Researchers specialising in climate change and biodiversity loss

Below is a list of University of Helsinki researchers specialising in climate change and biodiversity loss, including their causes, consequences and solutions. The list is by no means exhaustive. You can find more experts using the People Finder function on our website. The University’s communications specialists are also happy to help.

The University’s communications specialists are also happy to help look for our experts.
Experts on climate, nature and sustainability, by topic
  • Jussi T. Eronen, Associate Professor of Long-Term Sustainability Science (@Jussi_T_Eronen): Research on climate–ecosystem interaction from the past to the future; long-term dynamics of socio-ecological systems, including the effect of changes to biodiversity on societies and communities 
  • Mikael Fortelius, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeontology: Effects of climate change on ecosystems on a scale of millions of years; links between climate change and evolution 
  • Veli-Matti Kerminen, Professor: Aerosols, including their cooling effect 
  • Atte Korhola, Professor of Environmental Change, Vice-Dean (@AtteKorhola): Current and past climate changes, including their environmental and societal effects, especially in northern regions 
  • Risto Makkonen, University Researcher: Climate modelling 
  • Markku Oinonen, Docent: Radiocarbon dating, biogenic content measurement used to determine, for example, the amount of biological matter in emissions 
  • Petri Pellikka, Professor (@PetriPellikka): Remote sensing, land use change, Africa, University of Helsinki Taita Research Station in Kenya, glacier monitoring 
  • David N. Thomas, Professor of Arctic Ecosystem Research (@DNThomas01): Biogeochemical processes from land to coastal waters (interviews in English) 
  • Jouni Räisänen, Senior University Lecturer: Global warming, weather statistics 
  • Juha Saarinen, Assistant Professor: Effect of climate and vegetation changes on the adaptations and nutrition of herbivorous mammals over the past 66 million years, and methods for exploring environmental change based on the traits of such animals   
  • Sakari Salonen, Academy Research Fellow, Docent of Paleoclimatology (@js_salonen): Paleoclimatology, or the study of the climate history of Earth  
  • Minna Väliranta, University Researcher: Research on past environmental and climate conditions and derivative research on the effects of current climate change on natural processes; peatlands 
  • Kaarina Weckström, Docent: Reconstruction of long-term climate and environmental changes on the basis of marine and freshwater sedimentary archives 
  • Jan Weckström, University Researcher: Past and present environmental changes in northern regions; freshwater ecosystems; diatoms 
  • Michael Boy, Professor: Biosphere–atmosphere multi-scale modelling (interviews in English) 
  • Jaana Bäck, Professor of Forest–Atmosphere Interactions (@JaanaBack): Function and interactions of forest ecosystems with the environment, specifically the role of forests in curbing climate change 
  • Leena Järvi, Professor of Applied Urban Meteorology (@ljjarvi): Urban climate, air quality and carbon dioxide emissions and sinks; effect of urban planning on urban air; curbing and adapting to climate change 
  • Markku Kulmala, Academician (@MarkkuKulmala1): Atmosphere, aerosols 
  • Katrianne Lehtipalo, Professor of Atmospheric Science and Physics (@Katrianne_L): Atmospheric aerosols and air pollution; aerosol physics 
  • Dmitry Moiseev, Professor (@HelsinkiRadar): Radar meteorology; cloud and precipitation physics 
  • Pauli Paasonen, Associate Professor (@PauliPaasonen): Urban air 
  • Tuukka Petäjä, Professor: Atmospheric measurement stations and equipment 
  • Mari Pihlatie, Professor of Environmental Soil Science (@MariPihlatie): Plant–soil–microbial relationships; greenhouse gas and nitrous oxide emissions; emissions and processes in forest ecosystems and agriculture 
  • Victoria Sinclair, University Lecturer (@VSinclair_Met): General meteorology 
  • Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR
  • Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center ACCC
  • Mar Cabeza, Academy Research Fellow, Director of the Global Change and Conservation group: Integrating climate change into conservation planning (interviews in English) 
  • Ulrika Candolin, Senior University Lecturer (@ulrikacandolin): Behavioural responses of animals to environmental change 
  • Merja Kontro, University Lecturer: Groundwater and climate change 
  • Atte Korhola, Professor of Environmental Change, Vice-Dean (@AtteKorhola): Current and past climate changes, including their environmental and societal effects, especially in northern regions 
