Session Descriptions

Here you can find the detailed description for every session in the conference. Soon you will also be able to see the titles and authors for each abstract and/or the speakers in each session.
Pre-Conference Day, May 23, 2023, 11:00-13:00 EEST

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 11:00-13:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus Juhlasali (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Workshop is organized by the multidisciplinary Teachers for Sustainability (TfS) Network, University of Helsinki

Keywords: higher education, anthropocene, teaching, climate anxiety, Agenda 2030

One-liner: Sustainability has been facing criticism due sustainability agendas not fitting non-western conceptulizations of welbeing - how to navigate these tensions in general education and higher education?

Everyone wants to make the world sustainable. But the concept of sustainability has faced criticisms: sustainability has been considered tokenistic, with Agenda 2030 stickers that can be slapped on virtually any project or endeavor. Sustainability has been considered colonial, forcing Western conceptualizations of wellbeing on communities that already had their own, likely more sustainable, conceptions based on their place-based knowledge and reciprocal multispecies relations. In the Finnish media, the criticisms have sparked a lively debate recently on the role of general education and higher education either as a contributor to “slightly more sustainable economic growth” or a driver of a sustainability transformation.  

Many teachers are feeling these tensions in their own work. How should we teach sustainability, when sustainability challenges are so big that they call into question the root foundations of our society? How to maintain optimism and avoid nihilism and climate anxiety in the anthropocene?  

This session is a venue for sharing experiences, feelings and concerns about these questions. All teachers, students, researchers and sustainability stakeholders are welcome to discuss and bring up their concerns. 

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 11:00-13:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

This workshop is targeted at all early-career researchers at the conference. The idea of the workshop is to give you an overview of how to pitch your research to the audience, make it fun and accessible, and how to be comfortable on stage.

We are super excited to be joined by the The Science Basement (TSB) team to learn more about science communication. TSB is a group of scientists-in-training who are passionate about science communication. They support researchers in communicating their work, and aim to show how good communication skills can make you a better researcher. They repeatedly hold science communication workshops, activities and events in collaboration with the University of Helsinki units and the City of Helsinki venues. 

The workshop will be held on May 23, 2023 from 11-13 EEST at University of Helsinki's City Centre Campus, exact room location tba. Please note that participation in this workshop requires completing a pre-assignment which will be sent to you directly if you submit an "expression of interest" in this workshop during your conference registration. Please note that space is limited in this workshop and preference will be given to doctoral researchers and early career scholars. 

Preliminary agenda (subject to change)

  • An icebreaker 
  • How to improve your public speaking?
    • The art of storytelling + practice exercise
    • Confidence on stage and speech delivery techniques + improvisation activity
  • How to make visually appealing slides? 
    • Basics of visual storytelling and design + discussion activity in groups 

The workshop was made possible with the following materials: 

  • Gallo, C. (2014). Talk like TED: the 9 public speaking secrets of the world's top minds. Pan Macmillan.
  • Illingworth, S., & Allen, G. (2020). Effective Science Communication: A practical guide to surviving as a scientist. IOP Publishing.
  • Olson, R. (2015). Houston, we have a narrative. In Houston, We Have a Narrative. University of Chicago Press.

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 11:00-13:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Chair: Julia Sundman / Doctoral Candidate / Aalto University School of Engineering / Water & Development Research Group

Co-chair: Matleena Muhonen / Academic Coordinator / EDUCase Platform / Aalto University

This EDUCase workshop session invites faculty members, researchers, and students from all fields of higher education. The session also welcomes stakeholders from civil society (CSO, NGO), government and industry and business community.

The session will focus on the global problem-based (PBL) or case-based and challenge-based educational models as instruments of equal engagement and means to achieve structural change in inter-university and inter-cultural knowledge creation setting, overcoming North-South barriers. The session is active and participatory with facilitated dialogue between faculty members, partners, mentors and students who are involved in the multicultural inter- and transdisciplinary student cases. The audience is expected to join in the discussion tables.

11:00 ARRIVAL & INTRO

Participants are guided to four discussion tables hosted by EDUCase project representatives with students and invited mentors.

Introduction of the workshop structure and short presentation providing a viewpoint to the topic through research on PBL and how to support transformative learning by the session Chair.

11:20 FACILIATATED TABLE DISCUSSIONS

Four tables with four EDUCase projects represented. The table facilitators are asked to prepare a short intro of the pedagogical model in their own EDUCase project. The EDUCase projects are used as cases in the table discussions. Each table will have 1 table facilitator, minimum of 1 student, preferably also 1 mentor and/or 1 teacher, and 2-6 conference guests or other invitees. The overall session is facilitated by Julia Sundman.

Table 1 5G-FBEEE seasonal school model

  • Host: Antti Pinomaa, Associate professor, LUT University, 5G-FBEEE
  • Student: Oana Iliescu, Aalto AVP (student case in Zambia)
  • Mentor: Tandi Lwonga, College of Business Education CBE, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Table 2 ECCR course series and teaching network

  • Host: Denis Dobrynin, Researcher, Environmental collaboration and conflict resolution teaching network ECCR, University of Eastern Finland UEF, Finland
  • Student: Viriyaroj Bhattarbhop, Aalto SGT (student case in Bhutan)
  • Mentors: Kamuti Mulonda, Lecturer, UNZA Dept. of Agricultural Engineering, Zambia and Jacqueline Obeng, Lecturer, Sunyani Technical University, PhD Candidate, KNUST, Ghana

Table 3 Experience Design Education

  • Host: Yong Se Kim, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director, Turku Design Studio, University of Turku, Finland
  • Student: Anna Müller, Aalto SSE (student case in Zambia)
  • Mentors: Kasheshi Makena, Specialist, Global Music, Sibelius Academy, Uniarts, Finland and Ubaldus J. Tumaini, College of Business Education CBE, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Table 4 Post-master programme and lifewide learning

  • Host: Anahita Rashidfarokhi, Aalto University, WiT Programme
  • Student:  Angelina Arial, Aalto SGT
  • Mentors: Samuel Akinwamide, post-doc researcher, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Aalto University, Finland and Irmeli Mustalahti, professor, University of Eastern Finland UEF

This session invites EDUCase network member institutions to join with their own research and educational cases and projects implemented under the EDUCase framework. All EDUCase projects are promoting inter- and transdisciplinary actions in a multistakeholder and multicultural environment with partners from Finnish and Global South HEIs.

Read more about the EDUCase Network here.

 

Pre-Conference Day, May 23, 2023, 15:15-16:45 EEST

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus Juhlasali (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Friederike Lüpke, University of Helsinki; Jules Mansaly, University of the Gambia; Eeva Sippola, University of Helsinki

One Liner: This session focuses on innovative methods for multilingual education that overcome exclusion created through the selection of a small number of languages and create sustainable multilingual societies through incorporating decolonial ideas of language pro

Keywords: sustainable multilingual societies, (trans)languaging, inclusive multilingual education, decolonisation of language

Session Description: Inclusive and democratic societies can only function if their members can communicate successfully and feel valued. Creating inclusive societies thriving in and sustaining diversity is thus one of the greatest and most complicated tasks facing the world today. Education systems based on a selection of languages and on teaching languages in standard languages only systematically exclude many members of society from access to education and civic participation. This holds in particular for postcolonial societies, in which the former colonial languages still occupy the monopoly but also applies to nation states in the Global North in which internal diversity in indigenous languages and languages of migration is not reflected in language policies. Attempts at incorporating multilingual policies across the globe so far have been focused on selecting additional languages per region, locality or school. These approaches do not result in truly inclusive multilingual practices, since they fail to do justice to the full linguistic and cultural complexity of spaces. In addition, they face complex problems of implementation and lacking social, linguistic and economic resources.

In this session, we focus on sustainable methods to enrich multilingual teaching programmes in the formal and informal educational sectors that are not based on a selection of languages but aim at nurturing learners’ full linguistic repertoires. Many of these programmes endorse (trans)languaging visions of language inspired by decolonial philosophy in Latin America and South Africa.

Key questions:

  • How can sustainable multilingual societies be supported through inclusive educational programmes? What alternatives to multilingual programmes based on the selection of a small number of languages exist?
  • What are the challenges in integrating (trans)languaging programmes and methods into standard-language based education?
  • Which approaches originating in the Global South can be transferred to multilingual societies in the Global North?

This panel discussion includes the following panelists (in addition to the conveners):

  • Maria Arzadon, University of the Philippines, Diliman (online)
  • Guido Barrios, Fundación Yvy Marãe’ỹ, Paraguay (online)
  • Caroline Juillard, Université Paris 1 (in person)

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location: U35, room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Tuulia Kiilavuori, JAMK University of Applied Science; Kaija Peuna-Korpioja, JAMK University of Applied Science; Selome Fantahun, Dean, Civil Technology Faculty, Federal Democracy Republic of Ethiopia Technical and vocational Training Institute; Ruma Manandhar, Assistant Professor, Nepal Open University, Faculty of Social Sciences and Education

One Liner: Insights into managerial practices of sustainable multinational capacity building projects in HE.

Keywords: capacity building, managerial practices, education ecosystem

Session Description: The expertise of Finnish higher education (HE) institutions is currently in demand in capacity building projects that aim to develop educational institutions and eventually the sustainability of entire educational ecosystems in Asian and African countries. Such projects require that higher education institutions and experts from diverse national education systems join multinational ecosystems to co-develop the sustainability of a country's education ecosystem. They align with Finland’s goals to offer its expertise in education to jointly solve the global learning crisis with other countries.   It is important to evaluate how multinational capacity building projects can contribute to systemic transformations of education in local education ecosystems to create a sustainable future. This workshop focuses on the managerial practices that facilitate multinational collaboration aiming for a sustainable development of the education ecosystems of countries that are severely hit by the learning crisis.  We are practitioners with experience of five large capacity building projects in HE in African and Asian countries, including a structural project with actors from different levels of a local education system. In the workshop we invite participants to reflect on the impact of multinational capacity projects’ managerial practices on a sustainable development of a local education system. We explore the roles of the actors in multinational ecosystems aiming for structural change in a country’s education ecosystem and hope to gain fresh insights into the approaches of higher education institutions to sustainable multinational collaboration.

Please click here for more biographical information about the session conveners. 

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Higher education partnerships as a tool to achieve an equal knowledge base on sustainability transformations between North and South

Presentations x 3, 10 min each [30 min] | Fireside chat [60 min]

This session invites the core researchers from the EDUCase projects and partnering institutions. The paper presentations are followed by a fireside chat to gain insights into the speaker’s personal stories and thoughts moderated by the chair. Audience is welcome to participate in the discussion.

Chair:

Dr. Anahita Rashidfarokhi, WiT Programme, Aalto University

Presenters and fireside chat panelists:

  • Dr. Ubaldus J. Tumaini, college of business education, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Prof. Irmeli Mustalahti, University of Eastern Finland, ECCR teaching network
  • Kamuti Mulonda, Lecturer, The University of Zambia, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
  • Dr. Daniel Chrisendo, post-doc researcher, Aalto University, Water & Development Research Group
  • Kasheshi Makena, Specialist, Global Music, Sibelius Academy, Uniarts, Finland

*the programme is subject to change

The aims in the EDUCase sessions are to highlight the higher education partnerships and transdisciplinary actions as a tool to achieve an equal ground for reflection and common knowledge base on sustainability transformations both in North and South. The focus will be on in-depth research questions on achieving structural change in inter-university and inter-cultural knowledge creation.

This session invites EDUCase network member institutions to join with their own research and educational cases and projects implemented under the EDUCase framework. All EDUCase projects are promoting inter- and transdisciplinary actions in a multistakeholder and multicultural environment with partners from Finnish and Global South HEIs.

Read more about the EDUCase Network here.

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Tiina Taipale, Sykli Environmental School of Finland and Aalto University; Eveliina Asikainen, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK); Erkka Laininen, The OKKA Foundation for Teaching, Education and Personal Development

One Liner: Creating solutions to systemic sustainability challenges through enhancing co-operation between sustainability researchers and vocational education practitioners

Keywords: vocational education, sustainability education, greening professions, agency, sustainability research

Session Description: On average, 50% of young Europeans aged 15-19 participate in Initial Vocational Educational and Training (VET) at upper secondary level after finishing compulsory school. Continuing VET takes place after initial education and offers a way to upgrade skills while working or when changing one’s career. As Vocational Education and Training educates practitioners to all vocational fields in co-operation with working life organizations, it forms an important arena through which insights from sustainability research could be spread to professional communities and future professionals. VET is also an arena where sustainability competences and green skills, required in sustainability transformations, could be built (Asnawi &  Djatmiko 2015; McGrath & Powell 2015). However, this arena might be underused, as Vocational Education and Training is unknown to many academics.

  • The aim of this session is to invite researchers and organizers of VET to discuss how to incorporate research on sustainability into VET:
  • How could academic knowledge and new research findings on systemic sustainability challenges and solutions be turned into action through VET-trained professionals working in different professional fields?
  • How could research findings on sustainability education (for example EU GreenComp framework) be turned into pedagogical practices that promote agency for sustainability in VET?
  • What forms and models of co-operation already exist between Universities and VET schools?
  • How could VET practitioners and researchers together foster systemic understanding and future-oriented learning on how sustainability questions are linked to renewing professionalism and professional practices in different fields?

This session is structured around solutions- oriented panel discussions. We invite abstracts from VET educators experienced in turning academic research into practice in vocational education and pedagogy. We also welcome abstracts from researchers interested in sharing their research findings with educators working in vocational education. We also invite practical hands-on examples. The session chairs will form panels around the themes that emerge from the abstracts.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Vocational trainings for rural agriculture sustainability" by Dheeraj Singh, Principal scientist and head
  • Concrete tools for transforming academic findings into practical skills of VET students" by Ulla-Maija Knuutti, Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu HAMK; Satu Määttänen, Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu
  • Bridging the gap between scholary discussions and VET teacher’s daily work – findings from EduSTA project" by Liisa Marttila, Tampere University of Applied Sciences; Eveliina Asikainen, TAMK; Outi Rantanen, TAMK
  • How to prepare for non-existent jobs? Anticipating the needs of future professionals in the Una Europa Joint Bachelor in Sustainability" by Piotr Szwedo, Jagiellonian University in Kraków / Una Europa Pilot Lead of Joint Bachelor in Sustainability; Bernhard Reischl, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, University of Helsinki; Laura Riuttanen, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, University of Helsinki; Ditte Taipale, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research; Lena Helińska, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
  • VET in solving food sustainability – cases on Finnish agriculture education" by Susanna Lahnamäki-Kivelä, AgriHubi / Natural resources Institute Finland; Hanna-Mari, Laitala, Division Manager at Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia
  • Professional competencies for advancing climate change action in society" by Marianne Santala, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), University of Helsinki; Joula Siponen, INAR, University of Helsinki

Date: May 23, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus 115 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Convener: Ville Tahvanainen, University of Eastern Finland

One Liner: Highlighting the pedagogy of escape games with insight into the easy practical implementation of escape games in physical and virtual environments.

