We visited Lahti, a leader city in environmental protection.

Lahti is a small city less than 1h north of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Once known for its environmental problems, such as polluted lakes, the city has since turned to proactive environmental protection activities. Waste management, circular economy, carbon neutrality initiatives, innovative environmental projects, and green infrastructure have achieved remarkable results compared to other Finnish cities. Waste management and recycling are particularly advanced, to the extent that the city boasts a 99% utilization rate of municipal waste. It is now recognized as a leader in environmental protection and in 2021 was named European Green Capital, an award given to cities that demonstrate outstanding environmental achievements and a strong commitment to sustainability.

What we learned during my visit was that the key to achieving results is to connect with other countries and collaborate with partners who have new technologies and knowledge. The compact size of the city and the cooperative and supportive attitude of the entire region means that experimental initiatives and new ideas can be implemented quickly.

An important role in the development of the city is played by LADEC, a regional development corporation established by the city of Lahti to promote economic growth and industrial diversification in the region. A semi-private development agency, LADEC provides a platform for companies and startups to finance and establish new businesses, maximize the use of local resources, and promote the growth of local companies.

Like Finland, all cities in the Netherlands have a semi-private municipal development organization called a regional development corporation. Perhaps every city in Europe has such an organization. They are not only public “cities,” but they are also able to actively promote cooperation with the private sector, and they also receive support from the government. And almost all of these cities and municipalities have sustainability in the middle of their growth strategies. Of course, in a way that adjusts to the characteristics of each city. We believe this kind of thinking will become the standard for city planning in the future.

A little while ago, We told a local government in Japan that if they did not shift to sustainability, they would not be able to survive, but unfortunately, they still did not seem to get the idea. The world is shifting toward sustainability, and if we miss this trend, we may lose a lot of money.

If there are any municipalities interested in urban development, please feel free to contact us.