Analysis of Riihimäki’s carbon sinks

FCG and MDI studied the current status of carbon sinks and storages in the Riihimäki city area. The assessment was conducted using spatial data, relying on default values for carbon sinks and storages per land cover class. Riihimäki’s peatland areas were identified as significant carbon storages, so a separate calculation based on GTK data was carried out for them. Additionally, the study included refinements to calculate the city’s usage-based emissions, including those from transportation and district heating. As a summary, an overview of Riihimäki’s carbon balance was provided, along with recommendations for strengthening carbon sinks and storages, and a visualized summary to support decision-making, environmental policy updates, and the general planning process.

The work was led by Jan Tvrdý from FCG’s urban planning team, with contributions from Ella Stark and Marko Nurminen.