The mining industry is often connected to polarized emotional responses. It evokes hopes for a better future while causing worries over environmental harm or resource depletion. Mining development changes local relations with the landscape but also forms new connections between humans and resources. My postdoctoral project at Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) focuses on stone mining as an important element of human – landscape connections in two indigenous communities in Northern Russia and Siberia. It sheds light on how mining gets embedded in affective bonds between humans and landscape and becomes a part of local sustainability discourses.
Continue reading “Engaging with extraction: stone mining as a part of indigenous emotional landscape”How Citizens Create Value for the Circular Economy
Finland’s Circular Economy Roadmap emphasizes that all actors have a role to play: including governments, municipalities, businesses and citizens. While there is a lot of discussion about how businesses can transform their products and services for the circular economy (CE), and what municipalities could do to encourage more circular patterns, citizens’ potential to contribute to the CE does not get as much attention.
Continue reading “How Citizens Create Value for the Circular Economy”Climate-friendly meat: A nuanced approach to climate-savvy beef consumption
“These data show the need to clearly distinguish among different livestock systems when promoting dietary change as a tool to fight against climatic change.”
Bringing up a sustainability science institute – HELSUS turning 3 years
University of Helsinki established the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science aka HELSUS on 1st January 2018, so we are now three years in operation. This age as a child would mean passing through temper tantrums and gaining more independence.
Continue reading “Bringing up a sustainability science institute – HELSUS turning 3 years”Multidisciplinary insights into Arctic matters
A panel discussion held on December 10th gathered together Arctic area experts and students of University of Helsinki. The remote event was organized as a part of “Multidisciplinary environmental research – disciplinary perspectives to environmental questions” -course and the topic and the questions were chosen by its students. The panel discussion was hosted by Hannele Pokka, Professor of Practice at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, and the guests included several Arctic area specialists: Nina Brander (Secretary General of the Arctic Advisory Board, PM’s Office), Timo Koivurova (Research Professor, Director of Arctic Institute, University of Lapland), Atte Korhola (Professor of Environmental Change, University of Helsinki) and Reetta Toivanen (Professor of Sustainability Science, HELSUS). Here are some of the main takeaways of the event.
Continue reading “Multidisciplinary insights into Arctic matters”