Uusimaa Transport Jury

In 2021, together with the Finnish Environment Institute, we organised a transport citizens’ jury as part of the FACTOR research project. The jury was convened by the Regional Council of Uusimaa. The jury’s task was to assess how transport emissions-reduction measures can be implemented in the region in an effective and fair way.

In December 2021, Uusimaa set a new ambitious climate target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. This increased pressure on the region’s climate work, especially regarding transport emissions. The jury’s task was to provide the Regional Council of Uusimaa with recommendations on which emissions-reduction measures are most important from citizens’ perspective, and how they can be implemented in an acceptable and fair manner.

An invitation to the jury was sent in February to 6,000 randomly selected Uusimaa residents. From among roughly 400 volunteers, 40 participants were selected by random sampling so that the group would be as diverse as possible and represent Uusimaa’s population as well as possible in terms of age, gender, place of residence, education level, and opinions concerning climate measures. 32 people participated throughout the process from start to finish.

The jury met in April over three weekends for a total of four days in Pasila, Helsinki. At the first meeting, jurors heard a presentation on Uusimaa’s carbon neutrality work, got to know each other, and discussed in small groups the effectiveness of transport emissions-reduction measures. Between the first and second meetings, the jury heard from experts remotely and received answers to questions that arose in the first discussion. At the second meeting, discussion of emissions-reduction measures continued with a particular focus on the measures’ social justice. The third and fourth working days were dedicated to writing the jury’s statement. The statement was published and submitted to the Regional Council of Uusimaa, which considered the jury’s recommendations as part of implementing low-carbon transport measures.

Read more about the Uusimaa Transport Jury on the FACTOR project website

Read the Transport Jury statement

Leading Researcher at the Finnish Environment Institute Heli Saarikoski, heli.saarikoski@syke.fi

Demokratian uudistamisen tutkimusryhmä, Turun yliopisto
Filosofian, poliittisen historian ja valtio-opin laitos
Yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta
20014 Turun yliopisto

Vastuullinen tutkija professori Maija Setälä maija.setala@utu.fi