“I study how journalistic publicity could be produced within planetary boundaries. My research focuses on the material dimensions of journalistic publicity production, such as the use of natural resources, biodiversity loss, CO2 emissions, and various types of waste. I am particularly interested in how the working conditions, operational models, and production methods of the media industry should change to make journalistic publicity production materially sustainable for the environment.”

“My dissertation research explores Finnish forests through a utopian imagination involving science, artificial intelligence, art, emotions and citizen activism. The research challenges dominant economic narratives and highlights the forest as an ecosystem. The study focuses on both traditional and AI-generated texts written by the high school students participating in the study. The research is rooted in imagination and utopian studies, and in particular in the social psychology and utopia pedagogy traditions.”

“My research focuses on ecosocial policy and sufficiency for sustainable well-being. In my dissertation, I analyse the potential and public acceptability of policies (taxes, caps) aimed at restricting overconsumption. My data is based on a nationally representative survey conducted in Finland and interviews. I am also a researcher on the MERGE and MAPS Horizon projects, which are exploring policies, metrics and models for sustainable well-being and a post-growth economy.”

“My research explores the confluence of epistemological and economical inequalities existing in the forest sector, in Global South and Global North contexts. My current project, funded by the Nessling Foundation, explores biodiversity literacy in timber trade databases, comparing the cases of Finland and the Democratic Republic of Congo. My previous work at the Stockholm Resilience Center, focused on the intersection between gender and forest policy in Sweden.”

“The marine research conducted at the Tvärminnen Zoological Station focuses on studying the diversity and functioning of the Baltic Sea ecosystem, as well as changes caused by human activity, such as eutrophication and climate change. Significant current research topics include the ecology of benthic ecosystems, pelagic ecology, and aquatic biogeochemistry. We want our research to reach as many audiences as possible, and we will invest even more in this work through science education and new partnerships, among other things.”

“My research focuses on the Caspian tern, a migratory seabird breeding in the Baltic Sea. I study where Baltic birds spend the winter and whether changes in wintering areas help explain past population declines and recent stabilization. By linking long-term ringing and GPS data with conditions in wintering regions, my work aims to reveal processes that are largely invisible from the breeding grounds but important for long-term conservation.”

“I research and teach the societal, decolonial, and ecological dimensions of art. I promote interdisciplinary dialogue and new forms of collaboration that strengthen the role of art in building a sustainable future.“

“I work to tackle biodiversity loss by helping private forest owners make more sustainable decisions. I curate the best available knowledge for those preparing for a generational transfer of forest ownership and for people learning to manage their forest assets. My goal is to offer an easy first step that helps owners better understand forest ecosystems and the impact of their decisions on them. I am also a sustainability consultant for SMEs and a nature guide.”

“I study constructions of tropicality in Finland: how nature is presented in the “artificial tropical” visually, spatially, and experientially, and what kind of colonial heritage this phenomenon bears. With my concept “artificial tropical”, I refer to a phenomenon where the tropics are simulated and presented outside the geographical tropics. Addressing prevailing values, imagination, and aesthetic preferences critically is essential for building a sustainable future.”

“I explore futures, systems change and policy with creative practice driving sustainability transformations. I am specifically interested in experiential futures – what would sustainable futures look and feel like in everyday life, and how to make futures participatory. That’s why my activist entrepreneurial platform is called Futures Mundane. I jumped into entrepreneurship after 15 years working across governments  internationally, and at state and municipal levels.”

“In my current project, I examine work and livelihoods in socioecological transformations from the perspective of workers. My research frequently involves multidisciplinary ethnographic inquiry into economic cultures, alongside reflections on paradigm shifts and the nature of knowing. In addition to the fields of organisation and management studies and sustainable entrepreneurship, I have worked within design research, sociology, cultural studies, and gender studies.”

LinkedIn

Bluesky

“We developed alternative plans for urban forest disputes in Finland. The primary purpose of the alternative plans is to empower residents in planning and to protect forests – they are a tool to defend local nature. The plans will be the subject of participatory workshops and presentations, bringing together residents, decision-makers and planners. We aim to enrich the urban planning debate with solutions that lead to a more inhabitant-centred and diverse city with a place for forests.”

www.elonkirjonkaupunki.com

“I study cellular agriculture in Finland, a field that seeks to contribute to the sustainability transition by replacing agriculture and livestock farming with biotechnology-based industrial production. I am interested in what kinds of food futures are currently being configured through biotechnology, as well as in the diverse challenges that the existing food system poses to the field. Through my work, I seek to ask what kinds of worlds being made by strengthening the role of advanced food technologies and the associated energy- and material-based path dependencies.”

