Cities Tallinn

Tallinn

EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL 2023

In the Estonian capital they like to set a good example. The way Tallinn's residents and municipality are dealing with the climate crisis is really inspiring. With their children and grandchildren in mind, they are trying to create the best possible living environment. The e orts they have made – and continue to make – have earned the city a beautiful title: “European Green Capital of 2023.” And it's well deserved!

The importance of public green spaces

Every year, Tallinn invests 10 million euros in its green spaces. The result? Twenty-one community gardens, 61 parks and 130 green zones, which means that 80% of the population lives less than 300 meters from a public green space.

Building in a climate-conscious way

In Paljassaare, buildings are being placed in such a way to get the most out of the annual solar cycle and shut out the cold north wind. Consequently, all the greenery can grow optimally and the cold is kept out of the city.

Today, Tallinn is known as a modern city with a good living environment. In recent years, considerable investment has been made in environmental, social and economic sustainability in order to combat climate change. With its new title, Tallinn follows in the footsteps of global cities such as Stockholm, Hamburg, Oslo, and Lisbon. They convinced the jury with their ambitious plans for the future, which they brought together in the Tallinn 2035 development strategy. That document was drafted with the help of 6,000 people, including 800 children. Why children? Because they are the future of the city. — Free public transportation Since 2013, all of Tallinn's residents have been entitled to free public transportation. This has encouraged them to use their cars less often. It's a smart solution, given that 90% of the city's inhabitants live no more than 400 meters from a bus or tram stop. In the coming years, the municipality wants to invest 90 million euros in the tram lines that run from the center to the outskirts. Hybrid buses are also being considered, with the aim of having a fully climate-neutral public transport network by 2035. Residents who prefer to use bicycles or electric scooters have seen their city change dramatically in recent years. Twenty-four years ago, there were no bicycle paths in Tallinn, while today there are 305 kilometers of cycle paths – and that number is continuing to rise. There are even pop-up cycle paths that are being built temporarily, pending permanent solutions.

Pollinator highway

Even as a hiker, you will soon have nothing to complain about in the capital. A pollinator highway is being built through the city. This is a green strip of no less than 13 kilometers that will serve as a natural habitat for millions of insects.

The strip will run through 6 di erent districts in Tallinn and will be accompanied by a hiking trail, inviting residents to move around on foot. The municipality hopes to create a total of 11 pollinator highways by 2035.

'Linnahall, the old conference center, is also getting a makeover. The renovation should be completed in 2026.

Collective heating and cooling

Over the last 60 years, there has been a strong focus on district heating networks to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Today, two-thirds of the city is being heated and cooled in this environmentally friendly way.

— Climate-neutral residential and

working areas

In addition to its e orts to drastically reduce CO2 emissions and create a greener city, Tallinn is also working on the regeneration of the districts of Kopli and Paljassaare. These neighborhoods, located on the Baltic Sea in the northwest of the city, are having a makeover. Paljassaare was an industrial and port zone for many years, but is now being transformed into a climate-neutral residential and working area. Its location by the sea is particularly favorable, since it makes it possible to use various natural resources to set up an energy network to supply the entire district with water and electricity. The 16,000 future residents and people working in the neighborhood will benefit from the various smart mobility solutions, including a public transportation system connected to the rest of the city, as well as lots of greenery around and within the area, with city farms and community gardens. Additionally, they will enjoy better air quality, and above all the convenience of more sustainable living in the city.

The adjoining neighborhood of Kopli is still an industrial site, but is being transformed into a public space with creative hubs and a community center. So the circular economy is being stimulated and the city is on track to achieve its goals by 2035.

All these inspiring initiatives are to be welcomed, and mean a city trip to Tallinn suddenly seems like a great idea!

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key environmental indicators

The title “European Green Capital” recognizes the e orts of a city to achieve a climate that both improves the quality of life and supports the economy. It's awarded to a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants that is able to act as a role model in the field of sustainable urban development and citizen communication.

01. Air quality

02. Noise

03. Waste and Circular Economy

04. Water

05. Nature and biodiversity

06. Sustainable land and soil use 07. Green growth and eco-innovation

08. Climate change: mitigation

09. Climate change: adaptation

10. Sustainable urban mobility

11. Energy e ciency

12. Environmental governance

Fungible Non-Fungible IHEARTBLOB

In addition to all its beautiful plans for the future, Tallinn is playing host to the Architecture Biennale later this year. 2022's edition focuses on the importance of the circular economy, and is therefore in perfect harmony with the city's ambitions. The architects of IHEARTBLOB won the “Installation” competition, which gave them the chance to exhibit their work on the art trail. With their installation ‘Fungible Non-Fungible’, they are letting the audience contribute to the design by allowing them to add their own piece to it online. Those who want to see the winning architectural artwork in real life should head to Tallinn between the start of September and end of October. If you want to add a piece to the design yourself, you can visit their website: www.iheartblob.com