Environment and energy
The task of environmental protection is to reduce the load on the environment and to prevent environmental pollution.
The aim is to have a positive impact on the state of the environment by acting as a permit and supervisory authority in the tasks prescribed by various laws, taking part in land-use and environmental planning and guidance concerning the municipality, issuing statements on matters within the sector, and participating as an expert in separate projects concerning the municipality.
Permits and notifications of the environmental protection authority
- environmental permits
- permits under the Off-Road Traffic Act
- notifications of short-term disturbing noise
- permits under the Land Extraction Act
- registrations and notifications generally related to the sector
You can find more information on environmental protection, permit matters, regulations and fees, as well as the necessary forms, on the website of the Central Savo Environmental Office.
You can find information on the environmental tasks and services of the ELY Centre and on the environmental and water permits of the Regional State Administrative Agencies from the Environmental Customer Service.
Climate programme 2025–2035
The Joroinen municipal council approved the update to the climate programme on 8 December 2025. The aim is an 80% emission reduction by 2035 compared with the 2007 level.
The original climate programme dates from 2021 and committed to supporting the objectives set in the Central Savo climate programme. The purpose of the update was to bring the municipality’s climate objectives up to date and to set out clear measures by which Joroinen aims to reach its goals.
According to calculations made by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), in 2023 Joroinen’s greenhouse gas emissions were 44.7 ktCO2e — emissions have fallen by about 40 per cent since 2007.
Emission reductions are pursued in particular by developing renewable energy production, through energy efficiency measures in the municipality’s own properties, and by supporting and encouraging residents to make sustainable choices. In Joroinen, solar energy production plays a significant role — although it does not directly reduce the municipality’s own emissions, it supports the transition away from fossil energy sources.
The priorities of the climate programme were set together with the climate working group with the support of the climate coordinator, and they were also developed together with the municipality’s other sectors. With the update, adaptation to climate change was made part of the programme. The whole municipal organisation takes part in implementing the climate measures — greater impact is sought through cooperation.
Climate programmes (pdf)
- Climate programme of the Municipality of Joroinen 2025–2035 (pdf)
- Central Savo regional climate programme 2025–2035 (pdf)
SISU project — climate cooperation of North Savo municipalities
In North Savo, extensive climate cooperation between municipalities and sub-regions has been launched, aiming to achieve the climate objectives and to embed climate work as part of the municipalities’ everyday work.
North Savo responds to the national climate objectives through a joint effort of 15 municipalities. Climate work is advanced in the participating municipalities with the help of the project “Embedding systematic climate work in North Savo” (SISU). From Central Savo, the project involves Joroinen, Leppävirta and Varkaus.
The aim of the project is to bring systematic climate work into the everyday life of municipal actors by providing support on how each person can take climate matters into account in their own work. One significant area of development is the procurements made by municipalities. In addition, the project develops the monitoring of climate matters and brings climate work into the municipalities’ financial management and decision-making.
Impact is sought through regional and inter-regional cooperation — climate work in the municipalities is carried forward by five regional climate coordinators. The City of Kuopio coordinates the group project, whose partial implementers are the City of Iisalmi, Navitas Kehitys Oy and the development company SavoGrow Oy. The project is funded by the participating municipalities and by the Regional Council of North Savo from the European Regional Development Fund.
Land extraction permits
The extraction of land resources for purposes other than one’s own household use requires a permit under the Land Extraction Act. The Land Extraction Act applies to the extraction of rock, gravel, sand, clay and topsoil for transport away or for storage or processing on site, unless:
- the extraction of resources is extraction based on the Mining Act (503/65)
- it is the extraction and use of resources detached in connection with construction, when the operation is based on a permit granted or a plan approved by an authority
- it is extraction of resources in a water area for which a permit from the water court is required under the Water Act (264/61)
The permit authority under the Land Extraction Act in the Municipality of Joroinen is the Central Savo Environmental Committee. The preparation and supervision related to permits is carried out by the environmental secretary.
In addition to a land extraction permit, the activity also requires an environmental permit under the Environmental Protection Decree when the extraction involves:
- a quarry or rock extraction other than that related to earthworks, in which rock material is processed for at least 50 days
- a fixed crushing plant or a movable crushing plant placed in a particular area whose total operating time is at least 50 days a year
An environmental permit must also be applied for even for less extensive activity if the activity is located in an important groundwater area or another groundwater area suitable for water supply use and the activity may cause a risk of groundwater pollution.
Energy advice
Residents, housing companies, SMEs and municipalities in the North Savo region can receive free and impartial energy advice from Motiva’s energy advice for consumers.
The regional energy advice for North Savo provided by the Energy Authority ended on 30 April 2025 — the service was provided by the City of Kuopio.