Keywords: escape games, pedagogy, sustainability, education

Session Description: The training introduces the pedagogy of escape games as well as easy practical implementations for physical and virtual environments. The participants get to play a short virtual model game and consider the applicability of the method to their own teaching content on sustainability themes.

After the training, the participant:

  • can describe the basics of escape game pedagogy
  • apply different sustainability escape game elements to classroom and virtual teaching of sustainable development

The convener of this training session is Ville Tahvanainen, a project researcher working at the University of Eastern Finland, who has, among other things, been designing the globally unique Sm4rt LOC escape game laboratory, held numerous trainings and workshops on the topic and conducted research on the topic. As a teacher trainer, he has developed a pedagogical teaching method in several different projects. He was nominated as a UEF - Excellent Teaching Practitioner in 2022 by implementing escape game pedagogy in various context.

If you want to check out material related to the training topic, check out, https://uef.fi/pakopelikasikirja (log in as a guest, in Finnish) and project website for the Sm4rt LOC Escape Game Laboratory https://sites.uef.fi/sm4rtloc.

Parallel Session 1, May 24, 2023, 11-12:30 EEST

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Sok&Com, Festal (Snellmansgatan 12)

Conveners: Janne Halme, Aalto University; Hanna Paulomäki, Aalto University; Mika Järvinen, Aalto University; Karri Liikkanen, Aalto University

One Liner: Can we imagine a future where energy production is restoring nature?

Keywords: nature inclusive design, nature-based solutions, wildlife friendly, conservation compatible, ecocentrism, eco-restorative energy systems

Session Description: Nature is facing an unprecedented challenge, as our current systems of energy production and consumption are causing a decline in biodiversity and natural systems. This forces us to question the current way of living and re-imagine, for instance, our energy systems and create a future where energy production not only meets our needs but also restores and enhances nature.

In this student-led session, participants will have the opportunity to hear from three student groups from Aalto University's Multidisciplinary Energy Perspectives course, as they present their innovative solutions and pathways towards nature-positive energy systems. These presentations will provide a fresh perspective on the topic, and inspire the audience to think about energy production in a new way.

Nature-positive in the context of designing future energy systems means creating systems that not only meet our energy needs but also enhance and restore the natural environment. It involves considering the impacts of energy production on biodiversity and natural systems and actively working to minimize negative impacts and promote positive ones. It also involves valuing and comparing the different effects, considering environmental ethics and multispecies perspectives, and envisioning a future where energy production has a positive impact on nature. The ultimate goal is to create an energy system that enables us to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions while also promoting the restoration and enhancement of nature.

The session will be divided into two parts. First, the student groups will present on the following topics:

  • The effects of energy production on nature and biodiversity and how these impacts are assessed and evaluated. How big are the effects and can the methods evaluate positive effects?
  • The values and significance of different effects, including ethical considerations and multispecies perspectives. What is acceptable harm and what is not? How to design for other species?
  • Nature-positive energy technology, including current solutions and potential future developments. Can we imagine it? What might exist now, in 10 years, or 100 years from now?

The second part of the session will be a panel discussion led by the students, featuring invited experts in the field. This will be an opportunity for participants to engage in a deeper discussion, ask questions and gain a new perspective on the topic. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear from the next generation of leaders in the field, and be inspired by their innovative solutions to create a more sustainable future. Join us and be a part of shaping a future where energy production restores and enhances nature.

Panelists in this Session:

  • Heini Kujala, University Researcher at Finnish Natural History Museum (LUOMUS)
  • Tere Vadén, BIOS Research Unit
  • Anne Quarshie, Assistant Professor, Biodiversity and Business, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku
  • Mikael Hilden, Professor, Climate Change Programme, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

Student Project Team, Aalto University: Karri Liikkanen, Gargi, Anna Niemilä, Clara Prêcheur Llarena, Lotta Ansas

Click here for bio information for the conveners, panelists, and student project team.

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Susa Eräranta, Aalto University; Kaisa-Reeta Koskinen, City of Helsinki

One Liner: The session revisits the scientific foundations of small-scale actions in time of climate emergency when the effectiveness of actions and planning for survival would need to be prioritized.

Keywords: climate emergency, effectiveness, climate actions, planning for survival

Session Description: Time is running out. Rapid and effective climate mitigation actions are needed to reach the targets in time and ensure planetary liveability also for future generations. In essence, we need to be planning for survival. However, on all scales, we are continuously falling short not only of the set climate targets, but also of the willingness to act on them. Instead of focusing on the need for effective actions, public discourse is largely focused on empowering engagement and small-scale consumer actions. Hence, the aim of the session is to revisit the scientific foundations of small-scale actions in the age of climate emergency: with limited time and resources, do we still have time to focus on small-scale actions?

The needed transformative change requires transdisciplinary knowledge and systemic understanding. Research has suggested that awareness raising, and nudging are not effective enough to reach the set targets, but may even reduce the support for taking more effective policies. The focus of the session is on addressing the intrinsic mismatch between the enormity and transdisciplinarity of the climate emergency – and the smallness and sporadicity of the publicly discussed actions.

The session welcomes paper presentations both from scholars and practitioners. Especially contributions that critically review the scientific foundations of the effectiveness of small-scale actions, and the resistance of acknowledging the need for effectiveness are welcomed.  Questions relateted to the theme of the session include: In the age of climate emergency, do small-scale actions lead to rapid and effective enough outcomes? Are the small-scale actions founded on bringing short-term satisfaction to current generations – or towards the actual long-term survival of the planet and its species? What generates the resistance to focus on the effectiveness of actions to enable the needed emissions reductions within the set timeframe? Based on what evidence should we continue to focus on small-scale actions - or should we focus on something else instead? Is there evidence of lasting behavioral change and how has it been monitored after the campaigns etc.? With limited time and resources, what kind of small-scale actions should be considered based on scientific evidence, if any?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  •   “The transformativity of practices: How to understand the making of societal transformations through a focus on everyday practices" by Taru Lehtokunnas, Tampere University
  • Living sustainability: Reflections on the value of everyday practices" by Iana Nesterova, Aalto University
  • The prospect of education for sustainable development ameliorating specific abiotic factors in the environment: A Finnish case study" by Matthew Tessitore, Independent Researcher

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Metsätalo, Sali 6 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Minna Santaoja, University of Eastern Finland; Aino-Kaisa Koistinen, University of Helsinki

One Liner: The session addresses the multiple entanglements of culture, art and sustainability.

Keywords: culture, art, cultural transformation, values, habits, worldviews

Session Description: In discussions on sustainability transition, fundamental cultural transformation is often called for. But what does ‘culture’ refer to in these discussions, and what is its relationship to sustainability? Culture is an elusive and multidimensional concept. It may be defined as the general process of intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic development; a particular way of life of a people, a period, a group, or humanity in general, or the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activity (Williams 1985). Culture is also commonly used to refer to visual and fine arts, literature, music, theater, architecture, films, games, concerts, performances, and the like. A single cultural production may or may not have a large environmental footprint, and it also may or may not communicate important messages for sustainability. Culture encompasses also habits, lifestyles, ways of organizing work, traditions, beliefs, values, societal norms, and worldviews that can be more or less sustainable.

In this working group we are interested in thinking about the relationship between culture (in its many forms outlined above) and sustainability.

  • How to conceptualize it fruitfully?
  • What kind of leverage do cultural practices have in sustainable transformation?
  • Are we in need of cultural transformation, or does culture already contain transformative potential?

We invite both theoretical and empirical analyses as well as artistic/activist contributions drawing from cultural practices. We want to keep the hybrid option open for the sake of accessibility but wish that participants would attend in person when possible.

Key questions to be addressed in the session:

  • What kind of cultural analyses and practices are needed for sustainability?
  • What kind of sustainability knowledge is produced in cultural practices and through cultural productions and representations?
  • How can culture in its many forms (i.e. art, performances, habits, values…) foster action for sustainability?
  • What kinds of cultural changes are needed as part of sustainability transformation?
  • How to transform cultural productions towards more sustainable practices (i.e. greening digital culture)?
  • What sort of cultural policies are needed for sustainability transformation?
  • Can culture in its many forms maintain hope for sustainable futures or shake our conceptions and worldviews?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Ecologically engaged mire art as a transformative tool: case study on constructing respectful human-mire-relationship" by Pauliina Latvala-Harvilahti, University of Eastern Finland
  • CreaTures Laboratory: Experimental Contributions to Sustainability-oriented Cultural Transformations" by Marketa Dolejsova, Aalto university; Andrea Botero, Aalto university; Tuuli Mattelmäki,Aalto university
  • Culture and environmental sustainability" by Panu Itkonen, Arctic Centre University of Lapland
  • Situating Permaculture in Fictionalizing Tierra Traumatic Experience in Nuclear Fiction" by Inna Häkkinen, Helsinki Environmental Humanities Hub,   University of Helsinki / Köszeg IASK

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, Juhlasali (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Alexander Engelmann, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business; Daniela Ortiz, FHWien University of Applied Sciences for Management and Communication, Barbara Kump, University of Twente

One Liner: Accelerating the Sustainability Transition in the Private Sector

Keywords: acceleration, sustainability transition, strategy, business models

Session Description: Despite rising societal, political, and economic awareness to stop the climate change crisis and to promote the transition towards a sustainable future, scientists now call for an acceleration of adaption and mitigation action at all levels (IPCC, 2022). Acceleration means more rapidly creating transformative change, i.e., “global and disruptive change affecting whole systems and interactions between systems” (Markard et al., 2020, p. 2). Although corporations are main contributors to climate change and resource depletion, they struggle to accelerate strategies for adaption and mitigation. From business strategy and organization studies we know that some of the reasons behind this struggle are that corporations may translate sustainability into business-as-usual, prioritizing short-term wins that contradict climate action (Wright et al., 2017); incorporate and rapidly evade stakeholder critique and pressure, thereby avoiding making changes to business models (Ferns & Amaeshi, 2021); and even they “strategically protect their privileged position” to maintain their status-quo (Johnstone et al., 2017, p. 148). At the same time, corporations are imperative to shape sustainability transitions through market and technology innovation (Sachs et al., 2019), but we yet don’t know enough about how and when corporations will accelerate adaption and mitigation to address the urgency of sustainability transitions.

To facilitate broad discussions, we welcome both conceptual and empirical submissions, covering diverse industries and contexts, and including a variety of theories and methods. Some of the questions that the submissions may address include:

  • What are levers (e.g., capabilities, business models) that drive acceleration of sustainability transitions in the private sector?
  • How do corporations reallocate resources to achieve acceleration? 
  • How can intersectoral collaboration accelerate systems change?
  • How do strategizing practices like open strategy help corporations address grand challenges like climate change?
  • How can systems thinking be integrated into corporations’ strategizing?
  • How do digital technologies accelerate sustainability transitions?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Communicating the positive environmental impacts– user experiences of carbon handprint" by Anni Tuppura, LUT University; Katariina Palomäki VTT; Kaisa Grönman LUT University; Satu Pätäri LUT University; Saija Vatanen VTT; Risto Soukka LUT University
  • Regulating CCU Value Chains: going beyond the silos of environmental law" by Emilie Yliheljo, University of Helsinki, Helsus; Tiina Paloniitty, University of Helsinki, Helsus; Kai Kokko, University of Helsinki, Helsus
  • Can the Reflexive Law Method be an Accelerator for the Transition to Sustainable Business Models?" by Li Yuan, University of Helsinki
  • How circular business model innovation reorganizes economic value flows in ecosystems? A multiple-case study" by Jenni Kaipainen, Tampere university; Linnea Harala, Tampere university; Mikko Sairanen, Tampere university; Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, Tampere university; Llewellyn Thomas, IESE Business school Barcelona
  • Stakeholder engagement in developing sustainable business" by Katariina, Palomäki, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland; Marinka, Lanne, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Julia Lohmann, Aalto University; İdil Gaziulusoy, Aalto University; Gloria Lauterbach, Aalto University; Claudia Viviana López-Alfaro, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); Hamidreza Eizadi, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Ricardo Da Silva Torres, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); Ute Besenecker, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

One Liner: The “how” of multispecies sustainability

Keywords: multispecies sustainability; more-than-human; knowledge co-creation; design; engineering; planning

Session Description: Sustainability transformations research has been ongoing for a few decades however the pace and depth of change in societal systems have been insufficient  while the urgency of change is ever increasing. The anthropocentric perspective of dominant theories and practices have been challenged and framed as one of the significant barriers in front of achieving structural change. Recently, there has been increasing emphasis on adopting a multispecies perspective in sustainability science, expanding the scope of discussions on how to address biodiversity crisis and assure climate justice while transitioning to sustainable futures. Multispecies sustainability, while a concept with great promise and allure, brings to surface a myriad of questions, particularly in regards to implementation in engineering, design and planning disciplines. These questions cannot be addressed within disciplinary knowledge domains and require interdisciplinary inquiry with input from natural sciences (including but not limited to ecology, climate science, and conservation biology), design, planning and engineering disciplines (for example, urban design, urban and regional planning, landscape architecture and agricultural engineering), and social sciences and (post-)humanities (for example environmental psychology, anthropology, philosophy and cultural studies) for creating breakthrough new knowledge. In this paper session we invite theoretical and empirical contributions from interdisciplinary teams that study multispecies sustainability from a perspective of real-life implementation. The contributions may be in the form of new theoretical frameworks that conceptualise implementation of multispecies sustainability, new methods of multispecies design/engineering/planning, and, implementation of experiments and case studies.  In this session, contributions are expected that deal with questions including but not limited to:

  • What implications do weak and strong anthropocentrism have on implementation of multispecies sustainability in socio-technical-ecological system transformations?
  • What kind of decision-making frameworks are needed to identify and consider multispecies in implementation contexts?
  • What are the current limits of natural scientific knowledge and epistemologies and how to overcome these?
  • What role creative and artistic knowledge could play in influencing cultural value systems towards adopting multispecies perspectives?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “Walking in Biodiverse Times" by And Pasley, University of Oulu
  • “Role of Red list assessments in leveraging transformative changes in Finland" by Anni Arponen, Tampere University; Anna Salomaa, University of Helsinki
  • Co-Creating the definition of “sustainability in Agriculture Water Management” using Delphi Survey" by Bishal Dahal, University of Oulu; Tamara Avellan;Ali Torabi Haghighi; Björn Klöve; University of Oulu
  • "Balancing Internal and External Perspectives on More-Than-Human Design" by Anton Poikolainen Rosén, Aalto University
  • "Multispecies framework in interdisciplinary research environment, mistakes, learning and challenges. Case NorDark research project" by Claudia Viviana Lopez Alfaro, NTNU, Norway 