  • Helena Korpelainen, Director of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Professor: Biodiversity, gene pools, plant population adaptation to climate change 
  • Aleksi Lehikoinen, Academy Research Fellow (@AksuLehikoinen): Effects of climate change on the abundance and distribution of bird populations 
  • Juha Merilä, Professor (@jmerila): Evolution in response to climate change, genetic diversity, adaptation to climate change, phenology  
  • Atte Moilanen, Research Director: Land use, ecological compensation, species data 
  • Matthew Robson, Academy Research Fellow (@CanopySEE), Canopy Spectral Ecology and Ecophysiology research group (CanSEE): How interactions of sunlight and climate change affect plant ecology and terrestrial ecosystem processes (interviews in English)  
  • Lassi Ahlvik, Associate Professor (@AhlvikLassi): EU emissions trading scheme, environmental taxation, economic aspects of biodiversity 
  • Jussi T. Eronen, Associate Professor of Long-Term Sustainability Science (@Jussi_T_Eronen): Research on climate­–ecosystem interaction from the past to the future; long-term dynamics of socio-ecological systems, including the effect of changes to biodiversity on societies and communities 
  • Frédéric Guillaume, Professor of Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics (@fred_guillaume): Eco-evolutionary forecasting of species responses to global changes (interviews in English)
  • Juha Helenius, Professor of Agricultural Ecology (@helenius_juha): Species biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems; biodiversity and agricultural production methods 
  • Iryna Herzon, Senior University Lecturer (@irina_herzon): Biodiversity of the agricultural environment  
  • Timo Kuuluvainen, University Lecturer: Interactions between the forest structure and dynamics, and its biodiversity; ecologically sustainable forest use, restoration and conservation 
  • Anna-Liisa Laine, Professor of Plant Biodiversity (@annaliisalaine): Changes in biodiversity, long-term ecology, plant disease regulation and biodiversity 
  • Aleksandra Lewandowska, Associate Professor of Functional Marine Biodiversity (@planktola): Effect of climate change on marine plankton biodiversity and deep-sea food web interactions  
  • Ian MacGregor-Fors, Professor of Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystems (@macgregorfors) 
  • Juha Merilä, Professor (@jmerila): Evolution in response to climate change, genetic diversity, adaptation to climate change, phenology  
  • Christopher Raymond, Professor of Sustainability Science: Sustainability transformation, ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation (interviews in English) 
  • Jouko Rikkinen, Professor: Biodiversity, particularly the diversity and evolutionary history of plants and fungi, terrestrial ecosystems in Finland and the tropics 
  • Marjo Saastamoinen, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Ecology (@Marjo_S): Responses of natural populations and communities to human-induced environmental change 
  • Janne Soininen, Professor (@soininen_janne): Freshwater organisms and water biodiversity 
  • Rose Thorogood, Associate Professor (@informedbirds): Animal behaviour and social relations in a changing world 
  • Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen, Associate Professor: Environment and social impact of Indigenous peoples, particularly in the northern and Amazonian regions

Experts at the Finnish Museum of Natural History
  • Jukka Horppila, Professor of Limnology: Lake ecology 
  • Kari Hyytiäinen, Professor of the Economics of Baltic Sea Protection: Blue economy, eutrophication mitigation, and the costs, benefits, scenarios, integrated models and economic optimisation associated with Baltic Sea protection
  • Kimmo Kahilainen, Professor of Environmental Research: Lake biodiversity and ecology, fish 
  • Marie C. Nordström, Associate Professor of Coastal Ecology: Coastal ecosystems, food webs, marine biodiversity  
  • Alf Norkko, Professor of Baltic Sea Research (@AlfNorkko): Marine ecosystems and climate change in the Baltic Sea and the polar regions 
  • Joanna Norkko, Research Coordinator (@JoannaNorkko): Marine ecosystems and climate change in the Baltic Sea and the polar regions 
  • Craig Primmer, Professor of Genomics (@FishConGen): Biodiversity in the aquatic environment (particularly salmon), conservation of genetic diversity 
  • Petteri Uotila, Professor (@puotila): Marine environments and climate change
  • David N. Thomas, Professor of Arctic Ecosystem Research (@DNThomas01): Biogeochemical processes from land to coastal waters (interviews in English) 
  • Jan Weckström, University Researcher: Past and present environmental changes in northern regions, freshwater biology, diatoms
