LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today signed a historic Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland Ville Tavio that will promote climate cooperation and economic development between the City of Los Angeles and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for the first time in history. The agreement is the result of more than two years of collaboration on shared goals for carbon neutrality and the clean energy transition and will further propel Los Angeles to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035.
ED’s: Click here for photos. Click here to watch the press conference.
“The signing of this Letter of Intent with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland signifies bold steps to advance Los Angeles’ green transition and carbon neutrality goals, and with the current climate crisis, we know we need to take bold action” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The City of Los Angeles is grateful for our partnership with Finland as we continue to explore innovative ways to confront the climate crisis and strengthen business, investment, and green jobs in our region. To achieve our shared climate goals, we need to lock arms internationally to accelerate our progress.”
“This Letter of Intent lays the foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation between Finland and the City of Los Angeles, and is a concrete step towards achieving our carbon neutrality goals,” said Minister Ville Tavio. “Los Angeles is a forerunner in adopting innovative solutions and investing in renewable energy solutions. Finland is known as a pioneer of digital technology, smart mobility, and clean energy solutions. We have a lot to offer to and learn from each other.”
The Letter of Intent with the City of Los Angeles and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland includes four key areas for collaboration:
- Smart and Green Ports;
- Smart and Sustainable Mobility and Transit;
- Decarbonizing the Built Environment; and
- Renewable Energy and Grid Resiliency.
Within the past week, Mayor Bass announced that the City of Los Angeles captured 5 billion more gallons of stormwater in February 2024 than February 2023 and secured federal funding to increase composting practices, reduce food waste and continue building a greener Los Angeles. In addition, Los Angeles is leading the way on electrifying our transportation system, with the most electric vehicles and electric vehicle chargers of any metro area in the United States. Under Mayor Bass, hundreds of millions of dollars have been secured through locking arms with state and federal partners as Los Angeles continues to urgently lead on climate. Building on the work of former Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti, Mayor Bass has been able to deliver major investments as Los Angeles continues to lead the world on climate action.
Later today, Mayor Bass will join Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan at the Port of Los Angeles to highlight the critical investments that the EPA is making across our nation and efforts to stand together as we confront climate change while investing in our economy.
Read the full Letter of Intent below:
LETTER OF INTENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF FINLAND CONCERNING COOPERATION AND PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCELERATE THE GREEN TRANSITION TO ACHIEVE CARBON NEUTRALITY GOALS
The City of Los Angeles aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 or earlier and has ambitious sustainability goals regarding decarbonization, ensuring a just green transition and promoting job growth. The objective of the Finnish climate law is for Finland to be carbon-neutral by 2035.
As both the City of Los Angeles and Finland are leaders in the green transition, peer learning and collaboration between the Participants can further support and accelerate the innovation for identifying best practices and optimal solutions. The dialogue between the City of Los Angeles and Finland can also contribute positively to broader international climate cooperation.
This Letter of Intent formalizes our shared commitment to reach a carbon neutral society with sustainable and innovative solutions.
SCOPE OF COLLABORATION
The following key areas are listed here as a starting point for collaboration. The intent is to lay the foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation and expand into other areas related to the green transition to a carbon-neutral society over time. The transition also requires adopting circular economy principles and practices by reducing, reusing and recycling our limited natural resources.
1. Smart and Green Ports – Both Participants recognize the importance of transitioning towards sustainable port operations, reducing emissions, and promoting clean and efficient transportation logistics. Collaboration on sustainable ports can enable the Port of Los Angeles and Finland ports to remain competitive, facilitate both cargo and job growth, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet stringent local environmental standards. Areas of collaboration include environmental initiatives and sustainability efforts to lower overall emissions and greenhouse gasses from port operations that include vessels, terminal equipment, drayage trucks, tugboats and locomotives, and new sustainable fuels for port operations. Digital solutions to improve supply chain efficiency, logistics optimization, communication networks, assisting technologies, related software and cyber security.
2. Smart and Sustainable Mobility and Transit – Finland aims to share learnings and co-develop solutions to help solve the complex mobility challenges that Los Angeles faces. These solutions will leverage what has worked in the Nordic countries and might be adapted for the needs of Los Angeles. Areas of collaboration include intelligent transport technologies and services, zero emission vehicle services, EV charging solutions, 5G technology enabled assisting technologies and improved connectivity, and alternative fuels.
3. Decarbonizing the Built Environment – Recognizing that built environments are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, Finland and Los Angeles will work together to share effective strategies and policies aimed at decarbonizing the built environment. Areas of collaboration include retrofitting projects and sustainable and smart tools for design, circular economy, clean construction practices, life cycle analysis and carbon footprint assessment, and digitalization.
4. Renewable Energy and Grid Resiliency – For both Los Angeles and Finland to become carbon neutral, an intensive green transition to renewable energy is needed. Compared to fossil fuel energy production, zero emission renewable energy production is more versatile and thus may put pressure on grid resilience. Los Angeles has made significant investments in renewable energy technologies and has been ranked as the number one solar city in the United States. Finland has one of the most advanced smart grids in the world with smart grid functionalities such as load profiling, real time billing, demand response and distributed power generation. Both Participants aim to spearhead the adoption of green hydrogen solutions to their respective renewable energy needs. Areas of collaboration include advanced smart grids and hydrogen solutions for decarbonization.
MECHANISM OF COLLABORATION AND PEER LEARNING
The Participants intend to collaborate in the following manner:
- Share, as appropriate, information, research data and experiences on best practices, policies and regulations;
- Facilitate the development of direct contacts and partnerships between relevant public and private sector actors, with the aim of linking the innovation and business ecosystems of the City of Los Angeles and Finland;
- Encourage and promote dialogue, networking and cooperation between public agencies, ecosystems, companies and research organizations through visits, workshops, conferences, trade shows, meetings and other activities, which are mutually beneficial and accepted by both Participants;
- Participate in other arrangements that will allow collaboration of joint activities of mutual interest, like piloting and testbed cooperation and feasibility studies;
- Co-develop and support partnerships in creating ecosystems, introducing new business models, and public-private partnerships;
- Other forms of collaboration, when jointly agreed by Participants.
NON-BINDING
This Letter of Intent is a voluntary initiative that does not create any legally binding rights or obligations. The activities described in this Letter of Intent are not conditioned upon reciprocal actions by other Participants. Any Participant may, at any time, withdraw from this Letter of Intent by providing a written notice to the other Participants. This Letter of Intent will be construed and carried out in a manner consistent with all applicable laws, and is not intended to supersede local, federal, or international laws or obligations by which the Participants are bound.
DISPUTES
Any differences derived from the interpretation or application of this Letter of Intent will be resolved through discussion and negotiation.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Each Participant will bear its own expenses in connection with the preparation of the above-mentioned collaboration and peer learning. This Letter of Intent does not involve the exchange of funds, nor does it represent any obligation of funds by any Participant.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
To the extent permitted by law, Participants wishing to carry out joint research projects under this Letter of Intent will establish separate instruments to provide for the disposition of any intellectual property that might arise from such joint research projects.
DURATION, EFFECTIVE DATE AND DISCONTINUATION
This Letter of Intent will come into effect on the date of signature and will remain in effect for a period of five (5) years. The Letter of Intent can be renewed for successive five (5) year periods by mutual understanding of the Participants.
This Letter of Intent was signed in duplicate on _____________________, in Los Angeles, California, United States in the English language.
__________________________ ____________________________
For the City of Los Angeles, For the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Mayor Karen Bass of Finland, Minister Ville Tavio