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Tiina Onkila, University of Jyväskylä; Ville Uusitalo, LUT University; Natasha Järviö, LUT University; Marileena Mäkelä, University of Jyväskylä

One Liner: This session will enlighten complex interlinkages between business and biodiversity and share understanding on how businesses can contribute to tackling biodiversity crisis

Keywords: biodiversity, sustainable business, practices, indicators, reporting, leadership

Session Description: Within the current biodiversity crisis, a growing number of businesses are committed to reduce their biodiversity impacts. Some are even striving to become nature positive, thereby aiming to reverse the current decline in biodiversity and aid in the recovery of ecosystems. This interest has led to an increased occurrence of biodiversity-related targets into company reporting and sustainability strategies. However, there still is a lack of knowledge and know-how within businesses on how to assess biodiversity impacts in quantitative metrics. This hinders the assessment of how different businesses impact biodiversity and what they can do in practice to reduce their biodiversity impacts. In addition, current available methods that quantify biodiversity-related impacts are incomplete and too often focus only on land-use related impacts, thereby potentially leading to erroneous conclusions. This session will focus on interlinkages between biodiversity and business from multiple perspectives. We welcome all presentations that e.g., focus on analyses of current sustainability strategies and reports, providing information on linkages between business operations and biodiversity impacts and on case studies and methodological developments related to quantitative biodiversity metrics.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “Natural Capital Accounting: Measuring the Biodiversity Footprint of products and Organizations" by Ira Bhattarai, Luonnonvarakeskus, Luke; Erika Winquist, Luke
  • “Biodiversity in food value chains: Reasoned Action Approach" by Irene Kuhmonen, University of Jyväskylä; Marja Turunen, University of Turku
  • Strategies on Biodiversity Respectful Leadership in the Food Chain" by Marja Turunen, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku; Juulia Möksy, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku; Satu Teerikangas, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku
  • Biodiversity and ecosystem services in business sustainability: Towards systematic, value chain-wide monitoring that aligns with public accounting" by Dalia D'Amato, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), University of Helsinki; Alessandra La Notte, The Joint Research Centre; Mattia Damiani, The Joint Research Centre; Serenella Sala, The Joint Research Centre

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 11:00-12:30 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Anna Krzywoszynska, University of Oulu; Galina Kallio, Helsinki University

One Liner: How are carbon knowledges and practices relevant and controversial for achieving sustainability in Finland?

Keywords: carbon practices, carbon sequestration, environmental management, carbon farming, climate and environmental policy, ecological knowledge

Session Description: As the urgency around climate change intensifies, carbon knowledges are taking an important role in shaping societies, landscapes, and ecologies. Carbon knowledges include the practices of conceptualizing, investigating, modelling, governing, and intervening in carbon cycles. These knowledges and the discourses they invoke are fast becoming part of societal practice at many scales and in many contexts. Carbon knowledges connect science, governance, business, and local land practice. The questions they raise are especially pertinent to Finland, where high-level political debates have been concerned with the relationship between land use and carbon management.

This workshop is a facilitated dialogue and concept mapping, involving scholars and members of various communities of practice to explore:

  • What forms of carbon knowledge are becoming important in Finland and in the Nordics, and how?
  • How, by whom and where are carbon knowledges being produced, and with what consequences?
  • How do carbon knowledges intersect with climate and environmental governance, especially through models and modelling?
  • How are knowledges of carbon being constructed and encountered “on the ground” in a diversity of contexts?

The session is open to scholars in the fields of soil sciences, conservation research, and environmental social sciences, as well as land managers, farmers, activists and members of other environmental, grass-roots, and agrarian groups.

Parallel Session 2, May 24, 2023, 13:30-15:00 EEST

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Soc&Kom, Festal (Snellmaninkatu 12)

Conveners: James Obeng, Finnish Natural Resource institute (LUKE); Atefeh Safarabadi Farahani, University of Jyväskylä

One Liner: In this session, we will discuss hopeful pathways and how transdisciplinary sustainability transitions research can promote the social inclusion of all people, especially the most vulnerable communities.

Keywords: transdisciplinary research; social inclusion; sustainability transition, ecosocial pathways of hope

Session Description: The session aims to share and promote research that combines transdisciplinary research for the search for pathways for sustainable social inclusion. With social inclusion, we refer to the needs of vulnerable communities and individuals who face diverse challenges often connected to environmental and economic unsustainability. We also argue that the main challenge of sustainable development is to negotiate the complex interconnectivity between the urgently needed transition processes in various societal systems.  The session points out the gap that social inclusion, which is often stated to be one of the significant societal challenges in the world, cannot be effective without considering its deep interconnectivity with environmental and economic sustainability. Social inclusion is often regarded as most challenging for such groups as young people in precarious situations, people with a migration background, and vulnerable local communities. However, different target groups and agencies relevant to social inclusion are also welcome to be discussed in the session. The persistent and complex challenge of an inclusive society demonstrates how a sustainable social foundation of human life can only develop in an inherent interdependence with the overall ecological boundaries and regenerative and distributive economy. In the session, we would like to discuss how far transdisciplinary contributions can be applied to promote social inclusion in a way that is not patronizing but values and strengthens the own competencies of the social communities in charge. We invite abstracts presenting pathways bridging the gap between social sciences and further disciplines involved in transdisciplinary research.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Towards Social Sustainability Transformation: The Role of Knowledge Co-Production" by Eija-Liisa Heikka, University of Oulu 
  • Sustainable social inclusion through eco-social policy: Bridging transdisciplinary approaches to ecomodernism and post-growth" by Taylor Brown, University of California, Berkeley
  • Social inclusion and willingness to adaptation measures in Finland" by Paula Saikkonen, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL); Vuokko Härmä THL; Sakari Karvonen THL, Ville Päivärinne THL
  • Transdisciplinary sustainability research and research of social work – how far are they apart from each other?" by Aila-Leena Matthies, JYU, Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius
  • Just energy transition on the example of the activities of the "Przeróbka" Trade Union in Poland" by Maja Wróblewska, University of Warsaw, College of Interdisciplinary Individual Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: U35, Room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Antti Belinskij, University of Eastern Finland; Saija Koljonen, Finnish Environmental Institute (SYKE); Janne Artell, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE)

One Liner: This session discusses sustainability transformation in hydropower production from inter- and transdisciplinary perspective.

Keywords: sustainability, hydropower, ecology, economics, law, governance

Session Description: This session discusses sustainability transformation in hydropower production from inter- and transdisciplinary perspective. While hydropower is an important source of renewable energy, it causes severe disruption in river flows, habitats, and biota. Global biodiversity loss is an alarming concern, especially, in freshwaters and river ecosystems. EU policy instruments such as the Water Framework Directive, Biodiversity Strategy, Taxonomy Regulation, and proposal for a Regulation on Nature Restoration highlight the need to enhance river connectivity and restore aquatic ecosystems. Interdisciplinary research is needed to consider the feasibility of hydropower system and transdisciplinarity to map out and support governance solutions.

The session is inspired by the SusHydro project (funded by the Academy of Finland) that covers ecologic, economic, and legal aspects of sustainable hydropower system. While hydropower must be approached from a systemic perspective, hydropower facilities are different and should be divided into three categories: (i) large facilities in which electricity generation and balancing the electricity grid should remain as their main focus, (ii) small facilities in which dam removal and full-scale river restoration measures can be taken, and (iii) medium facilities where benefits and trade-offs associated with alternative paths should be analyzed case-by-case. The session aims to enhance: 1) understanding of the hydropower system with the help of scientific knowledge, 2) understanding how to generate actionable knowledge, and 3) identifying solutions to systemic issues in hydropower through transdisciplinary cooperation.

The session will proceed as follows:

Chair: Antti Belinskij, University of Eastern Finland and Finnish Environment Institute Syke

  1. Transition towards sustainable hydropower – EU policy and national solutions in Sweden and Finland by Suvi-Tuuli Puharinen, University of Eastern Finland and Henrik Josefsson, Uppsala University, Sweden
  2. Transdisciplinary research perspective by Antti Iho, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
  3. Panel discussion
  • Moderator: Janne Artell, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
  • Panelists:
    • Henrik Josefsson, Uppsala University, Sweden
    • Saija Koljonen, Finnish Environment Institute Syke
    • Linda Widdel, Technical University München
    • Perttu Tamminen, Southwest Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, Finland

Click here for the biographical information for the conveners, speakers, and panelists in this session.

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Johanna Ahola-Launonen, Aalto University; Kamilla Karhunmaa, University of Helsinki; Sofi Kurki, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

One Liner: Hopes can also be harmful – how could such hopes be identified and overturned?

Keywords: expectations; hype; knowledge-production; technology; technological optimism; foresight

Session Description: The prevailing multi-crisis has raised a need for hope and visions of a better future. Hope fuels action, and is associated with e.g. support for social change toward sustainability. Hope materializes into infrastructures, ways of thinking and political proposals for action.   Yet, some hopes may be harmful for attaining sustainable futures. Harmful hopes can harm vulnerable communities, deter action or take attention and resources away from other proposals. Examples could include currently unviable technologies or sociotechnical visions that have little robust evidence to become major solutions sufficiently soon, or feasible practices which are marketed as silver bullets but lack the required scale for being gamechangers.

Distinguishing between harmful and beneficial hopes is not self-evident. Typically harms reveal themselves to the public only after significant resources have been spent and the approach has been integrated as part of the infrastructure. Also, harms and benefits are not equally divided, so who gets to decide which hopes are harmful and which worth pursuing?

In this session, we scrutinize expectations, hopes, hypes and visions as performative claims that transform, validate, develop, and dispute current policies and practices of sustainability. Are we hyping the best solutions and for whom, and how can we know? Is it possible to anticipate harmful hope? Can harmful hope be overturned?

We invite abstracts addressing questions of how to anticipate, identify, understand and evaluate harmful hopes related to systemic changes towards sustainability. Propositions can be theoretical approaches and conceptual analyses, or policy- and practice-oriented examples.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • My tinkering or your research won’t help” – on (the lack of) climate imaginaries in the Swedish Arctic" by Christoffer Söderlund Kanarp, Urban & Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Scrutinising the societal role of hope" by Heidi Sinevaara-Niskanen, University of Lapland; Marjo Lindroth, University of Lapland
  • Harmful and beneficial technological optimism" by Johanna Ahola-Launonen, Aalto Univeristy
  • In search of sustainable narratives between utopia and dystopia" by Sofi Kurki, VTT; Dominik Schlienger ; Centre for Music & Technology, Sibelius Academy, Uniarts Helsinki

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Metsätalo, Sali 6 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Stefan Wendt, Bifröst University and Þröstur Olaf Sigurjónsson, University of Iceland

One Liner: The session discusses how artificial intelligence can help provide environmentally friendly and socially responsible services and products via, e.g., process optimization, waste reduction, individualization and risk prevention.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, sustainability, process optimization, waste reduction, individualization, risk prevention

Session Description: Purpose of the session is to discuss how artificial intelligence can support sustainability of businesses and societies. In this context, artificial intelligence can serve analytical purposes covering measurement and analysis of data that are relevant to sustainability and, by doing so, support decision and policy making. This allows to help shape behavior of individuals and organizations, such as businesses, public administration as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations, in order to achieve more environmentally friendly and/or more socially responsible outcomes. More sustainable outcomes relate to, e.g., more efficient use of resources and optimization of production and distribution mechanisms, reduction of waste and emissions, individualization of services and products and, hence, better adaptation to individual needs and wants, and reduction of risks. The session is intended to cover the role of artificial intelligence in sustainable development from an academic and practical perspective. Contributions from academia, industry, public administration as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations are welcome.

Key questions to be addressed in the session include, but are not limited to:

  • How does/can artificial intelligence make production processes more sustainable?
  • How does/can artificial intelligence make distribution processes for services and products more sustainable, e.g., by increasing equality of access or security of supply?
  • How does/can artificial intelligence reduce the waste of resources, such as energy, water and other natural resources?
  • Which role does artificial intelligence have in providing more environmentally friendly or socially responsible outcomes in various sectors, such as healthcare and other public services, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, or construction?
  • Which role does artificial intelligence play in fostering sustainability via better individualized services?
  • How can artificial intelligence help prevent risks to, e.g., individual health or infrastructure?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • "Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability" by Naeem Allah Rakha, Tashkent State University of Law
  • Possibilities and challenges while designing and implementing AI-supported welfare technology in healthcare" by Susanne Hägglund, Åbo Akademi University; Linda Nyholm, Åbo Akademi University
  • “How can Artificial Intelligence support Sustainability in the Food Value Chain?” by Throstur Olaf Sigurjonsson, University of Iceland; Stefan Wendt, Bifröst University

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, Juhlasali (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Alexander Engelmann, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business; Daniela Ortiz, FHWien University of Applied Sciences for Management and Communication, Barbara Kump, University of Twente

One Liner: Accelerating the Sustainability Transition in the Private Sector

Keywords: acceleration, sustainability transition, strategy, business models

Session Description: Despite rising societal, political, and economic awareness to stop the climate change crisis and to promote the transition towards a sustainable future, scientists now call for an acceleration of adaption and mitigation action at all levels (IPCC, 2022). Acceleration means more rapidly creating transformative change, i.e., “global and disruptive change affecting whole systems and interactions between systems” (Markard et al., 2020, p. 2). Although corporations are main contributors to climate change and resource depletion, they struggle to accelerate strategies for adaption and mitigation. From business strategy and organization studies we know that some of the reasons behind this struggle are that corporations may translate sustainability into business-as-usual, prioritizing short-term wins that contradict climate action (Wright et al., 2017); incorporate and rapidly evade stakeholder critique and pressure, thereby avoiding making changes to business models (Ferns & Amaeshi, 2021); and even they “strategically protect their privileged position” to maintain their status-quo (Johnstone et al., 2017, p. 148). At the same time, corporations are imperative to shape sustainability transitions through market and technology innovation (Sachs et al., 2019), but we yet don’t know enough about how and when corporations will accelerate adaption and mitigation to address the urgency of sustainability transitions.