  • Maria Brockhaus, Professor of International Forest Policy (@brockhaus_maria): Role of forests in climate change policy and effects on justice and environmental law 
  • Jaana Bäck, Professor of Forest–Atmosphere Interactions (@JaanaBack): Function of forest ecosystems and their interactions with the environment, specifically the role of forests in curbing climate change 
  • Jyrki Jauhiainen, University Researcher (Tropical peatlands blog): Tropical peatlands, their carbon cycle, the greenhouse gas balance and the climate impact of land use 
  • Markus Kröger, Associate Professor: Deforestation and global forest policy, role of the forest industry, the impact of natural resource projects, investments and global development on the biosphere and climate change 
  • Juha Mikola, University Lecturer (@JuhaMikola): Birches, treeline ecosystems and climate change 
  • Kari Minkkinen, University Lecturer: Climate effects of peatland use 
  • Paavo Ojanen, University Researcher: Climate effects of peatland use; carbon cycle and greenhouse gas balance in drained peatlands 
  • Mari Pihlatie, Professor of Environmental Soil Science (@MariPihlatie): Plant–soil–microbial relationships; greenhouse gas and nitrous oxide emissions; emissions and processes in forest ecosystems and agriculture 
  • Tanja Pyhäjärvi, Associate Professor (@PyhaTanja): Forest tree evolution, genomics, adaptation and processing 
  • Olli Tahvonen, Professor of Forest Economics and Policy: Bridging environmental issues and economics 
  • Anne Toppinen, Professor, Director of HELSUS (@annetoppinen): Timber construction; carbon-neutral and climate-wise construction and living 
  • Timo Vesala, Academy Professor (@vesala2): Bogs and peatlands from the perspective of climate change 
  • Laura Alakukku, Professor of Environmental Technology in Agriculture: Climate change and soil management technologies 
  • Juha Helenius, Professor of Agricultural Ecology (@helenius_juha): Ecological sustainability of agriculture and food systems 
  • Iryna Herzon, Senior University Lecturer (@herzon_irina): Biodiversity of arable land, agriculture in areas with significant natural value, agricultural and environmental policy, organic farming 
  • Timo Hytönen, Professor: Climate adaptation of plants 
  • Kaisa Karttunen, Professor of Practice in Global and National Food Security (@KaisaKarttunen): Food security, food systems and security of supply
  • Mari Pihlatie, Professor of Environmental Soil Science (@MariPihlatie): Plant–soil–microbial relationships; greenhouse gas and nitrous oxide emissions; emissions and processes in forest ecosystems and agriculture 
  • Frederic Stoddard, Senior University Lecturer (@Fred_Stoddard): Legumes, faba bean processing 
  • John Sumelius, Professor: Food safety, economic effects of sustainable agricultural intensification, equal and sustainable food chains from farm to fork, reduction of poverty 
  • Priit Tammeorg, University Lecturer of Crop Science (@AgriChar_RG): Use of biochar in agriculture and cities, recyclable fertilisers, lake sediment reuse 
  • Lassi Ahlvik, Associate Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics (@AhlvikLassi): Environmental cost-benefit analyses, optimal climate policy design, EU emissions trading 
  • Minna Autio, Professor (@mmautio): Sustainable consumption and consumer education
  • Jussi T. Eronen, Associate Professor of Long-Term Sustainability Science (@Jussi_T_Eronen): Research on climate–ecosystem interaction from the past to the future; long-term dynamics of socio-ecological systems, including the effect of changes to biodiversity on societies and communities 
  • Markku Ollikainen, Research Director, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Economics: Climate issues, including emissions trading, energy policy and land use 
  • John Sumelius, Professor: Food safety, economic effects of sustainable agricultural intensification, equal and sustainable food chains from field to fork, reduction of poverty 
  • Olli Tahvonen, Professor of Forest Economics and Policy: Bridging environmental issues and economics 
  • Lassi Ahlvik, Associate Professor (@AhlvikLassi): EU emissions trading plan, environmental taxation, economic aspects of biodiversity 
  • Erik Andersson, Professor of Sustainable Development (@eyetonature): Climate and energy policy, with a focus on the environment 
  • Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen, Associate Professor (@VPTynkkynen): Russian and Arctic energy; environmental and security policy 
  • Janne Hukkinen, Professor of Environmental Policy (@JIHukkinen): Multidisciplinary sustainability research combining the social and natural sciences 
  • Tero T. Toivanen, University Researcher (@TTToivanen): Political economy, political ecology, world politics, climate change, the Anthropocene 
