Hinku - Ylivieskan kaupunki

Ylivieska is one of Finland’s HINKU municipalities

Why Hinku?

Hinku municipalities have agreed to aim for an 80 percent reduction in emissions from the level in 2007 by the year 2030. Municipalities aim to reduce their climate emissions by increasing the use of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. Municipalities also encourage local companies and residents to take climate actions.

HINKU municipality criteria

HINKU criteria refer to the municipalities’ climate change control measures and guidelines, which the municipality plausibly commits to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of its own operations and influence its local operators (residents, companies, agricultural and forestry entrepreneurs and holiday residents) in such a way that carbon neutrality is strived for in the reduction of the area’s greenhouse gas emissions.

A municipality that meets the HINKU criteria may call itself a HINKU municipality. The HINKU municipalities belong to the HINKU network and have the right to use the HINKU logo.

Objective

With the government’s decision, the municipality has made a commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in its entire area measured in 2007 by 80 percent by 2030.

Processes

The municipality considers the greenhouse gas emission perspective in all its important decision-making.
The municipality is part of the agreement concluded between the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the Energy Authority and the Association of Finnish Municipalities, in which they commit to the measures and objectives set out in the Energy Efficiency Agreement for Municipalities. Municipalities to have signed the Energy Efficiency Agreement for Municipalities primarily associate their residential building stock with the procedural programme concerning residential buildings.
The municipality shall appoint a contact person who shall operate as a spokesperson between the municipality and SYKE.
The municipality shall establish a HINKU working group in which the main administrations are represented. The working group aims to actively reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the different administrative industries’ operations. The working group can be the same as, for example, the municipality’s management group of the working group of the Energy Efficiency Agreement for Municipalities.
The working group and contact person are responsible for the following tasks:
- An annual plan of emissions-reducing investments is prepared for the municipality. Investments are approved in the following year’s budget.
- An annual control measures plan, i.e. an annual clock, is prepared for the municipality, which indicates the measures and investments that are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the entire municipality’s area. The annual clock includes planned investments as well as methods for activating residents and local companies.
- The most significant control measures that have been implemented in the municipal area are compiled on an annual basis and published on the municipality’s website as well as in the Energialoikka online service. Where possible, the achieved emission reductions are included in the measures. If necessary, SYKE can supplement the details in Energialoikka.
- The municipal staff and municipal government are annually informed of the project’s achievements.
- Opportunities to control climate change are communicated to the area’s residents, companies as well as agricultural and forestry entrepreneurs.