“I run Atlan, a venture studio focused on building nature-tech companies. We collaborate with research institutions and other innovators to create impactful and profitable ventures that contribute to a sustainable future. Our goal is to demonstrate that investing in environmentally conscious companies can also yield strong financial returns.”

www.atlan.fi

“I am an artist, curator, and doctoral researcher in cultural anthropology at the University of Oulu, but based in Helsinki. I study contemporary artistic practices that respond to current planetary and human conditions and examine how these practices reimagine scale and its spatiotemporal, material, and political dimensions. I ask how art can contribute to developing a deep time orientation. By this, I mean modes of positioning and relating that situate humans within planetary and more-than-human rhythms.”

My research looks at how to make natural fabrics smarter and more useful. I work with cellulosic textiles and use coatings made fully from plant-based materials. With a clean mechanochemical process, I turn fabrics that normally absorb water into ones that strongly repel water and resist bacteria. The goal is to make safer, more sustainable textiles made without fossil-based chemicals.

“In my dissertation, I analyze the communication of organizational purpose, which seeks to justify the existence and actions of business organizations. This communicative phenomenon of ‘purposezation’ has significantly increased in recent years due to global ecological and social crises. In my research, I approach the communication of purpose and CSR communication from the perspective of diverse stakeholders and analyze how power relations are constructed and renewed through this communication.”

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“A just sustainability transition requires a rethinking of prevailing market economy and innovation politics. My PhD research explores the actually existing diversity of urban sharing economies, shedding light on the possibilities and limits of post capitalist community economies and innovation logics. I believe that a transition that repairs current inequalities is performed in the here and now, not with easy ad-hoc solutions but often by navigating and staying with the troubles that emerge.”

“My research focuses on the potential of non-standard, organically shaped wood in architecture and its relevance to a more ecologically sustainable future. My goal is to utilize diverse wood structures to support forest biodiversity and promote the use of wood as long-lasting products. My research is practical: I build prototypes and conduct mechanical strength tests. As an architect, I aim to support sustainable building practices with innovative solutions that reduce environmental impacts.”

“I am exploring new research paths and practical solutions for nature-inclusive, regenerative solar energy production. My research bridges physics, engineering, ecology, and art to ask how we might design energy systems in ways that foster ecologically sustainable relationships and interactions with other species.”

“I research the sustainability of the energy transition and the role different actors play in its unfolding in the Global South. My dissertation explores the environmental impacts of renewable energy solutions and their effects on people’s wellbeing and agency. The energy transition cannot be considered sustainable if we overlook the people, communities and broader global environmental impacts of local energy solutions.”

“I am a psychologist, doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, and eco-emotions expert at Tunne ry. I study the concept of planetary psychology and psychologists’ roles in sustainability transformation. Previously, I have examined the identities and vulnerabilities of young environmental activists. As an eco-emotions expert, I train and lead workshops on mental health and ecological crisis for organizations, social and health care professionals, and EU-level actors, among others.”

juniroosa.fi

LinkedIn

www.hovicreative.com

“My research is carried out at Aalto University, positioned in the field of expanded fashion design. My research topic ‘Dialogic narratives as method and matter for meaningful fashion design practice’ explores the development and application of a collective, participatory approach as means towards meaning creation in clothes. My works are based around notions of garments being facilitators of communication between bodies, through collaborative and chance-based design processes.”

“How can design meaningfully shape urban food futures? My work explores this question through research and practice. In my PhD at Aalto University, I connect food policy with urbanism and design for sustainability, while my practice creates collaborative urban food spaces. Through conceptual tools, ideas and built spaces, I support cities and practitioners in tackling complex system challenges, as much as envisioning and building more resilient urban food futures.”

“Halton Ventures invests in startup companies, innovations, and investment funds that improve the sustainability of built environments. We are a family business and the responsible owner of Halton Group, an indoor air solution company. I am the CEO of Halton Ventures as well as a green energy transition researcher with a PhD in Environmental Policy. By working in the intersections of finance, business, and research, I hope to contribute to a more sustainable society and drive long-term system change.”

LinkedIn

“During 2025–2028 I have the pleasure to lead a project titled Building extinction (Rakennuskato), funded by the KONE Foundation. The focal notion is that ‘built’ and ‘natural’ environment cannot be separated, but they are connected both systemically as well as materially. In my own research, I focus on demolition of buildings as a long historical continuum. The aim is to make visible reasons, justifications and ways in which demolition has been argumented in different time periods, including the present day.”

