Previous projects: Futures within planetary boundaries
A bio-based economy that seeks solutions from biological resources is proposed as the next phase of economic development providing renewable energy and resources. It is the relationship between society, technology and nature that really become interesting in this ‘bio-age’. The bioeconomy has been widely interpreted, with strategies formed around it some positive offering renewable solutions and others more problematic threatening nature. In what ways will the bioeconomy contribute or hinder a more sustainable society?
The aim of the BioEcoJust project is to identify and explore key ethical decisions for the future bioeconomy through 2125. Our approach in the research consortium combines the two fields of Ethics & Foresight.
Funding: Academy of Finland, 2017–2022
Project website: https://bioecojust.utu.fi/
Project team: Markku Wilenius, Sofi Kurki, Amos Taylor, Nicholas Balcom Raleigh & Ana Maria Jones
Climate University (or more fully, Multidisciplinary digital learning in sustainability challenges – flexible study paths to the working life) is a collaboration project bringing together eleven Finnish universities to share education and scientific expertise. It explores possibilities for digitalization and open education to address urgent Climate Change and sustainability challenges.
This project encompasses the development of courses on important aspects of Climate Change and sustainability at various levels, workshops for university teachers, and efforts to build a network for collaboration between schools and with working professionals. Funding for the project comes from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, and the participating educational institutions.
Finland Futures Research Centre, alongside other collaborators from University of Turku, is participating in the development of two courses that will be offered through Climate University beginning in the later part of 2020:
Further information on Climate University: Anna Kirveennummi, Morgan Shaw & Sari Puustinen, Finland Futures Research Centre
https://blogs.helsinki.fi/climateuniversity/
See also: Puustinen, Sari & Kirveennummi, Anna (2019) Innovations in education for sustainable future” in Turku 7.5.2019.
The CRECE project supports Cuba in the provision of regionally relevant multidisciplinary education in sustainable energy engineering and renewable energy development.
This is done in order to ensure that Cuban higher education institutions (HEIs) are better equipped and able to provide high-quality experts for the ever-growing societal and energy sector development needs. The Cuban energy sector is undergoing a state-led transformation. So far, this “Energy Revolution” has improved energy efficiency but harnessing renewable energy (RE) resources is still lagging far behind. In order to attract investors, meet the government’s RE targets, and reduce CO2 emissions and environmental pollution from fossil fuels, Cuba needs national expertise and experts in RE development. CRECE answers this call by training skilled experts and enabling cross-sectoral and regional cooperation possibilities.
Partners:
- Finland Futures Research Centre (FFRC), University of Turku, Finland;
- Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Finland;
- Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF), Germany;
- University of León (ULE), Spain;
- University of Oriente (UO), Cuba;
- Instituto Superior Politécnico Jose Antonio Echeverria (CUJAE), Cuba;
- Instituto Superior Minero Metalúrgico de Moa (ISMMM), Cuba;
- United Nations University for Peace (UPeace), Costa Rica;
- EARTH University (Earth), Costa Rica;
- University of Vigo (Uvigo), Spain;
- CubaEnergia, Cuba;
- Centro de Investigacion de Energia Solar (CIES), Cuba;
- Universidad Autónoma deCentroamérica (UACA), Costa Rica
CRECE project is funded by Erasmus+ Capacity Buiding in Higher Education during 10/2017-8/2021.
Hankkeen tutkijat Tulevaisuuden tutkimuskeskuksessa:
Mika Korkeakoski, Noora Vähäkari ja Jyrki Luukkanen
Hankesivusto: https://erasmus-crece.fi
In CITIES 4.0, four innovation ecosystems from different European cities are preparing a joint multi-annual action plan with the aim of strengthening their efficiency, capacities and interconnection and jointly tackle the challenges, while maximising the impact of their contribution to the European Green Deal and to their cities’ efforts towards carbon-neutrality.
Project partners: Brainport Eindhoven, Leuven MindGate, Fondazione Innovazione Urbana, Turku Science Park Oy and Ecosystem Thinking Institute.
FFRC is a subcontractor in the work package coordinated by Turku Science Park during 1.9.2022–28.2.2023. The whole project is carried out by the end of April 2024.
