Tuesday 14.4. 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oceans and Climate Change<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Organizers: Tommi Juusela, John Nurmisen S\u00e4\u00e4ti\u00f6<\/p>\n\n\n\n Session convenors Professor Alf Norkko, University of Helsinki and Tommi Juusela, Chair, John Nurminen Foundation opened the session. Juusela highlighted the role of the ocean in climate policy and its connections to other policy areas. The ocean appears to be gradually receiving the attention it deserves, given that it covers more than 70% of the planet. Professor Norkko raised the scientific angle of the ocean, stressing that the key point is that the ocean is not just where climate change is observed, it is a central regulator of the Earth system. It absorbs excess heat, takes up carbon, and shapes climate, weather, and the conditions for life on our blue planet. But this buffering the ocean is doing is coming at a cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Karina von Schuckmann from Mercator Ocean discussed the ocean\u2019s role in the global climate system. She highlighted that every part of the ocean is affected by what the UN has termed the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. There is no going back from some changes in the climate system, particularly when it comes to the ocean, and many changes are irreversible for centuries to millennia. However, some of the changes we start experiencing could be slowed and others could be stopped by limiting warming. Ocean warming is affecting today all ocean basins, particularly the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean. Ocean warming tells us that the Earth is out of energy balance, determining current and future planetary warming. Surplus energy from a positive Earth energy imbalance, mostly in the form of heat, in the climate system determines the Earth\u2019s heat inventory, i.e., the storage of heat in the ocean, the land, the atmosphere and cryosphere. Consequently, continuous warming of the ocean, the land, the cryosphere and the atmosphere occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Petteri Uotila, University of Helsinki, discussed the Atlantic Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and effects of its possible slow down. Despite discrepancies between observations and climate model predictions, the most recent studies show that the risk of the AMOC collapse even below 2\u00b0C is real. He expanded on the role of the AMOC and on the research conducted on AMOC, explaining the findings of various recent studies. As there are still many uncertainties, there is work ongoing currently to eliminate discrepancies on climate models and observations. Professor Uotila concluded that preventing the AMOC from tipping should be a legal imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Norman G\u00f6beler, University of Helsinki, discussed marine heatwaves in the context of the Baltic Sea and how they are amplifying existing environmental vulnerabilities and already existing environmental problems. The changes are rapid and non-linear, and we may not understand the full picture yet as current monitoring is not entirely up to speed and not widespread enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lena Avellan, Professional Secretary, HELCOM, showcased the practical challenges of multinational environmental policy setting in the Baltic Sea context. She highlighted the importance of the science-based approach and the commitment to systemic and precautionary approach across all policy areas. Further considerations are needed on how best to make climate change information available in a format that can be taken up by various constituents and how to express, manage and create policies that address the uncertainty of the world we are living in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We thank the audience for the lively discussion during our session. With over 100 registered attendees, it\u2019s clear that the links between the ocean and climate change are an important topic that people are keen to better understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wednesday 15.4.2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kansalliset lippulaivat, tulevaisuus ja vaikuttavuus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Organizers: Hanna Lappalainen, INAR University of Helsinki and Markku Kulmala, INAR University of Helsinki<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ACCC Impact Week:ll\u00e4 j\u00e4rjestettiin keskiviikkona 15.4 Suomen Akatemian lippulaivojen tulevaisuus- ja vaikuutavuuskeskustelu. Paneelit nostivat esiin tarpeen vahvistaa Suomen lippulaivaohjelman pitk\u00e4j\u00e4nteisyytt\u00e4, yhteisty\u00f6t\u00e4 ja kansainv\u00e4list\u00e4 vaikuttavuutta. Keskustelujen mukaan nykyiset 14 lippulaivaa ovat kahdeksassa vuodessa rakentaneet merkitt\u00e4vi\u00e4 tutkimus- ja innovaatioekosysteemej\u00e4, joiden vaikutukset n\u00e4kyv\u00e4t sek\u00e4 