To facilitate broad discussions, we welcome both conceptual and empirical submissions, covering diverse industries and contexts, and including a variety of theories and methods. Some of the questions that the submissions may address include:

  • What are levers (e.g., capabilities, business models) that drive acceleration of sustainability transitions in the private sector?
  • How do corporations reallocate resources to achieve acceleration? 
  • How can intersectoral collaboration accelerate systems change?
  • How do strategizing practices like open strategy help corporations address grand challenges like climate change?
  • How can systems thinking be integrated into corporations’ strategizing?
  • How do digital technologies accelerate sustainability transitions?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Organisational study on sustainability, hypocrisy and universities" by Meri Löyttyniemi, University of Jyväskylä
  • Managing sustainability in the Arctic tourism SMEs. Cases from northern Norway" by Anna-Mari Simunaniemi, University of Oulu; Katariina Ala-Rämi, University of Oulu; Ulla Lehtinen, University of Oulu; Matti Muhos, University of Oulu
  • Industry 4.0 shaping sustainable innovation ecosystem of textile industry in Pakistan" by Iqra Sadaf, Khan, Aalto University
  • Sustainable value creation in forest-based sector: a literature review" by Katri Rusanen, University of Eastern Finland; Teppo Hujala, UEF; Jouni Pykäläinen, UEF
  • Legal Factors Affecting the Sustainability Transition in the Private sector: A Comparative Analysis of the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive" by Susanna Kaavi, University of Helsinki, CEIWA project
  • Accelerating Low-Carbon Business Transitions: Insights from Climate-Active Firms" by Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Eastern Institute of Technology (NZ)
  • Understanding the role of extended producer responsibility in the corporate social responsibility context" by Johanna Alakerttula, Tampere University; Liisa-Marie Stenbäck, Recser Oy

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Mikko Jalas, Aalto University; Joyson Ahongshangbam, Helsinki University; Tiina Merikoski, Aalto University

One Liner: Towards carbon-smart urban green infrastructure: Scales from soil products to greening plans of cities

Keywords: urban green infrastructure, biochar, urban carbon sink, carbon neutral city, climate action

Session Description: How can urban green spaces be transformed into more effective carbon sinks? Urban green infrastructures (UGI) can be seen as next-generation solutions for cities to deal with climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, the potential of UGI to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration and effective use of resources has not yet been fully harnessed. There are many ways to improve carbon smartness of UGI which include greening plans, construction materials, and recycling to produce soil products such as biochar. Beyond this UGI’s are considered as parts of needed carbon compensation for urban climate action.

The developments in carbon smart UGI depend on several interlinked changes including recycling for reducing emissions. Assessment, modeling and planning tools need to be improved. The governance of carbon sinks and how new business practices develop around them require attention. The translation of current scientific insights into implementation is challenged by a shortage of effective practical tools, standards and policies. Transition towards carbon smartness require multistakeholder engagement from governmental level to municipalities, businesses and citizens. For a systemic approach to maximize carbon sequestration and storage capabilities of UGI, a transdisciplinary approach is needed - taking into account also biodiversity, wellbeing and other co-benefits of UGI.

This session seeks to bring together climate, material, soil and social scientists; landscape architects and urban planners; practitioners and businesses; and municipalities and governmental bodies. The aim of the session is to bring forward academic knowledge and practices on the conditions and current ways of scaling up urban carbon sinks and developing carbon smart UGI for development of municipal strategies and decision-making, planning, as well as construction and maintenance practices. This should be done in such a way to support effective climate action while maintaining and improving its other societal benefits and provision of ecosystem services.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Evaluating carbon sink potential of urban green infrastructures in a high-latitude city using urban land surface model" by Hei Shing Lee, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, University of Helsinki; Liisa Kulmala, Finnish Meteorological Institute and Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Forest, University; Minttu Havu, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, University of Helsinki; Joyson Ahongshangbam Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, University of Helsinki; Mari Ariluoma Department of Architecture, Aalto University; Leena Järvi, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, University of Helsinki
  • Assessment of biomass uses in Helsinki for biochar and bioenergy production from a climate change mitigation perspective" by Oana Iliescu, Aalto University
  • Industrial pyrolysis plants in sustainable Circular Bioeconomy for urban development." by Kim Yrjälä, Forest sciences, University of Helsinki
  • How do biochars affect the growth of urban trees if added to planting soils? First results from demo park in Hyväntoivonpuisto, Helsinki" by Priit Tammeorg, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Topi Kopakkala, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland;  Anu Riikonen, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
  • "Experimentation-in-practice: Designing Biochar Use Cases for the City of Helsinki" by Mikko Jalas, Aalto University; Tuuli Markkanen, Aalto University

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Sanna Ahvenharju, Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku; Ville Lauttamäki, Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku

One Liner: Join a Delphi panel to assess and discuss new policies and practices to promote radical transformation towards biodiversity respectful agriculture!

Keywords: biodiversity, policy instruments, institutions, agriculture, Finland

Session Description: Resolving the biodiversity crisis requires systemic sustainability transformation in different areas of society. Societal institutions and practices play a key role in bringing about systemic change.  In this workshop the focus is on the institutional opportunities and obstacles for radical systemic change in Finnish agricultural production towards more biodiversity respectful food system.  Institutional practices here refer to societal processes, norms and political instruments that guide these processes. These include, for example, legislation, economic and policy instruments, planning and information measures.

In the workshop the participants will act as members of a Delphi panel that will assess, evaluate, criticise and develop further a set of policies and practices that are being presented to them in the workshop. These suggestions are based on the work that is being done in the BIODIFUL research project (https://biodiful.fi).

Key questions to be addressed during the workshop are:

1) What new (or old) policy instruments would be best suitable to promote radical sustainability transformation in institutional and societal practices that cause biodiversity loss?

2) What instruments or interventions might have a significant effect on a rather short timeframe (about 5 years)?

No specific expertise is required from the participants, but understanding or experience of any of the following fields can be useful: agriculture, food production, biodiversity, consumption, policy instruments or policy planning and development. The participants should have computers or smart phones available in order to participate in the panel work.

Max 25 participants.

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 13:30-15:00 EEST

Location: Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Nina Janasik, University of Helsinki; Turo-Kimmo Lehtonen, Tampere University; Ville Lähde BIOS; all conveners are associated with the projects WISE and/or LONGRISK

One Liner: How are we as sustainability scientists and researchers to make sense of our current situation of multiple sustainability crises?

Keywords: sensemaking, sustainability, multiple crises, cognitive limits

Session Description: In the wake of the multiple recent crises, the perception that we are reaching the outer limits of our collective sensemaking capacities has increased not only among sustainability academics but also among other diagnosticians of our own times. For example, historian Adam Tooze has formulated this perception in a recent article in the Financial Times, a “problem becomes a crisis when it challenges our ability to cope and thus threatens our identity. In the polycrisis the shocks are disparate, but they interact so that the whole is even more overwhelming than the sum of the parts. At times one feels as if one is losing one’s sense of reality”. As such, the notion of inescapably complex, uncertain and even overwhelming environmental change is of course not new. For instance, scholars have highlighted the ways in which quantitative models can complement and amplify the inevitably limited scope of human storytelling or as a sensemaking device. However, what is new is the perception that the change itself is changing in a manner that escapes even the combined efforts of modelers and narrative-based sustainability researchers. In this session, we call for contributions from a wide range of disciplines that thematize this perception of the change itself as overwhelming. How are we to make sense of our current situation of multiple sustainability crises? If we are indeed reaching our sensemaking limits, how (if at all) can we manage (for) sustainability crises? In what ways can efforts towards collective sensemaking be enhanced and by whom?

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • The Unique Challenge(s) of Sustainability Leadership" by James Ayers, Blekinge Institute of Technology; Dr. Edith Callaghan, Acadia University, Canada
  • Anticipating the next polycrisis while making sense of the current one" by Janne I. Hukkinen, University of Helsinki; WISE research consortium, University of Helsinki, University of Tampere, Aalto University, University of Turku, BIOS Research Unit; LONGRISK research consortium, University of Helsinki, University of Tampere, Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)
  • Strategic situational awareness for robust crisis management - case study on climate crisis management in three Finnish cities" by Tuuli Parviainen, Helsinki University; Anna Salomaa, Tampere University; Tapio Reinekoski, Tampere University; Roope Kaaronen, University of Helsinki; Aula Onerva, University of Helsinki; Jussi Eronen, University of Helsinki; Nina Janasik, University of Helsinki; Janne Hukkinen, University of Helsinki
  • Rising tides of uncertainty: role-playing for sensemaking" by Sara Zaman, HELSUS, University of Helsinki
Parallel Session 3, May 24, 2023, 15:15-16:45 EEST

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 6 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Stef Spronck, University of Helsinki; Ekatarina Gruzdeva, University of Helsinki; Pirjo K. Virtanen, University of Helsinki

One Liner: How can linguistics, social sciences, digital humanities, Indigenous Studies, and other disciplines contribute to the creation of actionable knowledge to enable sustainability transformations particularly affecting people living in endangered language com

Keywords: sustainability, linguistic diversity, language endangerment, language revitalization, language community

Session Description: The rapid loss of biodiversity and that of cultures and languages constitute two fundamental crises of our times. The relevance of biodiversity loss to sustainability science is uncontested, but the protection of languages is not surrounded with a similar sense of urgency. As an example of cultural marginalisation, language endangerment clearly falls within the scope of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but its impact appears to be more local than the global threat of climate change exacerbated by the dwindling of ecosystems.  Nevertheless, people living in endangered language communities often testify to the close connection between the dual crises in biodiversity and language loss, either because both are caused by similar socio-economic mechanisms, e.g. colonisation, or because the two are perceived to be even more directly linked: language and culture loss coincide with an epistemic loss of traditional practices in land tenure and sustainable co-existence with fragile ecosystems.

Under the theme "Understanding how actions can generate actionable knowledge" we will organise a presentation session, where the following questions will be discussed:

  • How can linguistics, social sciences, digital humanities, Indigenous Studies, and other disciplines contribute to the creation of actionable knowledge to enable sustainability transformations in endangered language communities?
  • What types of innovative and ethical actions are needed to address systemic sustainability challenges?
  • Which societal actors should be involved in these actions and how?
  • How can institutional, organisational, and cultural gaps be bridged between knowledge generation and action taking?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “Service-Learning as a tool for linguistic sustainability" by Àlvaro Calero-Pons, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) / European Observatory of Service-Learning in Higher Education (EOSLHE)
  • Language rights for the Greenlandic Inuit in Greenland in the context of Danish colonialism" by Eduardo Faingold, University of Tulsa
  • “Diverse Goals of Collaboration: Experiences with language interchange workshops and collaborative methods in the Ecuadorian Amazon" by Olli Kaukonen Lindholm, University of Helsinki; Riikka Kaukonen Lindholm, University of Helsinki
  • “Language activitism and sustainable multilingualism" by Vlada Baranova, University of Helsinki; Ekatarina Gruzdeva, University of Helsinki
  • “Language endangerment as a breakdown of self-sufficiency" by Andrei Dumitrescu, University of Helsinki
  • Sustainability and language in academia and language communities" by Stef Spronck, University of Helsinki; Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen, University of Helsinki

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  U35, Room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Paula Schönach, Aalto University; Vesa Kanninen, University of Helsinki

One Liner: Methodologically oriented session with focus on sharing theoretical insights and/or experiences on co-production of integrated knowledge for sustainability transitions on local level.

Keywords: methodology, transdisciplinary research, co-production of knowledge, local level, municipalities, stakeholder engagement

Session Description: Local level actions are crucial in our efforts to advance sustainability, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. E.g. municipalities’ zoning monopoly and the implementation tasks of legislative obligations from the national and EU levels are significant areas for sustainability impact. Additionally, municipalities are important enablers or inhibitors of choices towards more sustainable life styles of individuals. Thus, municipalities are important arenas for sustainability transitions within varied local level sectors and jurisdictions, and most importantly, beyond sectoral boundaries. At the same time, local authorities have declared a pressing need for research support and science-base for decision making and preparation. Transdisciplinary research, i.e. crossing disciplinary boundaries, engaging stakeholders and non-academic collaborators to co-produce integrated knowledge is a convincing approach for impactful research—with—society, instead of—for—society (Seidl et al 2013).

Contributing to the call for transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability transitions on local level, this session invites both theoretical and practical oriented presentations about methodological insights into transdisciplinary research with focus on municipal level.

  • How is the science/society boundary transcended?
  • How is research strategy designed?
  • What methods have proved successful in transdisciplinary research on local level?
  • Do stakeholder roles intersect with those of scientists?
  • What learnings can we gain from case studies?
  • What are the significant methodological differences in transdisciplinary research on local/municipal level vs. other levels?
  • Are there specific pitfalls to consider?

The session is organized around presentations on transdisciplinary studies conducted on local level, followed by a joint discussion of presenters with the audience.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Transdisciplinarity in action - or is it? Observations from a multidisciplinary research project" by Tiina Merikoski, Aalto University; Ranja Hautamäki, Aalto University
  • “How can social scientists foster participatory decarbonization of municipal residential heating systems?" by Alicja Dankowska, Kozminski University; Agata, Dembek, Kozminski University; Tomasz, Niedziolka, Kozminski University; Agata, Stasik, Kozminski University
  • Studying climate related attitudes and challenges in two Finnish municipalities - local views and experiences related to wind turbines" by Anni Niemi, VTT Oy; Hanna Pihkola, VTT Oy; Lassi Similä, VTT Oy; Suvisanna Correia, VTT Oy
  • The role of intermediaries in the science-policy interface for urban sustainability transformations" by Amanda Winter, KTH
  • Towards carbon-wise housing - Applying service design approach in the innovation process with municipalities" by Katja Lähtinen, LUKE; Charlotta Harju, LUKE; Liina Häyrinen, LUKE; Vesa Kanninen, University of Helsinki; Eliisa Kylkilahti, University of Helsinki; Juhani Marttila, LUKE, Anne Viljanen, University of Helsinki; Anne Toppinen, University of Helsinki

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Johanna Ahola-Launonen, Aalto University; Kamilla Karhunmaa, University of Helsinki; Sofi Kurki, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

One Liner: Hopes can also be harmful – how could such hopes be identified and overturned?

Keywords: expectations; hype; knowledge-production; technology; technological optimism; foresight

Session Description: The prevailing multi-crisis has raised a need for hope and visions of a better future. Hope fuels action, and is associated with e.g. support for social change toward sustainability. Hope materializes into infrastructures, ways of thinking and political proposals for action.   Yet, some hopes may be harmful for attaining sustainable futures. Harmful hopes can harm vulnerable communities, deter action or take attention and resources away from other proposals. Examples could include currently unviable technologies or sociotechnical visions that have little robust evidence to become major solutions sufficiently soon, or feasible practices which are marketed as silver bullets but lack the required scale for being gamechangers.

Distinguishing between harmful and beneficial hopes is not self-evident. Typically harms reveal themselves to the public only after significant resources have been spent and the approach has been integrated as part of the infrastructure. Also, harms and benefits are not equally divided, so who gets to decide which hopes are harmful and which worth pursuing?

In this session, we scrutinize expectations, hopes, hypes and visions as performative claims that transform, validate, develop, and dispute current policies and practices of sustainability. Are we hyping the best solutions and for whom, and how can we know? Is it possible to anticipate harmful hope? Can harmful hope be overturned?

