Avia-network's climate commitment

Air traffic and tourism are in a crisis. The restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic have collapsed air traffic and industries dependent on it. On the other hand, the air traffic industry is expected to drastically reduce its carbon emissions after air traffic recovers, which requires that the industry renew itself. 

Finland's national and Helsinki-Uusimaa’s region goal is to be carbon neutral already in 2035, but Vantaa aims to reach this goal as early as in 2030. By committing themselves to new goals, tourism and air traffic will arise from the crisis more sustainable and vigorous than before. 

Global emissions are reduced together. Finland is a green-route hub when flying from Europe to Asia. A flight via the Helsinki-Vantaa airport is an environmentally efficient one. Emission reductions are significant—even tens of percentages compared with competing routes—as well as an environmentally friendly and competitive route choice. Finland is a major player in the journey toward carbon-neutral flight traffic.  

Finland’s airspace is highly efficient. According to Eurocontrol's analysis, the efficiency of our flight routes is top-notch in Europe as a whole. Route planning, constant-glide landings, and tight international cooperation are our key means to cut emissions. 

The Avia network of businesses, organizations and public-sector actors operating in the vicinity of the Helsinki-Vantaa airport wish to be a global forerunner in promoting clean and smart mobility.  We are committed to measures to attain carbon neutrality. We wish to encourage our partners and passengers to share this goal with us. We do not want to arise from the crisis by any way whatsoever: we wish to be better than before: The Helsinki-Vantaa airport and its area strive to be the most environmental-friendly and health-secure actors in Europe. 

We cannot change the world ourselves. Cutting emissions from traffic, climate-neutral travel, and green growth demand investments, encouraging regulations, and partnering. The members of the Avia network are committed to the carbon-neutrality goal, environmental efficiency, and promoting circular economy.  The area of the Helsinki-Vantaa airport is vital for the sustainable growth of Finland as a whole. We have already taken many steps toward sustainable development and we will do even more to ensure a carbon-free future. 

Arrive at the airport in an environmentally friendly manner. You can access the Helsinki-Vantaa airport flexibly and environmentally friendly utilizing public transport and a combination of different modes of transport. We are promoting the creation of low-carbon travel paths to make it as easy and flexible as possible for passengers to make the journey from their home to the airport. Public transport in the metropolitan area will be almost completely emission free by 2025.  

Vantaa light rail, which will be completed in 2028, will interconnect the metropolitan area rail traffic by introducing a flexible connection between subway routes, the airport and the Mainline, thus improving the global accessibility of the region and the public-transport network.  Increasing the amount of rail traffic is part of the solution to attain the emission-reduction goals set for traffic. 

Finavia’ s activities at the airport are carbon neutral. According to the industry standard, the activities have been carbon neutral already since 2017. Airports’ CO2 emissions are mostly caused by heating, cooling, other electricity consumption such as lightning, as well as vehicles’ energy consumption. Finavia has cut down these emissions by, among other things, increasing the use of renewable energy, improving energy 

efficiency, and compensating for the emissions that cannot yet be avoided. Finavia’ s next goal is to reach zero emissions in the company’s all operations in all of its airports. This requires that emissions be cut to zero or that residual emissions be removed from the atmosphere.  

Flying will become carbon neutral. Finnair is committed to cutting half of its net emissions by the end of 2025 from the level of 2019, and the company aims to be carbon neutral at the latest by 2045. In its climate goals, Finnair is one of the most ambitious carriers in the world. At the same time, Finnair wants to ensure the health of its passengers and personnel during and after the coronavirus pandemic: safety is always of 

the utmost importance to the carrier. 

Restaurant and accommodations services are responsible. Members of the Avia network that provide catering services favor climate-friendly food as well as local and organic products, and they strive to minimize the amount of food waste - without compromising taste. The hotels of the network save water and energy, as well as reduce their amount of waste. Whatever waste can be recycled, will be recycled.  

Freight traffic and logistic services utilize Helsinki-Vantaa’s position as a hub between Europe and Asia: freight between the two continents use the shortest and lowest-emission route. Finnair's new fuel-efficient fleet, tight cooperation with land-traffic operators, and the world’s first environment-certificated cargo terminal also help reduce freight traffic emissions. In the future, energy efficiency will increase thanks to emission-free energy sources and digitized services.   

Reaching the ambitious goals demands investments, regulation and partnering with local, national, and international actors and decisionmakers. To make the transfer from home to the airplane as environmentally friendly as possible for the passengers, we want to, among other things, promote creation of flexible and low-carbon travel paths. For that we need wide-scope cooperation between private and public sector actors.  

Together we can create new kind of responsible travel and traffic that respects the environment and creates new jobs and wellbeing. We hope that you will support us in this work. Come aboard - let’s build new, sustainable growth together!

Finnair

Finavia

Nordic Regional Airlines

Fintraffic ANS

Visit Finland

LAK Real Estate

City of Espoo

City of Järvenpää

City of Helsinki

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences 

VR

Sitra

Scandic Helsinki Airport 

Vantaan Yrittäjät

Helsinki Region Transport

Uusimaa Regional Council 

Centre for Economic Development, Transport and Environment

City of Tuusula

City of Kerava

Laurea University of Applied Sciences

Clarion Hotel Aviapolis

Original Sokos Hotel Vantaa

Break Sokos Hotel Flamingo

Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce

The Finnish Business Travel Association FBTA

The Association of Finnish Travel Industry SMAL 

Aalto University 

University of Helsinki

Metropolia University of Applied Sciences 

The Avia network aims to promote Helsinki-Vantaa airport’s success and competitive edge as one of the world’s best airports and transit airports. The network is open to all private, public, and third-sector actors interested in developing the airport area. The joint commitment promotes the goals of the EU’s Green Deal and realization of carbon neutral Uusimaa region 2035 climate map.