“I research wellbeing amid social, digital, and environmental change, with a focus on later life. I have conducted long-term ethnography in Finland and Japan, using participatory artistic methods to explore how everyday actions shape wellbeing. I share my work through my writing and graphic non-fiction, and am the author of Ageing with Smartphones in Japan (2022).”

www.laurahaapio-kirk.com

“I focus on socially just sustainability transformation. My postdoctoral research explores how social mobility can be maintained within planetary boundaries in a post-growth society. I am also part of the SISU consortium, studying the role of sufficiency solutions in a just green transition. My research aims to identify societal pathways that integrate an open society with ecological sustainability.”

“I study young people’s future beliefs and their connections to pro-environmental behaviour. In my research, I examine how pressures arising from the ecological crisis can hinder sustainability agency among youth, and which factors help maintain and strengthen their capacity to act. I aim to contribute to an ecologically sustainable future by producing knowledge and supporting youth agency in sustainability transitions while safeguarding hope and wellbeing.”

“I am interested in economic inequality and its implications for the planetary crisis. For my PhD I am doing research on the concentration of markets and the accumulation of power and wealth that comes with it. I am focusing on the role of the public sector in driving this development and exploring ways to build a more inclusive economy within planetary boundaries. At the moment, I am focusing on urban planning and the impact of suburban development on the ownership of local malls in Helsinki.”

LinkedIn

“In my research group, we imagine a transformation of our mobility systems with the goal of creating and serving more coherent, ecologically sustainable and resilient, (more than) human-centered communities. The focus of my doctoral research is on the role of bottom-up movements, such as protests or civil disobedience, and how they can steer the desired change. I look at movements like the Critical Mass bike protest (Kriittinen Pyöräretki) from the side of the activists and on the side of the planning officials, and how it helps or can help shape existing planning paradigms.”

“In my PhD, I study corporate political activity and sustainability regulation. I am particularly interested in the process of EU corporate sustainability due diligence directive: the political landscape in which the directive has been carved, the roles of businesses and decision-makers in the process, and whether sustainability regulation is designed around the needs of sustainability leaders or laggards.”

“I am writing a non-fiction book about travel and a sustainable future. I hope the work will help readers deeply understand their own relationship with travel and make the necessary changes to it. I am also trying to teach myself to be a more sustainable traveller. I am also a journalist, a lecturer, and a passionate advocate for art.”

www.marimanninen.com

“In my doctoral research, I focus on collaborative creative processes and apply artistic methods to their facilitation and leadership. My research is situated at the intersection of art, science and society and is grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration with a range of societal actors. I explore how artistic research can hold space for reflection on complex ecological questions and contribute to regenerative and more sustainable futures.”

“The purpose of RELEX Foundation, founded in 2022, is to foster biodiversity, mitigate climate change and promote equity. We fund actors working for a better future for all organisms. We also support our partners in other ways such as by offering the expertise of our networks at their disposal. I work on Puistokatu to build this new foundation and lead its grant making and other collaborations.”

www.relexfoundation.org

“I am a ‘postgrowth’ communications entrepreneur/activist focused on science communication, sustainability, and future-proof narratives, as well as a part-time degrowth master’s student. I work as a communications specialist in the coordination of the Finnish Expert Panel for Sustainable Development. Alongside my work, I serve as the chair of the board at Rethinking Economics Finland, which aims to diversify economics education and economic thinking, and to democratize economic discourse in society.”

“I am a curious optimist and entrepreneur. I help changemakers create impactful change, shifting from merely reducing the negative impacts of human activities to holistically regenerating the planet, communities and individuals. I also coach those seeking a new direction in their lives. In my work, I combine leadership experience, coaching skills, business acumen, and expertise in sustainable development and societal advocacy.”

www.whyco.fi

“At core, my work is about popularising and mainstreaming sustainability subjects as well as participating in and polyvocalising public discussion about sustainability through journalism. I aim at shining a light on the different elements of environmental crises and to deepen understanding of the reader about interconnectedness and the big picture. In my previous texts, I have touched upon collateral effects of environmental crises and social agency.”

“I’m a philosopher specialised in environmental ethics and space ethics. I also serve as the director of the Turku Environmental Ethics Research Center (TEERC). My current research is on environmental philosophical questions regarding environmental protection and resource management in space. I’m also interested in philosophy of sustainability, climate ethics, and philosophical methodology.”

“In my poetry the immediate bodily perception mingles with ecological diversities. I am a member of the Mustarinda association and works in 2026 preparing for a national park initiative called the Art National Park. The project aims to produce knowledge about the ecological and ecosocial characteristics of the region and to create artistic thinking to protect the forests and re-conceptualize a new notion of a national park.”