We invite abstracts addressing questions of how to anticipate, identify, understand and evaluate harmful hopes related to systemic changes towards sustainability. Propositions can be theoretical approaches and conceptual analyses, or policy- and practice-oriented examples.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Green growth for whom, how and why? The REPowerEU Plan and the inconsistencies of European Union energy policy" by Rubén Vezzoni, University of Helsinki
  • “Finland’s greenest business”: High hopes and false promises of Finland’s peat industry and fur farming lobbying campaigns" by Hanna Lempinen, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland and Trinity College Dublin
  • Beyond effective hope messages: How interpretive repertoires of hope shape communication in inspiration meetings" by Therese Åhlvik, PhD; Therese Åhlvik; Hanna Bergeå; Malte B. Rödl; Lars Hallgren
  • Food without fields? Vanguards, silences, and the formation of cellular agriculture in Finland" by Emilia Laine, University of Helsinki

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Ákos Gosztonyi, University of Helsinki; Linda Karjalainen, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Aalto University

One Liner: Understandings of the systemic interplay of housing, transportation and energy use – what’s driving just transition?

Keywords: sustainable transportation, sustainable energy use, environmental inequality, energy poverty, transport poverty, housing inequality

Session Description: Our homes, transportation options and energy use are systemically interrelated. They are, at the same time, inherently embedded in and intertwined with the socio-spatial reality of everyday life, often creating and/or reinforcing various forms of vulnerabilities related to health, the (unjust) distribution of space and resources, as well as to the accessibility of services. In order to achieve a healthier, more just and sustainable future, current issues of energy use, transportation and housing require solutions beyond siloed remedies and technological advancements: without recognizing the need to put people and their lived socio-economic realities at the center, systemic change may be undermined. We reside, use energy, and get around differently that also affect our surroundings, and so do our surroundings affect our residential, energy use and transportation choices. These are, however, not free choices for all, but determined by socio-economic and socio-spatial constraints to various degrees. For example, while carless households are perceived as more environmentally sustainable, (involuntary) carlessness can create socio-economic vulnerabilities due to restricted mobility at times. In this session, with the input of invited researchers and experts from different fields we explore how housing, transportation and energy use are interwoven, and how cross-cutting approaches may facilitate a just transition. Through deploying state of the art interdisciplinary knowledge, we expect to touch upon current dilemmas of e.g. environmental inequalities and energy vulnerability, of what is sufficient and sustainable in terms of energy use and transportation as well as of amplifying residents’ voices in creating change.

The session will consist of short presentations from invited researchers summarizing their recent work and pinpointing a key challenge they have faced while conducting it in light of the session’s aims. The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion in which pinpointed challenges will be put into dialogue and potential directions for positive change will be mapped. The audience will be invited and encouraged to contribute to the panel discussion.

Presenters in this Session:

  • Aleksi Karhula, Postdoctoral Researcher, Sustainable Urban Systems Research Group, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Essi Nuorivaara, Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Consumer Society Research (Kuluttajatutkimuskeskus, KTK), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Antti Kurvinen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University; Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere University, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Julia Tuomimaa, Doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Riikka Perälä, Postdoctoral Researcher, VTT, Y-Säätiö

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Elisa Quaranta, Helsinki University and Young Scientist Group (WFF); Tess Hayton, University of Manchester and Focal Point for Europe at WFF; Lisanne Van Oosterhoud, FAO World Food Forum Youth Champion; Ricard Celorio i Sardà, University of Barcelona

One Liner: A solutions-oriented panel discussion around 5 policy priorities areas raised by youth voices all around the globe.

Keywords: agri-food sector, policies, youth engagement

Session Description: For the second year in a row, the World Food Forum (WFF) run the Youth Action Compendium. The Compendium is a collection of priority working areas synthesized from youth calls to action worldwide, highlighting both requests to national and local governments and the commitments of youth and youth groups. Based on the results of the 2022 analysis, we found five policy priorities areas with the related solutions and actions. Those actions are made by youth, for youth. We created action plans per each action and we selected 3 of them to be finalized within next October 2023. During the session we want to present our results, propose our actions, and create a solutions-oriented panel discussion.

The main questions of the session are:

  • Are these actions feasible for you? If not, how can we make it more youth-oriented?
  • As youth, would you make it? If not, what would help you in changing your mind?
  • Based on your experience, why youth should be included in the policy and decision-making process?

Panelists in this Session:

  • Ricard Celorio I Sarda’
  • Elisa Quaranta
  • Tess Hayton
  • Lisanne Van Oosterhoud

Speakers’ Statement: Our involvement in the project Youth Action Track at the World Food Forum is what brought us to propose the session “Youth perspectives on Agri-food policies: a solution-oriented panel discussion.”. All of us in the past years participated actively and contributing to the development of this research. Our different, but similar, backgrounds helped us to have a wide overview about agrifood systems and the ability to carry out interdisciplinary projects.

Click here to read more biographical information about the speakers in this session.

Date: May 24, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Nina Janasik, University of Helsinki; Turo-Kimmo Lehtonen, Tampere University; Ville Lähde BIOS; all conveners are associated with the projects WISE and/or LONGRISK

One Liner: How are we as sustainability scientists and researchers to make sense of our current situation of multiple sustainability crises?

Keywords: sensemaking, sustainability, multiple crises, cognitive limits

Session Description: In the wake of the multiple recent crises, the perception that we are reaching the outer limits of our collective sensemaking capacities has increased not only among sustainability academics but also among other diagnosticians of our own times. For example, historian Adam Tooze has formulated this perception in a recent article in the Financial Times, a “problem becomes a crisis when it challenges our ability to cope and thus threatens our identity. In the polycrisis the shocks are disparate, but they interact so that the whole is even more overwhelming than the sum of the parts. At times one feels as if one is losing one’s sense of reality”. As such, the notion of inescapably complex, uncertain and even overwhelming environmental change is of course not new. For instance, scholars have highlighted the ways in which quantitative models can complement and amplify the inevitably limited scope of human storytelling or as a sensemaking device. However, what is new is the perception that the change itself is changing in a manner that escapes even the combined efforts of modelers and narrative-based sustainability researchers. In this session, we call for contributions from a wide range of disciplines that thematize this perception of the change itself as overwhelming. How are we to make sense of our current situation of multiple sustainability crises? If we are indeed reaching our sensemaking limits, how (if at all) can we manage (for) sustainability crises? In what ways can efforts towards collective sensemaking be enhanced and by whom?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Does the science of systems and complexity help us make sense of unprecedented crises?" by Henri Wiman, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland; Pasi Pussinen, VTT; Maija Federley, VTT; Stefan Walter, VTT 
  • Facilitating meaningful conversations about uncertain futures considering frames of Future Generations, Imaginaries, Resilience" by Amos Taylor, Finland Futures Research Centre
  • Situating short-term scenario exercises in strategy making of city government: role of temporal, horizontal and emotional embeddedness" by Peeter Vihma, University of Helsinki; Johan Munck af Rosenchöld, SYKE
  • Green populism as collective sensemaking – what is sustainability researchers’ role?" by Otto Snellman, University of Helsinki
Parallel Session 4, May 25, 2023, 10:45-12:15 EEST

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  U35, Room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Kari Hyytiäinen, University of Helsinki; Marko Lindroos, University of Helsinki

One Liner: Multidisciplinary research is a key in search of solutions for sustainable use of natural resources and protection and management of natural environments.

Keywords: optimization, simulation, bioeconomic models, knowledge co-creation, scenarios, policy reforms

Session Description: This session gathers multi- and interdisciplinary research that combines ecology, economics and social sciences in studying pathways for sustainable use of natural resources and management of natural environments. The topics may include protection or management terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems including agricultural land, forests, lakes, coastal or marine regions, or transition of industries or economic sectors that make use of these environments such as fisheries, food production or coastal tourism. The methods applied may include quantitative approaches such as simulation, optimization, bioeconomic or integrated assessment modelling, but equally welcome are qualitative approaches such as scenario building or knowledge co-creation or approaches that combine qualitative and quantitative research. The scope of models can vary from e.g. ecosystem or farm level to regional, national or global scales. The results may , for example, include long-run numerical projections, ex-ante or ex-post assessments of alternative policy reforms, or cost-efficient programmes of measures to mitigate environmental problems.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Impacts of Financial Crises on Environmental Sustainability: Challenges in the context of the SDGs" by Alexander Antonarakis, University of Sussex, Department of Geography; Co-author - Andreas Antoniades, University of Sussex
  • Financial Crises – Poverty – Sustainability Nexus" by Andreas Antoniades, University of Sussex, Department of International Relations; Co-author - Alexander Antonarakis, University of Sussex
  • Vineyards landscape of Santa Maria Island: learning sustainability from tradition" by Bárbara Mesquita, IGOT-ULisboa
  • Embedded CSR/ESG" by Suvi Hirvonen-Ere, Aalto University School of Business

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Ayu Pratiwi, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku; Silvia Gaiani, Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki; Erja Kettunen-Matilainen Turku School of Economics, University of Turku

One Liner: Knowledge networks for sustainable agri-food system

Keywords: agriculture, food system, sustainability, knowledge, networks, transformation

Session Description: Advancing the agricultural and food systems towards sustainable transformation at a systemic level necessitates a deep understanding and proliferation of innovation and scientific knowledge across a multitude of actors, disciplines and institutions, including the synergy between a range of public and private actors. These interactions between actors present both opportunities and challenges that may lead to desirable or undesirable outcomes because of the structural, functional, relational, and cognitive components of socio-technical-ecological systems. However, our current research and innovation processes do not have the full capacity to act as catalysts for the system's knowledge to be synergized for the urgently required change.  This panel proposes to capture the complexity of the proliferation and dissemination of scientific knowledge by assessing the agricultural and food systems from a multi-dimensional and multi-actor perspective. We seek to understand how scientific knowledge can drive intentional changes targeted at the interdependencies of institutions, technologies, and a multitude of actors to navigate complex systems towards sustainability transformation.

The session aims to critically explore a number of questions, including (but not limited to):

  • how scientific knowledge is transmitted and diffused, co-created, and implemented across actors and institutions in agri-food systems
  • how synergies can be combined to support the transition to sustainable food systems
  • how to foster human agency, values, and necessary capacities to facilitate scientific knowledge transfer, sharing, co-creation and application at the interface of science, policy and practice

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Stakeholder View on Agrobiodiversity - A literature review" by Tiia Kolari, University of Helsinki; Toni Ryynänen, University of Helsinki, Ruralia institute & Traci Birge, University of Turku, Biodiversity Unit
  • Dependency on imported agricultural inputs – global trends from the recent past" by Vilma Sandström, Aalto University; Matti Kummu Aalto University; Ellen Huan-Niemi LUKE; Jyrki Niemi LUKE
  • How to advance bioinnovations? From the perspective of a public research institution" by Titta Tapiola, Luonnonvarakeskus (Luke); Jarkko Leppälä Luonnonvarakeskus (Luke)
  • Agri-Food sector harmonizing environmental sustainability assessment methods in multi-actor platforms" by Hannele Heusala, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke); Kirsi Usva; Sanna Hietala; Anniina Lehtilä; Juha-Matti Katajajuuri, Ilkka Leinonen; Frans Silvenius; Kim Lindfors; Hanna L. Tuomisto, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Indian model of Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK)for ensuring food sustainability, enhancing productivity and income of farmers" by Dheeraj Singh, Principal scientist and Head 
  •  “Do online communities of practice complement or substitute conventional agricultural extension services? Evidence from Indonesian shrimp farmers’ participation in a Facebook group" by Guenwoo Lee, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Johanna Kentala-Lehtonen (Secretary General, The Finnish Expert Panel for Sustainable Development / Prime Minister's Office), Ilona Laine (The Finnish Nature Panel / University of Jyväskylä) ja Sally Weaver (The Finnish Climate Change Panel, University of Helsinki)

One Liner: What is the place and significance of science communication and science brokering in making sense of and solving critical sustainability challenges?

Keywords: sustainability, scientific communication, knowledge brokering, scientific panels, advisory councils, sensemaking

Session Description: In recent years the term "polycrisis" as coined by historian of economics Adam Tooze has gained prominence also in Finnish discussions on sustainability. The term refers to a situation in which multiple different crises occur simultaneously; are interlinked; and strengthen each other in a way that from the point of view of human experience is even more overwhelming than the sum of its parts. The term has found its way also into political science. “Leverage points” have emerged as one potential way to address polycrisis. Leverage points are places or mechanisms within a complex system (a corporation, an economy, a living body, an energy or food system, an ecosystem) where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in the whole system. The impacts can be shown in the whole society. In this panel discussion we turn towards the scientific advisory panels who aim at knowledge brokering between science and policy making. The panelists of the session are from The Finnish Forest Bioeconomy Science Panel, The Finnish Climate Change Panel, The Finnish Nature Panel, The Finnish Expert Panel for Sustainable Development and The Finnish Economic Policy Council. 

 

The session will cover for example the following questions:

  • Is it possible to find leverage points if polycrisis is a wicked problem evading clear definitions?
  • Where should science panels focus on in order to create societally efficient impacts when acknowledging leverage points? 
  • How could science panels learn to deal better with the leverage points?

Keynote:

  • Jaakko Kuosmanen, Finnish Academy of  Science and Letters

Panelists:

  • Iryna Herzon, The Finnish Nature Panel
  • Paula Kivimaa, The Finnish Climate Change Panel
  • Lassi Linnanen,The Finnish Expert Panel for Sustainable Development
  • Antti Asikainen, The Finnish Forest Bioeconomy Science Panel
  • Niku Määttänen, The Finnish Economic Policy Council

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 406 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Ossi Ollinaho, University of Helsinki; Barry Gills, University of Helsinki; Toni Ruuska, University of Helsinki

One Liner: The mechanisms of financialization and extractivisms push people, organizations, and states to act and reproduce capitalist business as usual, often blocking the potential for systemic sustainability transformation, to the benefit of those already in power.

Keywords: extractivisms, systemic transformation, rentier capitalism, alternatives, unequal exchange, money

Session Description: In the 21st century, the capitalist world economy has become increasingly extractivist, in part due to the surge in demand for minerals and other materials. The complex and expansive processes of extractivisms, in capitalism, are deeply linked to intensifying financialization of everyday life, assets, and natural habitats. The workings of the capitalist world economy have led to increasing centralization of power and capital, which means that each major business sector is dominated by a handful of corporate conglomerates that control the flows of materials and wealth accumulation. While these ‘operational centers’ do not necessarily own the bulk of assets to control transnational supply chains, the accelerated financialization has led to the (re-)formulation of rentier capitalism.