tieteess\u00e4 ett\u00e4 yritysyhteisty\u00f6ss\u00e4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paneeleissa korostettiin, ett\u00e4 lippulaivojen vaikuttavuus syntyy pitk\u00e4ll\u00e4 aikav\u00e4lill\u00e4. Monilla aloilla tutkimuksen tie k\u00e4yt\u00e4nn\u00f6n sovelluksiin kest\u00e4\u00e4 vuosikymmeni\u00e4, mink\u00e4 vuoksi kahdeksan vuoden rahoituskausi ei aina riit\u00e4 tulosten t\u00e4ysim\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4iseen arviointiin. Erityisesti l\u00e4\u00e4ketieteen, ilmaston ja teknologian aloilla pitk\u00e4j\u00e4nteinen rahoitus n\u00e4htiin keskeisen\u00e4 Suomen kilpailukyvylle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keskusteluissa painotettiin my\u00f6s tutkimusinfrastruktuurien ja korkeatasoisen datan merkityst\u00e4. Ne ovat ratkaisevia sek\u00e4 kansainv\u00e4listen osaajien houkuttelemisessa ett\u00e4 uusien innovaatioiden synnytt\u00e4misess\u00e4. Lippulaivojen arvioitiin vahvistaneen Suomen n\u00e4kyvyytt\u00e4 Euroopassa ja toimineen uusien investointien sek\u00e4 yritysyhteisty\u00f6n vetureina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paneelien yhteinen viesti oli, ett\u00e4 perustutkimuksen ja soveltavan tutkimuksen vastakkainasettelu on keinotekoinen. Lippulaivojen n\u00e4htiin tarjoavan alustan, jossa tieteellinen huippuosaaminen, liiketoiminta ja yhteiskunnallinen vaikuttavuus voivat kehitty\u00e4 rinnakkain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keskusteluissa ehdotettiin my\u00f6s tiiviimp\u00e4\u00e4 yhteisty\u00f6t\u00e4 lippulaivojen v\u00e4lill\u00e4. Yhteiset kansainv\u00e4liset avaukset, EU-vaikuttaminen ja tutkijoiden v\u00e4lisen yhteisty\u00f6n lis\u00e4\u00e4minen voisivat vahvistaa Suomen asemaa globaaleissa tutkimusverkostoissa. Samalla korostettiin, ett\u00e4 vaikuttavuuden arvioinnissa tarvitaan nykyist\u00e4 laadullisempia mittareita pelkkien patentti- ja rahoituslukujen rinnalle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ACCC Impact Weekin keskusteluihin osallistui Suomen lippulaivaohjelmien johtoa ja tutkijoita. Tilaisuuden alustajina toimivat akateemikko Markku Kulmala, ACCC lippulaivan johtaja ja Suomen Akatemian hallituksen puheenjohtaja Kimmo Nuotio. Paneeleissa olivat mukana kaikkien kansallisten lippulaivojen edustajat muun muassa fotoniikan, teko\u00e4lyn, l\u00e4\u00e4ketieteen, ilmaston, koulutuksen ja kvanttiteknologian aloilta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Climate Law<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Organizers: Tuula Honkonen, UEF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This session provided an introduction to the new ACCC Impact Task \u201cClimate Law\u201d. Although climate law has been part of the ACCC from the beginning, its new elevated status as a specific Impact Task is likely to bring it more visibility and recognition, hopefully also leading to new collaboration initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The session was opened with a brief introduction to climate law, the main functions of the new Impact Task and the relevant work done at the UEF Law School and its Center for Climate Change, Energy and Environmental Law (CCEEL) in implementing the Task. The presentation highlighted the Impact Task\u2019s focus on the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement through national, EU, transnational and international climate law, and on the high policy relevance and close collaboration with governments, civil society and international organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The introduction was followed by two Doctoral Researcher presentations to give snapshots of the current research carried out within the Impact Task. First, Vivien Reh talked about the treatment of AMOC science in the international climate change and law of the sea regimes. Her research has found gaps and inadequacies, pointing out the need for an adaptive law approach. Second, Hermann Aubi\u00e9 presented his research on China’s shift to a synergetic climate and air quality policy. He examined whether the apparent synergy is substantive or merely performative. The analysis has revealed tensions across governance levels and lack of clarity on the translation of policies into practice. The ensuing discussion, for which there was regrettably little time, touched upon, inter alia, China\u2019s emission profile and different policy implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, the session was well-received by the audience and served as a useful introduction to the new Impact Task. Unfortunately, time did not allow discussion on future collaboration interests and specific information needs with the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thursday 16.4.2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Holistic infrastructure for knowledge on land-use sector carbon sinks and emissions tracking (HIKET) and including the value of CO2 to forestry.