“At Femma Planning we use co-creation and futures studies methods to understand the needs of residents and different communities and find solutions that align with ecological boundaries. I see socially and ecologically sustainable cities being built by strengthening existing communities, networks, buildings and environments – instead of continuous focus on growth.”

“In my research, I aim to understand how societies can promote sustainability and create meaningful systemic change. I focus on socio-technical systems, such as mobility, and examine how different actors and structures interact and co-organize change toward more sustainable societal systems.”

“I work as a post doc -researcher in a multinational European research project called MAPS (Models, Assessment, and Policies for Sustainability). The aim of the project is to study well-being and social policies that operate within planetary boundaries, with a particular focus on different models of post-growth economies and their social acceptance. Last year, I completed my dissertation, which examined activation policy measures for long-term unemployed people in Finland from a sustainability perspective.”

“I work as an independent graphic designer with a focus on visual identity, publication and exhibition design. I also work as a project teacher at Aalto ARTs in the departments of design and visual commmunication design. At Puistokatu I work especially on a project related to building conservation and my artistic research on cyanobacteria. I am part of the SEAS collective, which aims to promote the multi-species well-being of archipelago.”

www.paivihelander.fi

“I view overconsumption as a part of a larger phenomenon of chronic insufficiency (ever-enoughness) that’s threatening to burn out both us humans and the rest of nature. In my research I arrange dialogues, in which the participants discuss their experiences related to sufficiency (and insufficiency) in working life and consumption. What do these experiences tell us about our society and our culture? Could discussing sufficiency be a key to more sustainable future?”

“I study post-growth economic models, focusing on technologies and innovations needed in them, how they are innovated, who owns them, and how they can be leveraged through innovation policy. Previously I have of governance of sustainability transitions in Finnish city management and in Indigenous communities in Ecuador. Currently, I am trying to understand what kinds of organizations, technologies, and innovations we need to create a more sustainable way of living.”

www.riinabhatia.fi

“My work at OBIS deals with integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) data. eDNA is an innovative new method with which we can monitor biological communities, without disrupting the environment. We deliver interoperable, accessible, high-quality marine biodiversity data and fit-for-purpose, innovative services to support science, policy, and society.”

“I believe even the smallest of stories can contribute to changing the world. I am interested in past technologies and practices that might have unexpected connections to sustainable futures. At Puistokatu 4 I am exploring the possibilities of the risograph machine both as an artistic medium and as a publishing tool for collaborative world-building of sustainable futures.”

“Kudelma works towards creating thought and action within the boundaries of our planet. We focus especially on the root causes of the sustainability crisis. Our central themes include strong sustainability, comprehensive thinking and dismantling anthropocentrism. In the project More-than-human municipalities, we delve into dismantling anthropocentrism with civil servants, decision-makers, and citizens. Together, we develop ways to create more-than-human municipalities.”

“Fingo is an umbrella organisation, promoting a globally just sustainability transition within civil society. Our member organisations work in the fields of development cooperation, human rights, peacebuilding, and climate and environmental justice in Finland and around the world. Together with our members, we dismantle global inequality and in doing so, help build an ecologically sustainable future.”

“My doctoral research, ‘From Offsets to Outcomes – Legal Pathways toward Carbon Market Integrity‘, examines the legal governance and credibility of carbon markets. I contribute to the OFFCORR and ACHIEVE projects on voluntary climate action. My key areas include EU and international climate law as well as nature-based solutions. My research supports an ecologically sustainable future by strengthening the ability of carbon markets to deliver real, measurable, and permanent emissions reductions as a complementary climate action.”

“Our daily food is the biggest source of biodiversity loss. I explore ways to support more nature respecting eating with the food chain actors, especially institutional catering. My work focuses on strengthening sociocultural niches for sustainable eating and easing essentialist tensions in food debates. I also use our Planetary Food Game to open space for new conversations – with our daily lunch in play.

“Knowledge co-production is widely advocated as essential for advancing sustainability transformations, as it brings together diverse societal actors and knowledge systems to produce actionable insights to address complex challenges. My dissertation critically examines and further develops knowledge co-production methods in environmental governance, empirically focusing on the Transition Arena method.”

