Turku Mayor Minna Arve as the Opening Speaker at the EU Sustainable Energy Week

Mayor of Turku, Minna Arve will participate in the European Union’s Sustainable Energy Week on June 11th in Brussels. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson has invited Mayor Arve to speak at the event’s opening ceremony. Arve’s speech will focus on the crucial role of cities in achieving Europe’s clean energy transition.

The EU Sustainable Energy Week is the annual flagship event of EU energy policy. This year’s overarching theme is energy solutions aimed at net-zero, strengthening Europe’s competitiveness. The event will discuss the development of sustainable energy, best practices, and new innovations in the field. The topic is timely, as energy remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, accounting for over three-quarters of emissions, covering electricity production, heating, and transportation.

Mayor Minna Arve will speak at the event’s opening ceremony on Tuesday, June 11th. Other speakers include EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy Morten Peterson, Belgian Energy Minister Tinne van der Straeten, and European Investment Bank Vice-President Thomas Östros. In her speech, Arve will emphasize the role of cities as testing grounds for new energy technologies.

– The era of fossil energy has inevitably come to an end. Last year, global investments in clean energy significantly surpassed those in fossil energy. It is widely understood that building growth on fossil fuels is looking in the rearview mirror. The debate is no longer about whether to invest in clean energy but whether Europe’s investment and innovation pace can compete on global markets, states Mayor Arve.

Finland, along with Sweden, is a leader in the use of renewable energy within the EU. Significant investments in energy system by cities have been crucial in building a sustainable energy system in the Nordic countries. In Turku, for example, Turku Energia and its partners invested approximately 350 million euros in energy reforms from 2014 to 2020, with investments continuing.

– Energy technologies are developing at a tremendous pace, but we cannot afford to wait for even better technology in the future. For Europe’s competitiveness, it is essential that we fund the development and testing of new energy technologies. At the same time, we must ensure that the energy transition continues uninterrupted with the best technology currently available, emphasizes Mayor Arve.

While in Brussels, Mayor Arve will also meet with Markku Keinänen, Finland’s Permanent Representative to the European Union, and André Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities, a cooperation and advocacy network of major European cities. Saara Nuotio-Coulon, Head of Turku and Southwest Finland Europe Office, will also attend the event and meetings with Mayor Arve.

The event will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participation both on-site in Brussels and online.