In rentier capitalism, the ownership of assets and property rights yields profits for the wealthy and powerful. In parallel, many countries remain heavily indebted in currency creation of which they do not control, and recurrently pay their economic surpluses as interest to their creditors and rentiers. Many indebted countries have been obliged to cash in their natural and human resource wealth, under the conditions of unequal exchange, thus driving further extractivism, and which constitutes a massive economic drain of resources and labor from the global South to global North. Such conditions constrain and pressure nations from pursuing other alternative strategies or paths of development other than ’cheapening’ and selling off their natural and human resource wealth.  We need to understand how financialization and extractivisms are connected, how this relates to the interests of the rentier class, and to the processes of unequal exchange. The study of the manifold processes of extractivisms requires the combined analysis of monetary and power relations at different levels, to recognize how these mechanisms push states and organizations to act and reproduce capitalist business as usual, often blocking the potential for sustainability transformation, to the benefit of those already in power. Therefore, it is urgent to advance post-extractivist alternatives that could challenge, co-exist, and move beyond the hegemony of capitalism, and break away from extractivisms, and unjust economic structures in support of systemic sustainability transition. It is crucial to theorize, develop, and introduce these systemic transformations to the normal workings of the world system, in its centers of the urban global North and in the global South. We invite papers and presentations that analyse and provide insights –empirical and/or theoretical – addressing financialization, extractivisms, post-extractivist alternatives, and paths to systemic transformation.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “International Finance in the Capitalist World-System: Reflections on the Systemic Role of Finance in Funding Extractivism and Enabling Imperialism" by Mariko Frame, Merrimack College
  • An integrative review on financialization of living beings" by Niina Kuokkanen, Tampere University, Faculty of Management and Business
  • Minimizing extractivism through 3D printing with support from law and policy actions" by Corinna Casi, University of Lapland, University of Helsinki, and HELSUS; Siddharth Jayaprakash, Aalto University; Mika Salmi, Aalto University; Rosa Maria, Ballardini, University of Lapland; Juha Vesala, University of Lapland; Sergei Chekurov, Spinverse; Jouni Partanen, Aalto University

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Sanna Lehtinen, Aalto University; Antti Lehto, Aalto University; Noora-Helena Korpelainen, University of Helsinki

One Liner: The session explores what role aesthetic values and preferences play in sustainability transformations.

Keywords: aesthetic sustainability, sustainability transformations, critical thinking, sensorial approach

Session Description: What role do aesthetic values and preferences play in sustainability transformations? This session addresses the question from a practical perspective by bringing together distinct perspectives into practices that differ in their assumed scale of impact on human experience and non-human nature. In the context of the session, the aesthetic is conceived to denote the realm of sensory perception and valuation and thus to address both visceral experiences and the more cognitively attuned participation in sustainability transformations. Our aesthetic inclination then comes to be considered as a function of various actions and aesthetic sustainability as a critical tool in diverse practices in which assessing sustainability forms an important step, whether it is environmental, economic, social, or cultural. These practices can vary from large-scale systems like architectural form-giving to diverse everyday practices concerning food and eating or scientific measuring and presentation, for example. By focusing on the practical application of aesthetic literacy in the development of environmentally and socially sound sustainability, the session aims to provide contemporarily relevant discussion on aesthetic sustainability in practice.  The session contains an introduction to the concept of aesthetic sustainability. Four presentations will be selected from proposals with the criterion that they increase our understanding of the current trends in dealing with aesthetic sustainability within diverse practices. The duration of each presentation will be 15 minutes + 5 minutes for questions and answers. The questions to be addressed are: How does aesthetic sustainability assist in assessing the actions needed to enhance environmental and social sustainability? How do aesthetic values and preferences contribute to new imaginaries that scope alternative futures? How will aesthetics function for bridging gaps between knowledge generation and action-taking?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session

  • “Aesthetics in building demolition" by Iida Kalakoski, architect, university lecturer, Tampere University; Riina Sirén, architect, Tampere University
  • Aesthetic features in knowledge co-production for environmental conservation and sustainability" by Luana Poliseli, Wageningen University & Research
  • The role of aesthetics for sustainability transitions within landscape architecture in Sweden" by Sofia Sandqvist, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Vera Vicenzotti, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Fearing Climate-Fictions: negative emotions and aesthetic appreciation of Cli-fi" by Marta Benenti, University of Eastern Piedmont

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Ioan Fazey, University of York; Sam Buckton, University of York; Suzanne Om, University of York; Lee Eyre, University of York

One Liner: Regenerative systems: What are they and how can they be encouraged?

Keywords: regenerative systems, transformation, synergies, evaluation

Session Description: There is increasing recognition that to overcome contemporary challenges, societies will need to undergo fundamental change. Interest is growing in regenerative systems as a core concept to guide this transformation. Regenerative systems at community, organisation, city, economy, or regional scales, have dynamics that ‘spiral up’ human and environmental wellbeing in a reinforcing way, such that ‘life creates conditions conducive to life’.

The idea of regenerative systems is a significant departure from many current approaches that seek to reduce harm to sustainable levels, but which are insufficient to address burgeoning human and environmental crises. While interest in the idea of regenerative systems is growing, there is still limited conceptual clarity about what constitutes regenerative systems and about how change towards such systems can be realised. 

This session - encompassed in the theme ‘identifying solutions to systemic issues’ - will outline recent and emerging conceptual understandings of what constitute regenerative systems and how change towards them can be supported. It will involve short presentations followed by considerable time available for facilitated discussion among participants.

The session will first provide an overview of the topic, followed by explanations: of a new conceptual frame of regenerative systems; about how synergic action can support change to regenerative systems; how inner transformations are important for regenerative systems to emerge; and the importance of new approaches to evaluation that can guide change towards regenerative systems. Overall, the session seeks to open up debate about the importance of having powerful imaginations of the future and what is needed to retain ambition and transformational intent.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Radically Re-Imagining our Inequitable Food System: Seeking Guidance from Indigenous Practices of Regenerative Agriculture" by Lillian O'Toole, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • The “right to repair” as a tool to guide transformation towards a regenerative economic system" by Margherita Corrado, Bocconi University
  • Beyond Innovation: Situating the System for Regenerative Transformation." by Carola Moujan, Université de Tours; Isabelle La Jeunesse, Université de Tours
  • More-than-human agencies creating regeneration" by Martta Nieminen, Aalto University

  • Biodiversity rich urban design" by Elisa Lähde, Aalto ARTS

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 10:45-12:15 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 405 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Tuulikki Halla, University of Eastern Finland; Reetta Karhunkorva, University of Eastern Finland; Jana Holz, University of Jena; Jaana Laine LUT University

One Liner: Sustainable human-forest relationships are contested, but crucial for any sustainable future pathways

Keywords: human-forest relationships forests future pathways meanings practices

Session Description: Forests are a crucial and contested part of nature. Their use and protection are at the center of global sustainability aspirations and policies. Human attitudes and behavior play a major role in the success or failure of these policies.  The meanings humans attach to forests influence activities and decision-making from forest use to governance at a personal, communal, societal and global level. Furthermore, these meanings play a key role in the emergence, escalation and solution of forest-related conflicts.  This session sets out to discuss diverse human relationships with forests with a focus on future sustainability challenges. Besides being influenced by various personal, communal and intergenerational meanings, like emotions, knowledge, traditions and values, relationships of humans towards forests are framed by power relations and institutional settings. In the pursuit of society for sustainable development in forest utilization, novel forest relationships and practices, alternative pathways need to be opened. The session sets out to reflect and discuss current attitudes, actions and choices as well as future expectations (hopes, visions and even fears) connected to forest-related sustainability challenges and solutions.

Key questions for our session are:

  • What are the current and future pathways for sustainable forest use?
  • What types of actions are needed to address the main sustainability challenges regarding forest ecosystems?
  • How is sustainability understood and, in particular, how is the sustainable use of forests understood? Different understandings and meanings of sustainability influence the solutions of today and the pathways to the future.
  • How can a society enable the systemic transformations needed to create a sustainable transition in human relationships with forests?
  • What kind of forest-related meanings and practices are supporting or preventing systemic transformations?
  • What past, current and future imaginaries are emerging from various human-forest relationships?
  • What risks and opportunities lie ahead in terms of diverse human-forest relationships and their connection to biodiversity as well as socio-ecological challenges?

We explicitly invite contributions from anthropology, cultural studies, forestry, geography, history, psychology, and sociology as well as from other academic disciplines and practitioners from various fields.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Small business actor’s value-network and their understanding in social sustainability: the case forest-based bioeconomy in Finland in the 2020s" by Jukka Luhas, LUT University; Mirja Mikkilä, University of Helsinki
  • The Hunt for a Howler Monkey: Discussion on the link between interspecies communication and sustainable environmental practices in the Sapara territory of the Ecuadorian Amazon" by Olli Kaukonen Lindholm, University of Helsinki
  • Homogenization of forests as ontological politics" by Janne Säynäjäkangas, University of Jyväskylä
  • The urban canopy of London and the digital practices associated with it" by Gloria Michiels, KU Leuven
  • Reimagining forest relationships through walking and forest stories" by Marketa Dolejsova, Aalto University; Andrea Botero Aalto University, Jaz Hee-jeong Choi RMIT, Chewie
Parallel Session 5, May 25, 2023, 13:15-14:45 EEST

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  U35, Room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Kari Hyytiäinen, University of Helsinki; Marko Lindroos, University of Helsinki

One Liner: Multidisciplinary research is a key in search of solutions for sustainable use of natural resources and protection and management of natural environments.

Keywords: optimization, simulation, bioeconomic models, knowledge co-creation, scenarios, policy reforms

Session Description: This session gathers multi- and interdisciplinary research that combines ecology, economics and social sciences in studying pathways for sustainable use of natural resources and management of natural environments. The topics may include protection or management terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems including agricultural land, forests, lakes, coastal or marine regions, or transition of industries or economic sectors that make use of these environments such as fisheries, food production or coastal tourism. The methods applied may include quantitative approaches such as simulation, optimization, bioeconomic or integrated assessment modelling, but equally welcome are qualitative approaches such as scenario building or knowledge co-creation or approaches that combine qualitative and quantitative research. The scope of models can vary from e.g. ecosystem or farm level to regional, national or global scales. The results may , for example, include long-run numerical projections, ex-ante or ex-post assessments of alternative policy reforms, or cost-efficient programmes of measures to mitigate environmental problems.

  • Human-Forest relationships from the view of a forest owner and researcher" by Maria Hofman-Bergholm, Centria University of applied sciences
  • Socio-ecological rifts in circular economies" by Thomas Elliot, École de technologie supérieure; Annie Levasseur, École de technologie supérieure
  • Bayesian modelling of bioeconomic impacts of oil on fisheries" by Sami Vikkula, University of Helsinki, DENVI doctoral programme; Sakari Kuikka, University of Helsinki; Samu Mäntyniemi, LUKE
  • Forest owners´ willingness to implement measures promoting water protection in boreal peatland forestry" by Jenni Miettinen, University of Helsinki; Arttu Helomaa, University of Helsinki; Sari Pynnönen, Natural Resources Institute Finland; Annukka Vainio, University of Helsinki; Kari Hyytiäinen, University of Helsinki; Elina Peltomaa, University of Helsinki

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Heli Saarikoski, The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki, The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Janina Käyhkö, University of Helsinki

One Liner: Broadening the process of knowledge production to a diversity of participants and perspectives can promote sustainability transformations

Keywords: knowledge co-production, transdisciplinarity, actionable knowledge, joint fact-finding, sustainability transformations

Session Description: One-directional science-policy interfaces are often found ineffectual in addressing complex and contested science-intensive environmental questions. According to the knowledge co-production hypothesis, knowledge is more likely to become actionable and operational if policymakers and other key actors are closely involved in the knowledge generation processes (Lang et al. 2012). It is also suggested that broadening the process of knowledge production to a diversity of participants and perspectives, including local knowledge and place-based expertise, can further increase the relevance, legitimacy and reliability of knowledge and contribute to policy learning (Tengö et al.  2014). However, there is little empirical evidence of the capability of the approach to really contribute to transformative processes (Jagannathan et al 2020).

This session invites contributions that address knowledge co-production in sustainability transformations processes either empirically or theoretically. Can we find evidence on the assumed benefits of transdisciplinary processes and what does it take to organize genuinely collaborative knowledge co-creation processes?

Key questions to be addressed:

  • How do different literatures in sustainability science, science and technology studies, collaborative environmental management and other relevant fields conceptualize knowledge co-production or co-creation?
  • What kind of methodological challenges do knowledge co-creation pose to sustainability transformation research?
  • What kind of empirical evidence can be found on knowledge co-production contributing sustainability transformation? For example, Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland projects are carried out in close cooperation with interaction partners and could provide interesting findings of knowledge co-creation.
  • What are the prospects of institutionalizing knowledge co-creation in environmental planning and decision-making processes at local, regional and/or national levels?

References  Lang, D., et al. (2012). Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science: practice, principles, and challenges. Sustainability Science 7:25–43

Jagannathan, K., et al. (2020). Great expectations? Reconciling the aspiration, outcome, and possibility of co-production. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 42:22–29.

Tengö, M., et al. (2014). Connecting Diverse Knowledge Systems for Enhanced Ecosystem Governance: The Multiple Evidence Base Approach. AMBIO 43: 579–59.

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • "The emergence of knowledge co-production in sustainability research and its institutionalisation" by Janina Käyhkö, University of Helsinki, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme (ECOENV); Mikael Hildén, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Ia Hyttinen, University of Helsinki
  • The interrupting capacities of knowledge co-production experiments: a sociology of testing approach" by Sampsa Hyysalo, Aalto University, Department of Design; Helena Valve, SYKE;  David Lazarevic, SYKE;  Jani Lukkarinen, SYKE;  Tatu Marttila, Aalto University
  • "Interaction practices for knowledge co-production at different levels of (eco)systems" by Katri, Valkokari, VTT; Asta Salmi, University of Oulu, Anna Leinonen, VTT and Iqra Khan, Aalto University
  • Making sense of biodiversity offsetting: a co-creational approach to studying and developing biodiversity offsetting practices" by Johanna Tuomisaari, University of Jyväskylä; Emma Luoma, Akordi Oy & University of Eastern Finland
  • Agroecosystem living lab to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural peatlands in Finland" by Ellen Huan-Niemi, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 6 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Rosa Rantanen, University of Helsinki/INAR; Taneli Saari, Tunne ry. The session is organized in collaboration with the Finnish Death Studies Association.

One Liner: This session invites perspectives from research, civil society and arts on the relation of death and climate change. How can we deal with climate change-related death and loss in a way that maintains hope?

Keywords: climate change, death, eco-emotions, grief, loss

Session Description: Climate change and death overlap in many areas, such as extreme weather, air quality, health & well-being, security, ethics and culture. This session invites perspectives from researchers, civil society representatives and artists on the relation of death and climate change. Our main question is: how to deal with climate change-related death and loss in a way that maintains hope? Climate change, extreme weather phenomena and poor air quality contribute to global mortality. For example, according to WHO, the effects of air pollution are associated with 7 million premature deaths annually, making it one of the leading causes of mortality globally. Climate change directly and indirectly effects human and non-human (psychosocial) well-being, as well as the environment; it can also contribute to loss of cultures, communities or ecosystems. The effects are often most destructive for marginalized communities and individuals.