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Organizers: Tuomo Kalliokoski, INAR University of Helsinki and Matti Vainio, INAR University of Helsinki<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n HIKET session focused on strengthening the knowledge base of carbon sinks to support more robust, evidence-based decision-making in the LULUCF sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his opening remarks, HIKET project<\/a> director, academician Markku Kulmala (UH), emphasized the importance of increasing land-based carbon sinks alongside rapid emission cuts. Moreover, he highlighted the need for a broader \u201cCarbon+\u201d perspective that considers the full climate impact of ecosystems, considering not only greenhouse gases but also VOCs, aerosols, cloud formation, precipitation, and albedo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HIKET session featured two distinguished keynote guests. Finland\u2019s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Sari Multala, noted that the government-funded HIKET project is a strategically important initiative for developing improved tools for Finland and potentially for the EU to support more effective climate policy. Christian Holzleitner, DG Clima, European Commission, emphasized that key elements for achieving the 2040 climate targets include more flexible targets for Member States, the development of voluntary carbon markets for carbon farming and removals, and improved, more accessible monitoring systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HIKET Research Director Tuomo Kalliokoski (UH) highlighted that the project addresses LULUCF uncertainties in a comprehensive and policy-relevant way, with the aim of transforming scientific analysis into an operational digital infrastructure that supports decision-making, strategic risk management, and new business opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Jaana B\u00e4ck (UH), in her presentation on the state of the science of forest-related greenhouse gas balances, underlined that it is not only the carbon sink that matters, but more attention should also be paid on carbon stocks and on the impact of harvests or disturbances generally. If forest carbon stocks (both living biomass and soil carbon) decline, the system shifts from a sink to a source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, HIKET researchers provided deeper insights into the project\u2019s research topics. Research Professor Aleksi Lehtonen (Natural Resources Institute Finland) highlighted that European countries show highly variable time series for carbon stock changes in dead wood, litter, and soils on forest land. When analysing the numbers, countries that apply models report carbon losses in dead wood, litter, and SOM for the latest years, while countries with repeated soil inventories typically report long-term average soil carbon changes. HIKET represents a substantial investment in improving soil carbon modelling enhancing GHG reporting not only in Finland, but also across EU Member States that have drained peatlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannakaisa Lindqvist, Greenhouse Gases Coordination Manager (FMI), highlighted that the satellite data used in the HIKET project includes atmospheric GHG observations that enable data-driven emission estimates from satellite overpasses but also land surface observations. These data improve understanding of carbon balances in regions poorly constrained by surface measurements and provide independent data to support the verification of national emissions and their reductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuula Aalto, Head of the Greenhouse Gas Modelling Research Group (FMI) presented the atmospheric inverse modelling method used in HIKET to generate independent top-down estimates of land-use sector carbon budgets and their uncertainties in Finland. The initial analyses indicate that biospheric CO\u2082 budgets for Finland derived from different modelling approaches using in situ and satellite data fall within similar, albeit still relatively large, uncertainty ranges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sampo Pihlainen<\/strong> (Finnish Environment Institute) and Matti Laukkanen<\/strong> (University of Helsinki) introduced the session \u201cIncluding the value of CO2<\/sub> to forestry\u201d <\/strong>highlighting that<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, the way forward would be to p<\/strong>rice CO2<\/sub> emissions from biobased fuels and to price or reward forest carbon sequestration or storage. <\/strong>HIKET could support such policies as it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The panel[1]<\/a> discussed \u201cHow current and future policies in Finland and the EU deteriorate or improve forest-based impact, including LULUCF.<\/em>\u201d<\/strong> The following remarks were made among the panelists and the audience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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