We are a group of researchers at the University of Helsinki focused on studying climate change adaptation and mitigation in urban contexts. In the following weeks, our researchers will present their (academic) background and the focus of their research. Many of our members are affiliated with the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS).
Recent and current research themes covering, for example, urban heat and flood risk and their governance, urban climate health risk development, nature-based urban solutions for adaptation, digital tools for urban planning, and the role of citizen science in sustainable urban regeneration. While urban environmental policy is at the core of our work, we also address social and environmental challenges posed in contexts beyond urban, such as climate change adaptation governance at the national level, Nordic food systems’ sustainability, and early warning system development for disaster risks.
Our work advances both conceptual and theoretical understanding of adaptation and urban environmental policy. Empirically, we employ a diverse set of methods, including for example, stakeholder participation, interviews and surveys, serious gaming and qualitative comparative analysis. Our research spans from local case studies to global statistical analyses, with a primary emphasis on urban systems and their interaction with broader environments.
Why urban areas matter:
Cities face significant climate change impacts, including sea-level rise, floods, and heatwaves. At the same time, they are major greenhouse gas emitters but hold immense potential for driving global climate mitigation. Urban areas must pursue synergistic policy strategies that integrate mitigation and adaptation, while fostering equitable and healthy environments.
Urban development processes, covering adaptation to climate change, post-disaster recovery and re-development processes assessing how multi-level governance can better enable equitable climate resilience. Urban policies and development are studied by applying a broader lens of sustainability to identify varying operationalisations of sustainability in practice and to further incorporate issues related to e.g., social equity and justice into the analyses.
Complex climate change risks and different ways to adapt to them. We focus on current and future impacts taking into account the dynamics and interrelations between the socio-economic and biophysical drivers. This includes mapping of the cascading impacts through socio-ecological systems. In addition, we assess climate risk adaptation monitoring and evaluation to enhance learning and improve policy and practice.
Disaster risk management across scales. At the regional level, we look at the warning systems and preparedness networks, for instance, how they shape disaster preparedness. Our work also touches upon spatial scale mismatches in disaster management, for example, how to match coarse climate risk data with local vulnerabilities, and state-level policies with municipal responsibilities. In addition, we study household preparedness, e.g., factors connected to an individual’s perception of their own responsibility in preparing for long power failures. We also study the post-disaster recovery phase, specifically looking at risk mitigation through collaborative processes.
Development of climate policy, facilitated by learning through climate networks, as well as the development of climate policy instruments that involve private sector and citizens. Our research particularly promotes adaptation to climate change in the different levels of governance and different sectors, as well as assesses cross-border risks from climate change, for example, to the energy supply chains of the Nordic countries.
Approaches to governance theory, exploring multi-level and polycentric governance arrangements and various governance principles, such as e.g., adaptive, or anticipatory, to study climate governance and enhance climate resilience.
Our latest research projects deal with e.g., climate-related health risks in cities and policies to tackle them, building climate resilience at the regional level, digital advances in adaptation to climate change, climate justice, and tracking/monitoring of adaptation progress in cities. More details on ongoing research can be found in researchers' profiles.
Climate change and other environmental changes often manifest themselves through water, for instance in relation to changes in floods, droughts and water quality. To tackle water-related changes, risks and vulnerabilities, sustainable management of water resources is needed. We have analysed water governance and water-related changes especially in River Vantaa which is located in Helsinki metropolitan area but also in other areas across the globe. We are interested in the social impacts of flooding and water quality and how communities and societies are dealing with water-related changes. We have arranged participatory workshops and used analysed historical datasets and policy documents.