“My doctoral research is concerned with how algae and humans can live with each other under conditions of change. In my natural scientific research, I aim to understand how algae can respond and adapt to changes in their environments wrought by human impacts on our planet. In my social scientific research, I explore how humans can adapt their thinking to better live with increasing awareness of algae in their lives. I thrive in disciplinary ecotones, overlaps between various research and artistic fields.

www.sonjarepetti.weebly.com

“In my educational philosophy research, I discuss the concept of metamodernism and how it relates to education, futures, sustainability, science and technology. As education has a role in both reproducing and transforming society, it matters greatly what counts as knowledge, what are recognised as valid perspectives and what education is for in the era of sustainability crises. These questions link to difficult issues in postmodernism, and here my research seeks new answers through metamodernism.”

“I conduct artistic research on human-soil relations in the context of regenerative thinking and practices. The research is based on dialogic fieldwork with regenerative farmers and soil and climate scientists. I explore the topic through artistic work, perception studies, and environmental aesthetics. I also consider the art-historical continuum from land art to contemporary regenerative art forms.”

“Building an ecologically sustainable future requires collaboration in situations where the issues are complex and the future is partly uncertain. Essential to this collaboration is the ability to maintain dialogue even when perspectives differ. In my research, I examine the context of climate activism to determine which interaction practices support shared decision-making and which undermine it. Through my research, I aim to promote inclusive and constructive societal dialogue.”

“The Erkki Paasikivi Foundation’s contribution to building an ecologically sustainable future comes from our efforts to improve access to safe drinking water. We support research and education projects in clean drinking water and building services engineering, thus promoting development of new technologies and practices. In addition, we support local culture in Rauma. As Executive Director, I manage and develop the Foundation’s operational work, administration, grant processes and partnerships.”

“I’m a food systems researcher & practitioner, and believe in chefs and kids as powerful influencers for change. With a background in global kids media (from big brands to 1B+ YouTube views) and methodology that blends creativity & data, I aim to bridge science, storytelling, and business strategy. I’m keen to connect with people researching and scaling impact at the intersection of ecology, culture shift, and consumption, and especially those passionate about delicious nutrition and diet shift.”

“As an art educator I develop multidisciplinary teaching materials and workshops with researchers. I am also working on ecological and social transition as part of the Mustarinda Association based in Kainuu, promoting the connection between science and art. My work as an art educator has recently been guided by thoughts about the dwindling biodiversity of forests, multispecies coexistence, but also by the importance of seeking joy and finding a common denominator.”

“I work at the Sykli Environmental College as the coordinator of the Sustainability Network for Vocational Education and Training (the Kartalla – På Kartan Network). The network strengthens and highlights the role of vocational competence in the sustainability transition. The network supports education providers and builds partnerships to advance sustainability.”

www.kartallaverkosto.fi
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“We are a non-profit foundation that aims to strengthen democracy, trust and social resilience. We organise dialogues that aim to discuss social issues in a constructive and equal way. The importance of discussing a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable future is reflected in our themes for debate and in our partnerships.”

www.eratauko.fi

“In my research, I explore and develop participatory methods to enhance crisis preparedness to cascading and cross-sectoral socio-ecological crises. My current work explores the impacts of socio-ecological crises on winter shipping in the Bothnian Bay, focusing especially on the co-creation of transformative knowledge together with diverse marine actors and stakeholders.”

“I am driven by a desire to make the invisible visible. I am interested in human behavior and cause-and-effect relationships, and in how they can be shaped through art and design. I create projects that weave together science, art, and emotion, aiming to influence how people think, choose, and act. At present, I am designing the new main exhibition for the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia. The exhibition seeks to deepen visitors’ understanding of nature and to encourage a sense of responsibility for the environments we inhabit.”

“My research is about the water cycle, its meaning for sustaining the Earth system, and interdependencies between local and global changes in water resources. I map changes in freshwater resources using global data and combine these findings with the Finnish context by analysing physical and virtual water flows to and from Finland. I hope that my research would produce increasingly holistic knowledge on how we change the vitally important water cycle and how does it affect us.”

“I study global changes in freshwater–climate interactions, focusing on how changes in freshwater cycle influence climate processes such as moisture recycling and precipitation patterns. By strengthening understanding of Earth system processes, my research supports climate-resilient solutions that sustain ecosystems and contribute to a socially and ecologically sustainable future. I value open communication and bringing research-based knowledge into broader societal discussions.”

“I am currently working on understanding urban biodiversity and the multiple values and value conflicts associated with it. I also research and develop creative and embodied learning methods for sustainability education. I often apply cross-disciplinary research, facilitate workshops and use creative methods in my research.”

“In my research, I aim to examine the impacts of climate change on society and well-being, and to provide researched data on attitudes, experiences and feelings related to climate change. My research interests also relate to how behavioural science can be used to inform the design and implementation of climate action.”