For the past six months ClimateGO project (LAB 2025) has engaged local decision-makers throughout Päijät-Häme region. The mission has been to provide information to newly elected decision-makers and municipal authorities regarding climate change adaptation. This has included municipal visits, workshops, and distributing regional policy briefs to decision-makers. In addition, the ways in which decision-makers prefer to receive information related to climate change have been surveyed.
In October 2025, municipal decision-makers in Päijät-Häme were asked how they would best receive information about adapting to climate change. The theme was approached from two perspectives: 1) How would decision-makers personally like to receive information, and 2) What methods of communication generally reach decision-makers?
Decision-makers wanted information to be shared locally and focused on their own municipality, for example in connection with council meetings. Online events from the perspective of their own municipality also received support, but general webinars or videos did not inspire enthusiasm.
In short, the message gets across. In other words, short, informative messages are the most effective and are easily absorbed. (Open response.)
Of the respondents, 52% felt that the topic was prominently featured in decision-making, but only 40% believed that decision-makers had sufficient information. The majority did not see any challenges in adaptation, and 53% believed that decision-makers were also aware of the new opportunities brought about by climate change.
A total of 54 people responded to the survey sent to all municipal councilors in the region, giving a response rate of 17.4%. The survey will be further explored in interviews to be conducted in November 2025, with about half of the respondents indicating their willingness to participate.
Meetings with local governance stakeholders foster dialogue
Municipal elections took place in spring 2025 and about 40 percent of those elected were new councilors. ClimateGO project offered to introduce and discuss local climate and sustainability issues with municipal decision-makers. Three municipal meetings were organized in autumn 2025: online meetings with Asikkala and Kärkölä councils and a live meeting in Iitti. Sustainability issues were also discussed in an online training organized by the Regional Council for all region’s councilors. The meetings highlighted the importance of face-to-face dialogue, but also the difficulties in organizing such discussions.
A planning tool for monitoring adaptation activities in municipalities ─ originally developed in the Steps to Prepare for Climate Change project to assess climate change risks and evaluate municipal preparedness – has served as a basis for structured dialogue within municipalities. At the same time, broader discussions on climate change and resilience have taken place in several municipalities in the Päijät-Häme region. These discussions have been framed through the specific contextual perspectives of each municipality.
![[Alt text: People sitting around the table with their laptops and chatting with each other.]](https://blogit.lab.fi/labfocus/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/11/473_2025_Engaging-local-decision-makers-in-climate-policies-1024x512.jpg)
Image 1. ClimateGO team visited the municipality of Orimattila to present the climate change adaptation planning tool for municipality authorities. (Villanen 2025)
The tool is designed to clarify the concept of climate change adaptation and to identify practical measures that municipalities can implement to enhance adaptive capacity. It supports the assessment of a municipality’s current level of adaptation and addresses multiple thematic areas, including buildings, transportation systems, water supply, power outages, flooding, green spaces and biodiversity, heat waves, and forest ecosystems. (Malinen-Lallukka et. al. 2024, 117–125)
Regional work to adapt to climate change continues
During the ClimateGO project it has become increasingly clear that adaptation to climate change and climate-smart decision-making in municipalities are still in their early stages. Continued efforts are essential to advance this work. These efforts will be further supported by a new ERDF-funded project Climate Change Adaptation in Päijät-Häme Region, commencing in January 2026. The new project aims to strengthen climate change adaptation in Päijät-Häme by focusing on key industries and supporting municipalities in identifying and implementing adaptation measures. Its primary objectives include helping regional industries adapt to climate risks and advancing the implementation of regional and municipal climate and adaptation plans.
Authors
Heli Kamaja works as a Senior Lecturer at LAB University of Applied Sciences. In ClimateGO project she concentrates on reaching the local decision-makers.
Maarit Virtanen works as a Project Manager in the Regional Council of Päijät-Häme. Her work focuses on climate change adaptation and sustainability.
Marjut Villanen works as an RDI specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences. In ClimateGO project she works as a project manager promoting the achievement of the project’s goals.
Hanna Suutari works as an RDI Specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences. In ClimateGO project she fosters climate-smart dialogue through communication.
References
ClimateGO. 2025a. Policy Brief ̶ Climate-smart decision-making. Cited 18 Nov 2025. Available at https://www.interregeurope.eu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Policy%20Brief_final.pdf
ClimateGO. 2025b. Kohti ilmastoviisaasta päätöksentekoa: Suositukset päätöksentekijöille. Cited 18 Nov 2025. Available at https://www.interregeurope.eu/sites/default/files/2025-09/PolicyBrief_Paijat-Hame.pdf
LAB. 2025. ClimateGO – Pathways to Climate-Smart Governance. Project. LAB University of Applied Science. Cited 18 Nov 2025. Available at https://lab.fi/en/project/climatego-pathways-climate-smart-governance
Malinen-Lallukka, E., Tuominen, K. & Vanhamäki, S. 2024. Supporting Municipalities in Climate Change Adaptation, Case Päijät-Häme, Finland. In a collection: Vanhamäki, S. & Vitie Paula (eds.). Smart Cities in Smart Regions Conference Proceedings. Lahti: LAB University of Applied Sciences. The Publication Series of LAB University of Applied Sciences, part 81, 117-125. Cited 18 Nov 2025. Available at https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-827-486-8
Villanen, M. 2025. LinkedIn. Cited 18 Nov. Available at https://www.linkedin.com/posts/climatego_climatesmart-governance-climaterisks-activity-7388853056991379457-wUWS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAASIctYBD7ImVLcGfheqPhoknKcylzVNCoM
