Puistokatu 4 took its concept on the good life within the planetary boundaries to China
Held for the first time outside Finland, the panel discussion filled the Finnish Embassy in Beijing.
Puistokatu 4 organised a discussion on the good life within the planetary boundaries in cooperation with the Finnish Embassy in Beijing on 28 February.
The panel included Jiahua Pan (CASS), one of China’s most renowned climate experts, Nina Ning, President of the Beijing Energy Network, and Sanna Mattila, a China-based expert in socio-emotional education and founder of Pikkuli Edu.
An audience of around 50 people came to the Embassy to listen to the debate. The audience included journalists, embassy staff, business representatives, sustainability NGOs and researchers.
The event was organised on the initiative of an alumna of Puistokatu 4
The discussion was moderated by Annina Lattu, a doctoral researcher at Peking University and Tampere University, who also initiated the event. Lattu was part of the steering group for Puistokatu 4 2022-2023 and spent last summer as a researcher member of the Puistokatu 4’s Science Attic.
“I was so inspired by the experience that I suggested we could take the Puistokatu 4’s discussion concept to my new home city of Beijing. The sustainability revolution is a cross-cultural transition and it is important to have a conversations about the ecologically sustainable good life with people from different cultures. Especially the Chinese, who make up the second largest population in the world.”
Lattu was particularly pleased by the diversity of perspectives represented on the panel: one panelist believed in the omnipotence of the green transition and technology, while another called for a comprehensive reduction in energy use.
“People from such diverse backgrounds in China don’t necessarily sit at the same table very often,” Lattu concludes.
Watch the recording of the panel!
The drinks were served by the Finnish Kyrö Distillery.
At the same time, a facilitated panel discussion on China and sustainability transition issues was held in Puistokatu 4, featuring former Helsingin Sanomat China correspondent Mari Manninen and docents Taru Salmenkari (University of Helsinki) and Outi Luova (University of Turku).