The theme of the session is strongly connected to eco-emotions; especially to grief experienced in the face of existential threads such as climate-related natural disasters, conflicts, mass extinction and loss of biodiversity, clean air and water. While these feelings/themes are mostly seen as negative, climate research and discussion can also create hope by providing tools for climate action and for dealing with the inevitable loss.

Program:

1. Opening & guidelines for discussion

2. Invited Speakers for Short Talks in this Session:

  • “Climate Change, Air Quality and Mortality: A Planetary Health Perspective” by Michael Boy, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR, University of Helsinki
  • “Taboo and Stigmatized Emotions around Planetary Death (tbc)” by Heidi Kosonen, Post-doctoral Researcher, Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Music, Art and Cultural Studies, University of Jyväskylä
  • “Climate Change, Death and the Ethics of Human Life Extension” by Rosa Rantanen, D.Soc.Sc., Research Coordinator, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR, University of Helsinki, University of Helsinki (also session convener & host)
  • “Eco-Emotions and Grief: Dealing with Climate-Related Loss” by Taneli Saari, Executive Director, Tunne ry – Känsla rf (also 2nd session convener)

3. Discussion with all the speakers and audience

Click here for additional biographical information for the speakers in this session.

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 405 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Laura Ruotsalainen, University of Helsinki and Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence

One Liner: Benefits and challenges in using Artificial Intelligence for achieving the sustainability goals.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, climate change, bias, power consumption

Session Description: According to a perspective in Nature (Vinuesa et al. 2020), artificial intelligence has the potential to advance all of the Sustainable Development Goals. Large data mining and simulations are especially promising for goals such as smart cities, climate action, quality education, health, and decent work and economic growth.

Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) has a program that is focused on identifying and supporting FCAI’s innovations that are relevant for sustainability. The aim of this session is to gather the representatives of academic community and decision makers to discuss the potential and challenges of using AI for systemic changes. The aim is also to brainstorm how to include the whole society in the development and move from scattered, small-scale activities to significant AI enabled transformations.

Schedule and Speakers for this session:

  • 13.15 – 13.20 Laura Ruotsalainen, University of Helsinki and FCAI: Opening of the event, AI as the enabler for systemic changes.
  • 13.20 – 13.40 Atte Harjanne, the Greens:  How can we engage the whole society in systemic and fair change.
  • 13.40 – 14.00 Anna-Mari Rusanen, Ministry of Finance: Decision making and policy governance for AI based sustainability activities
  • 14.00 – 14.20 Pia Erkinheimo, the Finnish Climate Fund: Pursuing sustainability goals via combating climate change, boosting low-carbon industry and promoting digitalisation.
  • 14. 20 – 14.40 Davor Orlic, Global Network of AI Excellence Centres in Sustainable Development – NAIXUS: Engaging international research community in AI enabled transformations.
  • 14.40 – 14.45  Laura Ruotsalainen: Closing words, ways forward

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Mark Hughes, Aalto University; Katja Lähtinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE); David Lazarevic, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

One Liner: Moving from efficiency to sufficiency in the built environment

Keywords: life-cycle perspective, supply chains, business models and financing, material selection, acceptability, design for adaptability

Session Description: Around 40% of Finland’s energy use is consumed by buildings. To reduce energy and material demand, multiple solutions are required across the entire life-cycle of a building. However, the long lifespans of building pose a critical challenge in that present-day energy and resource efficiency solutions may create systemic lock-ins and rebound effects in the future. This creates an impetus to look beyond efficiency toward a sufficiency perspective. Sufficiency entails the production of a built environment that remains within planetary boundaries by limiting the total consumption of energy and resources in absolute terms. Efforts to limit the consumption associated with building construction is already visible through the implementation of adaptation, renovation, and construction material reuse and recycling. While these actions are gaining traction within policies promoting a shift towards sustainable construction systems, challenges persist with the societal adoption of these actions.

This session aims to address pathways towards facilitating sustainable construction systems within a sufficiency paradigm. The session provides a forum for multi- and inter- disciplinary researchers focusing on multiple perspectives, actor networks, policies, and governance mechanisms that address challenges associated with enabling building for sufficiency. Likewise, research on supply side innovations or demand side acceptability represents a critical area of study for identifying challenges and solutions. To foster a collaborative forum, we welcome presentations from researchers and practitioners alike.

Key question addressed in the session:

  • What solutions (e.g., social, financial, technological) are possible in a future where building construction and renovation remains within planetary boundaries?
  • What are potential pathways (e.g., technological, user, governance interventions) toward sufficiency in the building sector from a multi actor perspective?
  • What are the opportunities for enabling a sustainable built environment across the various life-cycle phases of a building (e.g., design, occupancy, end-of-life, reuse)?
  • What power do different actors have to influence sustainability changes across different life-cycle phases of a building?
  • What are the challenges facing a shift to the building(s) for sufficiency perspective and how may these challenges be overcome?

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “The Dynamics of Wood Recirculation from Construction in Finland: A Market-Based Approach" by Anastasija Dmitrijeva, Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki; Angelina Korsunova, University of Helsinki; Anne Toppinen, University of Helsinki
  • From ”Primary” to Multi-heating: Finnish Single-Family Dwellings as Hybrids of Several Energy Systems" by Marika Silvikko de Villafranca, Aalto University; Sini Numminen, Aalto University; Sampsa Hyysalo, Aalto University
  • Finnish citizens’ worries abut societal threats and their connections with housing preferences" by Charlotta Harju, Luonnonvarakeskus; Liina, Häyrinen, Luonnonvarakeskus; Katja Lähtinen, Luonnonvarakeskus; Atte Koskivaara, Luonnonvarakeskus
  • Regional wood-based construction policy networks: a case of Joensuu, Finland" by Md Rayhanur Rahman, PhD researcher, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki; Ida Wallin, Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden ;  Ritva Toivonen, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland;   Anne Toppinen, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Retrofitting urban areas with wood: origin of new project development in an emerging business ecosystem" by Anne Viljanen, University of Helsinki; Mikko Kurttila, Natural Resources Institute Finland; Anne Toppinen, University of Helsinki

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Sanna Ketonen-Oksi, Laurea UAS; Jaana Laisi, University of Helsinki; Leena Helenius, University of Helsinki

One Liner: We are inspired by both restorative and transformative research or other openings that can help us to build agency that is both responsible and compassionate enough to recognise the power of human-nature connectedness already associated with better health and well-being of people (Barragan-Jason et al. 2022).

Keywords: paradigm shift, human-nature connectedness, planetary health and well-being, Inner Development Goals, collective imagination, conceptualisations

Session Description: In this session, we focus on the interconnectedness of human health and well-being with nature (e.g. Lancet Planetary Health 2022 and Laisi et al. 2022). In doing so, we believe that humans are part of nature, the biosphere, and one of the living species on planet Earth.   Instead of isolating the rest of nature from us and ourselves from nature—as if we were not part of the natural ecosystem—we should approach the human-nature relationship through its many dimensions (Ives et al. 2018) and make our best to dismantle the human-nature dichotomy (Soinnunmaa et al. 2021). That is, to achieve the various sustainability goals and to increase our planetary well-being (JYU Wisdom Community 2021) we need to focus on values, ways of thinking, perspectives and structures that guide our actions both at the individual level (e.g. Inner Development Goals) and/or as collectives (see Jasanoff 2015 and the concept of collective imagination). This relates to topics such as our social decision-making, the health care system and sustainability measures.

To support the paradigm shift, this session is looking for both restorative and transformative research or other openings (concepts, ideas, methods or new operating models, processes, case studies) which could promote an agency that is both responsible and compassionate enough to recognise the power of human-nature connectedness already associated with better health and well-being of people (Barragan-Jason et al. 2022).

To enable the multidisciplinary exchange of ideas and lively discussion around the topic, the session is structured as follows: After a short introduction to the theme, presented by the conveners of the session, we have time for two rounds of 3-5 minutes long inspiring and/or provocative presentations which will then be discussed in small groups. Please note that we welcome all forms of presentations (speeches, videos, bodily expressions, elevator pitches, statistical analysis etc.) within the given time constraints. To support the session planning, what we expect from abstracts is that they clearly indicate:

  • the core message of your presentation
  • the form of your presentation
  • 1-3 questions that you would consider particularly interesting to discuss in the small groups

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Connections of Bhutan’s GNH development principles with education for sustainable development and transformative education" by Päivi Ahonen, University of Oulu, Faculty of Education
  • Guidance Counselling for Eco-socially Flourishing Futures" by Sara Peltola, University of Jyväskylä / JYU.Wisdom

  • Health-care professionals’ perceptions to the question of human-nature connectedness" by Leena Helenius, University of Helsinki

  • Art moments and wellbeing: Photographs as nature-based solutions to empower people to grow towards full humanness and enhance community resilience" by Saara Lilja, Emergenssi Ltd; Arto O. Salonen, University of Eastern Finland

  • Reimagining Circularity: Healing to be(come) one" by Hanna Guttorm, University of Helsinki & Sámi University of Applied Sciences; Mathieu Leporini, CERDI (Clermont Auvergne University / CNRS / IRD) – European Centre of Excellence on Sustainability

 

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 13:15-14:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Heta Lähdesmäki, University of Helsinki; Nina V. Nygren, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK); Pauliina Rautio, University of Oulu

One Liner: Discovering sustainable ways of sharing space with awkward others

Keywords: sustainable coexistence; sharing space; unloved others; non-human animals; non-human life; conflict

Session Description: Everywhere humans live they share their living environments with non-human animals, plants, and other life forms. Sharing spaces with non-human others sometimes results in conflicts as human and non-human interests collide (in urban and rural areas and everywhere in between). This is often the case with awkward, unwelcomed, or unloved others, like animals perceived as pests and plants considered weeds. Their presence can cause human-non-human conflicts as well as generate disputes between members of the public as well as different interest groups. Attempts to address and resolve these conflicts vary in research and in practice. In this session we invite scholars from different disciplines to discuss various viewpoints to the contested terrains of sharing space with awkward others. The focus is on how human-non-human and human-to-human conflicts can be solved or lessened. Discussions aim at exploring the ways in which research can have societal impacts on sustainable cohabitation in urban and rural spaces.

Key questions to be addressed in the session:

  • What kind of human-non-human and between-human conflicts are generated by the presence of awkward or unwelcomed others (in urban spaces and elsewhere) and how are they solved or lessened?
  • What kind of research (theoretical and empirical approaches) is needed for societal impacts on sustainable cohabitation?”

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • The changed relationship between humans and blue-green algae in Finland" by Otto Latva, University of Turku
  • Speculative spaces: Children exploring socio-ecological worlds with mythical nature spirits" by Jenny Byman, University of Helsinki; Kristiina Kumpulainen (co-author); Jenny Renlund (co-presenter & co-author); Chin-Chin Wong (co-author); Peter Renshaw (co-author)
  • Multispecies ethnography in a zoo - encounters among children and barnacle geese" by Verneri Valasmo, University of Helsinki; Varpu Mehto, University of Helsinki; Riikka Hohti, University of Helsinki, University of Oulu
  • Can Awkward Humans Dream About Free Roaming Bovids?" by Zimu Zhang, VisitAnts Fellow, University of Oulu, Finland; Adjunct Lecturer at Lingnan University, Hong Kong
  • Unruly Natures: Contesting human-baboon relationships and minimising conflict in Cape Town, South Africa" by Kinga Psiuk, Stockholm University; Johan, Enqvist, Stockholm University
Parallel Session 6, May 25, 2023, 15:15-16:45 EEST

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  U35,- Room 116 (Unioninkatu 35)

Conveners: Fanni Moilanen, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, University of Helsinki; Meri Jalonen, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Aalto University; Heli Clottes Heikkilä, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

One Liner: Work - An enabler or barrier of sustainability transitions?

Keywords: work; organization; occupation; industry; labour

Session Description: Systemic sustainability transitions demand major changes for the accustomed ways in the world of work (Lahikainen & Toivanen, 2019; Moilanen & Alasoini, 2023; Räthzel & Uzzell, 2019). Still, work has remained an unexplored topic in the fields of environmental social sciences and industrial relations. The aim of this session is to examine sustainability problems and solutions from the perspective of work.  Work is an inherent part of any production process - Workers engage with every product or service produced and all production processes involve some kind of material resources and hence interfere more or less directly with the ecosphere (Hoffmann & Paulsen, 2020) However, most sustainability research on production investigates the role of technology, efficiency, growth and consumers of the end results of production. These approaches neglect workers and work organizations as central actors in production systems (Hoolohan et al., 2021; Moreau et al., 2017; Pedersen & Lam, 2018).

Examining sustainability crisis from the perspective of work allows the analysis of various levels, such as industries, labour unions, work organizations and occupations as well as individual workers’ identities, motivations and actions. Engagement with all these levels and groups of actors is essential for the fair and sustainable restructuring of the economy, since they have different opportunities to initiate and execute change.

The focus of this session is to discuss work-environment issues in particular from the perspective on wage labour, but the session is open for insights that stretch the boundaries of typical wage labour or examine alternative means of livelihood.

Key questions to be addressed in this session include:

  • What approaches, frameworks and theories can we use to analyse environmental and social problems related to work or the relationships between work, production and consumption?
  • What needs to change in work to enable systemic sustainability transformations?
  • What kind of tensions and challenges may emerge in efforts to shape work more sustainable?
  • How to foster climate actions of non-state actors such as work organizations?
  • How to prevent or mitigate the adverse impacts of transitions from falling onto workers?
  • What kind of alternative or complementary models of income etc. could be developed to reduce working hours and thereby consumption?

References:  Hoffmann, M., & Paulsen, R. (2020). Resolving the ‘jobs-environment-dilemma’? The case for critiques of work in sustainability research. Environmental Sociology, 6(4), 343–354.

Hoolohan, C., et al. (2021). Responding to the climate emergency: How are UK universities establishing sustainable workplace routines for flying and food? Climate Policy, 21(7), 853–867.

Lahikainen, L., & Toivanen, T. (2019). Working the Biosphere: Towards an Environmental Philosophy of Work. Environmental Philosophy, 16(2), 359–378.

Moilanen, F., & Alasoini, T. (2023). Workers as actors at the micro-level of sustainability transitions: A systematic literature review. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 46, 100685.

Moreau, V., et al. (2017). Coming Full Circle: Why Social and Institutional Dimensions Matter for the Circular Economy: Why Social and Institutional Dimensions Matter. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 497–506.

Pedersen, R. L., & Lam, D. P. M. (2018). Second comment on ‘The climate mitigation gap: Education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions.’ Environmental Research Letters, 13(6), 068001.

