In line with its ambitious and inclusive 2029 climate neutrality strategy, Turku wants to support a fair circular transformation of economic systems that benefits all city residents. The newly released Circular Turku Roadmap shows how this can be done using three dimensions: access, participation and opportunity.

Circular economy practices are often linked to the promise of new employment opportunities and societal benefits, especially at the local level. For instance, supporting regional and circular food production holds the potential to increase access to food for all and to ensure fairer incomes for producers. Putting vacant spaces back in use offers opportunities for improved access to affordable and liveable public spaces. The dismantling and handling of reclaimed construction materials and components from demolition sites is more labour-intensive than conventional practices and therefore opens up a chance to create new employment opportunities for city residents.

However, without an assessment of the potential inequality outcomes of circular economy practices and a plan to address them, the benefits of these innovations might be unequally distributed. The newly released Circular Turku Roadmap is the first of its kind to include a social risk assessment for the planned interventions to ensure the Circular Turku transition is fair and inclusive.

Read more here