  • Annukka Vainio, Associate Professor (@annukka_vainio): Climate communications, attitudes and beliefs; sustainable behavioural change 
  • Anja Nygren, Professor: Political ecology, the environment and politics 
  • Marjaana Jauhola, University Lecturer: Climate change and justice 
  • Markus Kröger, Professor: Global development research, HELSUS, INEQ
  • Kai Kokko, Professor of Environmental Law: Theory of environmental law, regulatory methods curbing climate change, emissions trading, mining 
  • Tiina Paloniitty, Associate Professor (@Tpaloniitty): Environmental law, sustainability law, with a focus on the EU Water Framework Directive, conservation law, regulation on plastic material, legal research on science and technology
  • Sanna Ala-Mantila, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Urban Systems (@Salamantila): Sustainable urban systems 
  • Erik Andersson, Professor of Sustainable Development (@eyetonature): Urban areas (interviews in Swedish and English) 
  • Sirkku Juhola, Professor of Urban Environmental Policy (@UEP_group): Adaptation of cities to climate change, national climate and adaptation policies, and urban sustainability 
  • Leena Järvi, Professor of Applied Urban Meteorology (@ljjarvi): Urban climate, air quality and carbon dioxide emissions and sinks; effect of urban planning on urban air; curbing and adapting to climate change 
  • Merja Kontro, University Lecturer: Urban environmental technology and sustainable development 
  • Ian MacGregor-Fors, Professor of Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystems (@macgregorfors) (interviews in English)
  • Heikki Setälä, Professor Emeritus of Urban Ecosystem Research: Importance of urban green areas as providers of ecosystem services, such as stormwater management, air pollutant clean-up and carbon sequestration
  • Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies Urbaria
  • Säde Hormio, Academy Research Fellow (shormio.wordpress.com): Collective agency in climate change 
  • Simo Kyllönen, University lecturer (@KyllonenSimo): Relationship between climate ethics and the economy; moral and political philosophy from the perspective of local conflicts 
  • Suvielise Nurmi, Researcher: Environmental philosophy, ecological ethics, moral agency, ethics education, children and adolescents 
  • Panu Pihkala, Postdoctoral Researcher, (@panupihkala): History and forms of Christian environmental thinking, effects of religions and worldviews on environmental attitudes, the role of psychological and spiritual matters in environmental education, history of Christian ecotheology, environmental anxiety 
  • Hannele Cantell, Senior University Lecturer: Climate education, including a bicycle model in support of climate education 
  • Kristina Lindström, Professor of Sustainable Development: Bachelor’s level study module on sustainable development 
  • Laura Riuttanen, Postdoctoral Researcher: Climate education, the Climate University project of Finnish general and applied sciences universities 
  • Sirpa Tani, Professor: General environmental education 
  • Lili-Ann Wolff, Senior University Lecturer: Environmental and sustainability education; education in the natural sciences and sustainable development as part of teacher training 
  • Antti Laherto, Senior University Lecturer: Future-oriented science education, mathematics in teacher training, HELSUS 
  • Pedro Camargo, Professor (@CamargoLab): Green hydrogen, carbon dioxide use, photocatalysis, sustainable chemistry, solar-powered chemistry (interviews in English)
  • Flyura Djurabekova, Professor (@FlyuraD): Fusion and fission nuclear power, the hydrogen economy, discovery of new materials with the help of artificial intelligence (interviews in English)
  • Juho Helaja, Senior University Lecturer in Chemistry: Sustainable synthesis chemistry and catalysis 
  • Simo Huotari, Professor: Energy collection, storage, conversion and transmission; materials solutions for the green transition in the energy economy
  • Emilia Kilpua, Professor (@EmiliaKilpua): Sustainable use of space 
  • Timo Leskinen, Assistant Professor of Chemistry of Circular Economy: Biofuels; utilisation of sidestreams in the wood processing industry 
  • Matti Putkonen, Professor of Chemistry: New thin film materials, including their applications 
  • Ari Salmi, Professor (@Dr_AriSalmi): Separation of metals from recycled waste
  • Johanna Salminen, Associate Professor of Geology: Earth’s mineral resources, environmental magnetism, geohealth
  • Konstantinos Sarakinos, Associate Professor: Thin film materials for energy conversion and conservation (solar power, smart windows, catalysis) (interviews in English)
  • Filip Tuomisto, Professor: New semiconductors in green energy solutions
  • Petra Vasko, Academy Research Fellow of Chemistry (@PetraVasko): Carbon capture, sustainable chemical processes