Räthzel, N., & Uzzell, D. (2019). Environmental Policies and The Reproduction of Business as Usual: How Does It Work? Capitalism Nature Socialism, 30(1), 120–138.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • “Postgrowth work and livelihoods from a perspective of the practitioners" by Eeva Houtbeckers, University of Turku
  • “Rehabilitative work experience - an obscure form of sustainable work life?" by Ossi Laaksamo, doctoral researcher
  • “Knowledge workers’ perspectives to sustainability challenges of working life" by Meri Jalonen, LAB University of Applied Sciences & Aalto University; Sari Niemi, University of Lapland
  • “From knowledge to action – towards climate agency of workplaces" by Heli Clottes Heikkilä, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; Arja Ala-Laurinaho, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; Sara Malve-Ahlroth, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
  • “Talking Union, Talking Climate" by Vivian Price, California State University Dominguez Hills

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 1 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Sabaheta Ramcilovic-Suominen, Natural Resources Institute Finland; Maria Ehrnstrom-Fuentes, Hanken School of Economics, University of Helsinki

One Liner: #SystemChange is untenable without #ontological change.  #JustTransformations are by definition #postcapitalist and #decolonial

Keywords: post-human, multispecies justice, relational onto-epistemologies, decolonial(ity), post/degrowth

Session Description: Just socioecological transformations require engagement with and denouncing, or active undoing of the continued and continually perpetuated coloniality of our bodies and minds, the ways we live, the ways we know, the ways we see our place, roles and responsibilities in the world, and finally the ways we relate to other humans and to other-than-humans. It also requires an engagement and active undoing of the political and economic structures that perpetuate and profit from the violence of coloniality, but the later depends on the former, as the structures are socially constructed, embedded within the ontological tradition we abide to. Hence wide societal and socioecological transformations of the economy or political system demand first and foremost onto-epistemological change. Transformations can be approached as praxis, way of life, struggle and antagonism, as well as a theory. We invite contributions that engage and explore the following concepts and phenomena:

  1. anti-capitalist, anti-colonial, post and degrowth related approaches to just transformations
  2. posthuman, multispecies, relational and ontological approaches to transformations,
  3. conceptual unravelling concerning socioecological, ontological and sustainability transformations.

We call for contributions from diverse actors and societal groups; from scholars, to practitioners, activist, famers, citizens and artists who engage with the changes and transformations of the personal and socioecological in their work and life. We aim to provide a platform to meet and debate what transformations means to whom in what ways and traditions, highlighting the multiple ways of understanding, analysing, and fighting for radical existences. Within academic field, we welcome engagements with diverse knowledge systems, including western scientific, Indigenous, and situated knowledges, as well as embodied experiences and transdisciplinary approaches. The session format will be multiformat, including diverse ways of presenting and performing.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Alternatives Narratives to Development from Frugal Social Innovations in the Global South" by Juliana, Rodrigues, Aalto University
  • Of clashing worlds and Sámi reindeer herders’ fight for preserving and renewing – An analysis of forest conflicts in Sámi homeland" by Anna Ott, Finnish Environment Institute
  • The European Rights of Nature Tribunal: an ecocentric invitation to knowing, feeling, doing, being otherwise" by Katri Vihma, University of Helsinki
  • Stoneworts as cocreators of more-than-human landscapes" by Malgorzata (Gosia) Kowalska, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland and University of Oulu, Finland (Visiting Researcher)
  • Desirable social futures: Reflecting on the territories and discourses of transformative initiatives" by Maíra, Sardão, UTAD; Pedro Gabriel, Silva, UTAD

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Metsätalo, Sali 6 (Unioninkatu 40)

Conveners: Riccardo Mereu, Politecnico di Milano; Antti Autio, University of Helsinki; Margaret Koli, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management; Chakib Seladji, Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES)

One Liner: The Energy-Development nexus and the value of scientific cooperation in the AU-EU Region to unveil sustainable pathways in an era of unpredictable uncertainties

Keywords: Renewable Energy; Sustainable Energy, AU-EU Partnership; Management methods; Multi-lateral cooperation; Energy-Development Nexus

Session Description: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN for the 2015-2030 period intends to shift the world onto a sustainable path. The Goal 7 of the agenda is dedicated to energy, with the objective of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. However, a recent study (Alova, 2021) estimates that in Africa only a 10% share of energy will come from renewable sources by 2030 unless immediate action is taken. A paradigm shift is required to trigger the energy-development nexus.

One way to support this shift is to promote a pathway for empowering local research and innovation through bi-continental cooperation. The Long-Term Joint European Union – African Union Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy (LEAP-RE) programme (2020-2025) seeks to create a partnership of African and European stakeholders in a quadruple helix: government, research and academia, private sector, and civil society. LEAP-RE establishes and implements research, innovation, and capacity-building activities on themes such as innovation priorities, smart-grid and off-grid systems, productive and domestic uses, access to energy, recycling, etc. Furthermore, the establishment of a long-term AU-EU coordination platform for research and innovation and capacity building on renewable energies is envisaged.

In this session we present the proceedings from the 21 research projects in the LEAP-RE consortium with a reflection of their resonance with the conference subtheme on technical, business or social solutions and innovations for promoting sustainability transformations. The session begins with a keynote presentation describing the overall programme, followed by selected summaries of the research project proceedings.

The session will end on a brief discussion and Q&A on the potential role of an impact-oriented method for the AU-EU member states towards a long-term partnership in renewable energy. This will attempt to identify long-term impact-oriented management methods in a multi-lateral cooperation and address the effectiveness of these methods in building sustainable networks to leverage sustainability transformations. The discussion is rooted in the conference theme of understanding systems with the help of scientific knowledge and specifically on the notion of what impact pathways do we have for better futures.

The session will proceed as follows:

  • 15:15-15:25 - Keynote presentation describing the overall programme by Léonard Lévêque (LGI)
  • 15:25-15:45 - External research and capacity-building projects by Francois Moisan (ANR) and Sellami Mokhtar (MESRS)
  • 15:45-16:05 - Internal consortium research and innovation projects and capacity building activities by Riccardo Mereu (POLIMI) and Sandra Banda (SU)
  • 16:05-16:15 - Geothermal energy for local communities in East Africa: the case of Geothermal Village by Fabio Iannone (SSSA)
  • 16:15-16:25 - Building Sustainable Futures: Collaborative Approaches to Renewable Energy Development by Tanja Woronowicz (DLR) and Chakib Seladji (PAUWES)
  • 16:25-16:45 - Discussion & Q&A by Margaret Koli (WHU), Antti Autio (UH), and Riccardo Mereu (POLIMI)

Click here for biographical information about the speakers.

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 203 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Workshop Conveners: Stefan Baumeister, University of Jyväskylä; Abraham Leung, Griffith University

One Liner: What are the possibilities and challenges of developing sustainable travel and tourism in the era of Anthropocene and global upheavals – is there a glimpse of hope from behavioral and technological changes?

Keywords: tourism, mobility, sustainable travel, transport, decarbonisation technology

Session Description: Join us in this workshop session to explore the possibilities and challenges of developing sustainable travel and tourism in the era of Anthropocene and global upheavals. In a globalized world, mobility is highly desired, but this also creates travel demand that relies heavily on energy and carbon intensive transportation modes. Tourism is an important sector, bringing in many benefits such as economic, cultural, and also well-being. It is a challenge to reduce carbon emissions whilst maintaining the need for travel. With new developments in technology and also post-COVID adjustments – we are now in an era of uncertainty but perhaps also hope. It is important to rethink how we should travel without costing the planet.  In the workshop, we will cover the knowledge, actions, and solutions in the following topics:

  • Impact assessment of travel – what are the methodological advances?
  • The link between travel behavior and land use planning – how can we promote sustainable travel?
  • Digitization (such as Mobility-as-a-Service) – informing users of their travel impact or enabling new sustainable travel options.
  • Electrification – does it reduce emissions, or just “greenwashing”?
  • Autonomous travel – is it a hype or a promising solution?
  • Small devices, big changes – can micromobility replace vehicle trips?
  • Green aviation – are electrification or green fuels enough to decarbonise aviation?
  • Post-pandemic futures – travelling slower, staying longer or being digital nomads?
  • Equity – higher income economies are disproportionately more mobile, is this fair?
  • Virtual reality, metaverse and digital twinning – can it really replace actual travel?
  • Water transport – is there a role for water transport? What is the potential of electrification or using sails?

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 205 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Annika Lonkila, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Minna Kaljonen, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE); Iryna Herzon, Univeristy of Helsinki; Helena Hansson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Malin Jonell, Stockholm University

One Liner: Dialogue for mobilizing leverage points for food system transformation in Finland and Sweden

Keywords: leverage points, sustainability transformation, food system, dialogue

Session Description: We invite researchers and stakeholders to participate in a dialogue session to discuss leverage points for food system transformation. Leverage points are defined as places to intervene in complex systems to bring about transformative change (Fischer & Riechers 2018, Meadows 1999). To date, many sustainability interventions have focused on weak leverage points, such as subsidies, with limited potential for transformational change (Abson et al. 2017). To bring about systemic transformation, more focus needs to be paid to deep leverage points, such as the rules, values, goals, and paradigms defining how the system functions.

In two research projects, SustAnimalFood and Mistra Food Futures, we have identified leverage points for food system transformation in the context of Finnish and Swedish food systems. In SustAnimalFood, we have created an understanding of the existing livestock production system, and identified leverage points for transformation towards a more sustainable niche for farmed animals in the Finnish food system. In Mistra Food Futures we have identified entry points for action at food system level to enable change. 

We host an open dialogue session to discuss and examine the identified leverage points for food system transformation through transdisciplinary research in the two research projects. We focus on specific deep leverage points, such as an underlying goal in the food system, to verify and enrich the understanding of the turning points. We will deliberate potential solutions for changing that lever, as well as the impacts of such change on the system level.

Key questions to be addressed in the session:

  • The external validity of the leverage and entry points already identified and how they can be generalized towards other settings.
  • How leverages towards sustainability transformation can be mobilized in the Finnish and Swedish food systems?
  • Next steps and knowledge gaps regarding leverage points to enable food system sustainability transformation.

This sessions runs as a panel/discussion with the conveners. The session will revolve around interaction with the audience and thus does not have specific paper presentations/abstracts. Join us for this exciting discussion!

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 206 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Conveners: Heta Lähdesmäki, University of Helsinki; Nina V. Nygren, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK); Pauliina Rautio, University of Oulu

One Liner: Discovering sustainable ways of sharing space with awkward others

Keywords: sustainable coexistence; sharing space; unloved others; non-human animals; non-human life; conflict

Session Description: Everywhere humans live they share their living environments with non-human animals, plants, and other life forms. Sharing spaces with non-human others sometimes results in conflicts as human and non-human interests collide (in urban and rural areas and everywhere in between). This is often the case with awkward, unwelcomed, or unloved others, like animals perceived as pests and plants considered weeds. Their presence can cause human-non-human conflicts as well as generate disputes between members of the public as well as different interest groups. Attempts to address and resolve these conflicts vary in research and in practice. In this session we invite scholars from different disciplines to discuss various viewpoints to the contested terrains of sharing space with awkward others. The focus is on how human-non-human and human-to-human conflicts can be solved or lessened. Discussions aim at exploring the ways in which research can have societal impacts on sustainable cohabitation in urban and rural spaces.

Key questions to be addressed in the session:

  • What kind of human-non-human and between-human conflicts are generated by the presence of awkward or unwelcomed others (in urban spaces and elsewhere) and how are they solved or lessened?
  • What kind of research (theoretical and empirical approaches) is needed for societal impacts on sustainable cohabitation?”

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Friends, Cuties and Trash Birds –– Human-Animal Encounters in Instagram Selfies with Seagulls" by Tiina Salmia, PhD student, University of Turku
  • Power of language - How do we speak and how should we speak about awkward others?" by Harri Uusitalo, University of Turku
  • Living sustainably with a dog, thrips and Indian meal moths: re-thinking hospitality at home" by Marina Pliushchik, University of Oulu
  • “Learning with awkward others" by Virpi Valtonen, University of Helsinki

Date: May 25, 2023

Time: 15:15-16:45 EEST

Location:  Kielikeskus, 405 (Fabianinkatu 26)

Convener: Gloria Felicia Lauterbach, Aalto University; Melissa Ingaruca Morena, University of Helsinki

One Liner: On bold cooperation between disciplines towards a caring, multispecies futures.

Keywords: research collaboration, multispecies sustainability, artistic research, open experimentation in research

Session Description: Urban environments are habitats of humans and more-than-humans alike. With constantly growing urban landscapes on the one hand and increasing vulnerability of cities (and all their inhabitants) to climate change on the other hand, fundamental changes in planning, designing and constructing cities are required. Luckily, serious explorations that imagine and systematically incorporate multispecies sustainability into urban environments have arrived in a great variety of fields such as architecture, city planning, design, artistic research and urban ecology.   One prominent example of such exploration is the effect of urban lighting on the well-being of both humans and wildlife. The scientific data being collected by urban ecologists for instance help to reconstruct pathways and shelters or monitor behavioral changes of wildlife such as changes in reproduction cycles caused by lighting infrastructures. Simultaneously, artists and designers apply, among others, arts-based methods such as (sci-fi) storytelling, design fiction, multispecies mapping or biohacking to level out human-centered perspectives and infrastructures and to implement collaborative skills between species.

Given the urgency for action required to reverse the biodiversity loss, we as researchers in the field of multispecies sustainability and more-than-human design want to strengthen dialogues between the fields we ourselves work in (post-humanities, arts-based research, artistic research) and natural sciences, social sciences, physical sciences & engineering and humanities. So we ask:

  • how can nature inventories and biohacking complement each other?
  • how can design fiction and scenario simulation enable each other?
  • how can the collection of geodata and multispecies mapping infuse one another?
  • how can experience walks and plant-thinking come together?
  • how can human-animal places and digital environments magnify each other?

This list is to be considered endless.

The aim of the proposed workshop session is to bring practices together to stir inspiring encounters. We will organize the 90-minute workshop session by following the structure of speed-dating to facilitate spaces for open, practical and dialogical explorations. To be able to generate dialogue between a great variety of researchers working with and interested in multispecies sustainability, we welcome submissions that showcase, describe, reflect own research methods as well as one’s own methodological spare room ready to host collaborative experimentation.

 

Papers Presenting in this Session:

  • Protecting what we find beautiful? Human's aesthetic perceptions of birds in the Antropocene help understand both conservation actions and threats to birds" by Anna Haukka, The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, the Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki; Aleksi Lehikoinen, the Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, the Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki; Stefano Mammola, Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Verbania Pallanza
  • The aesthetics of the post-natural forest. Hacking the heterotopia through research-creation." by Carola Moujan, Université de Tours, UMR 7324 CITERES