We study environmental changes on a broad scale and search for ways to solve environmental problems. We confront significant environmental questions such as climate change and the sufficiency of natural resources. The interaction of nature, the environment, and people is at the epicentre of our work. We anticipate future events and we dare try new solutions. We work in numerous domestic and international networks together with decision-makers, companies, local authorities, and citizens.
We are searching for fair paths toward a carbon-neutral and resource-efficient society. We produce innovations for slowing climate change and adapting to it. We support practical climate work in municipalities and regions by producing evaluations of emission development and by spreading information on good practices.
We evaluate the sustainability of the circular economy and study the opportunities, challenges, and methods for guiding the transition to a circular economy. We support the development and introduction of new circular economy solutions. We research the sustainable and safe use of natural resources over the entire life cycle of goods and services. We examine the possibilities of the circular economy in the different sectors of the economy.
We produce up-to-date information on changes in urban infrastructure and evaluate the performance of the policy instruments. We develop new tools for the analysis of the built environment and anticipate its future development paths. We affect how the public sector and corporations make decisions, thereby influencing the everyday lives of the citizens. Our strengths include extensive information assets and services.
Our research on nature produces information both for the implementation and monitoring of the EU's Bird Directive and Habitat Directive and as a basis for societal ecosystem service and climate change reports. Our goal is to improve the state of weakened living environments - especially forest and swamp biotopes. We promote the introduction of ecological compensation. We participate in the implementation of international agreements, such as the biodiversity and CITES treaties.
We examine the impact that human activity has on the Baltic Sea. Our goal is to keep organic carbon and nutrients in the soil and in the forests. We promote the recycling of nutrients and plastics as a way of improving the state of the Baltic Sea and waterways. We serve as experts in the implementation of different domestic and international laws and agreements. We cooperate with Estonia and Russia for the good of the marine environment of the Gulf of Finland. Our work also extends to Arctic sea areas and developing countries.
We see internal waterways and ground water as a single unit along with the Baltic Sea. We monitor the amount, status and changes of water and develop solutions for the use, management, and protection of water resources. We use a national water system model to produce real time water status predictions. We develop tools for managing floods, among other things. We support decision-making on questions related to waters.
We follow changes taking place in the state of the environment. We update the management of environmental information to support knowledge-based decision-making. We help decision-makers in paying more heed to the value of environmental information. We apply developed and effective methods, such as deep learning, complex optimisation, and artificial intelligence to accelerate the utilisation of knowledge. We also support the better use of knowledge produced by citizens in society.
Societal change
We tackle society’s sustainability transformation with social sciences and interdisciplinary research. We research and develop the dialogue between science, politics and society and its impact. We look at the guidance, information politics and transformation paths of sustainability transformation as well as changing agency and just transition.
More information
research director
Eeva Primmer
Finnish Enviroment Institute (Syke)
firstname.lastname@syke.fi