne of carbon dioxide costs 14 euros.
  
The chosen method of abolishing flight emissions ensures that one tonne of carbon dioxide purchased reduces global greenhouse gas emissions by one tonne of carbon dioxide.

Compensation provides work for people living in rainforests

Compensation for greenhouse gas emissions from flights to Indonesia, in particular, is justified. Based on the results of an active research project by the City of Tampere focusing on the calculation of biodiversity footprint, Indonesia is one of the targets that the procurements of the City of Tampere most affects. In particular, the harmful effects are caused by the procurement of various food products. 
– From the perspective of fairness and accountability, Indonesia is therefore a justified target, says Development Specialist Emmi Nieminen from the City of Tampere. 

In Borneo, the area of Rimba Ray is protected from deforestation. The protected area in south-east Borneo covers 64,000 hectares. Hundreds of species live there such as the endangered Bornean orangutan.  

Borneo has suffered from deforestation for decades and its remaining rainforests are in danger of disappearing due to harvesting, palm oil production and illegal logging. The project protects forests by safeguarding local sustainable livelihoods. As an example, the locals are offered work as guardians against forest fires, poaching and illegal logging.

The chosen method of flight emission offsetting follows the principles of sustainable development of the City of Tampere by promoting social and economic sustainability alongside ecological sustainability. The emission offsetting has been purchased through the Nordic Offset service. 

Less flights than before the pandemic 

As the pandemic eased in 2022, the employees and elected officials of the City of Tampere flew more than in the previous two years. However, air kilometres were still 12 per cent lower than before the pandemic in 2019. 

Tampere has compensated for emissions from flights by their employees and elected officials since 2009. 

Initially, emissions were compensated for by financing environmental work in a Tanzanian twin city of Tampere. Later, the amount of compensation was directed to voluntary environmental protection subsidies for residents supporting climate and other environmental actions. Last year, emissions were compensated through a domestic project promoting the carbon sink of agriculture.