Further information: Jarmo Vehmas
https://turkubusinessregion.com/en/projects/cities-4-0/
The ‘Cuban Energy Transformation’ (IRIS) project develops new tools and methods for planning the energy system. The project concentrates on aspects related to the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources, mainly wind and solar, in the Cuban electricity system and the problems and advantages related to it. The target is to develop renewable energy scenarios which take into account the global development context and the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and cultural (PESTEC) dimensions of development.
The project looks at the interlinkages of these different aspects in the context of the transformation processes taking place in Cuba. Development of the local research capacity in participating Cuban universities and research centres is one target. Dissemination and utilization of the research results will take place via stakeholder workshops and the active contacts of the partner institutions to Cuban ministries and other organisations.
Finland Futures Research Centre/University of Turku and Tampere University of Technology are the Finnish partners of the project. Principal investigator of the project is Dr. Jyrki Luukkanen. The Cuban partners of the project include: Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba; Instituto Superior Politécnico Jose Antonio Echeverria, Technical University of Havana, CUJAE; CubaEnergia; and CIES (Centro de Investigacion de Energia Solar, Cuba).
Funding: Academy of Finland, 2019-2022.
Further information: Jyrki Luukkanen
Sustainable development is one of the main challenges of our time. Development both in Finland and elsewhere on our planet is unsustainable in the long run, to say the least. Many urgent changes in our society would be necessary, but are we ready for it, and especially, are the people in positions of power, ready for it? And would they have an interest to take forward stronger consumption policies than what we have now?
PhD project to explore the minds of decision makers
If decision makers were given the chance to express their thoughts on the tough issues related to sustainable consumption in private, what kinds of decisions would they really support? Would they anonymously be willing to support stronger policies than what they assume their fellow decision makers are ready for?
And, if they are optimistic or pessimistic, how does it affect their opinion on what is possible? Do their attitudes and understanding of future influence their perception of the possibility of sustainable future and their willingness to use different means to ensure it?
The decision makers will discuss means to curb consumption in an anonymous delphi process
The attitudes and thoughts of decision makers will be studied through an anonymous delphi process. The decision makers are presented with a set of potential means to radically reduce household consumption of natural resources. In the delphi process the decision makers are asked to discuss and develop further these means. Their opinions and arguments will be recorded and analysed.
The project has started 2015 and will finish by 2018
The project will consists of the following stages:
- Identification of means to reduce consumption to be presented to the decision makers.
- Development of metrics to measure future consciousness of decision makers.
- Delphi process with the decision makers on potential policies to radically curb consumption.
- Analysis and reporting of the results.
The research has been funded by the Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation as well as the Kone Foundation.
Further information: Sanna Ahvenharju
The DEEM project responds to the identified needs of the Mekong HEIs to:
- create sustainable energy engineering curricula
- improve the sustainable energy knowledge and promote innovative pedagogical approaches and skills to foster research oriented learning
- improve the international, national and regional networks and knowledge exchange
The project aims to integrate futures and sustainability thinking, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, build public-private partnerships and include innovative teaching methods. Associate partners from the national governments and civil society provide guidance on most relevant challenges and skills needed.
The wider objective is to ensure that the partner HEIs are able to respond to the capacity and employment needs of sustainable energy development in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The objective will have a direct link to strengthening the integration of sustainable energy goals into national level energy policies, provide qualified energy experts into the local, national and regional labor markets and foster greater collaboration between the traditionally siloed public and private sectors and increase regional level cooperation and mobility in research, entrepreneurship and innovation.
The possible direct short term impacts include modernisation and internationalisation of HEIs, and in long term the project will contribute to sustainable energy policies, mitigation of climate GHG emissions and climate change, energy security and better access to energy for all.
DEEM is implemented by a large consortium of European and Mekong HEIs during 2016 to 2019, with University of Turku as the coordinator.
Further information: Mika Korkeakoski, Noora Vähäkari and Jyrki Luukkanen
European Futures for Energy Efficiency (EUFORIE) responds to the EU Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014–15 theme “Secure, clean and efficient energy”.
The project studies energy efficiency from different perspectives by applying methodologies developed in previous EU FP6 and FP7 projects, “Development and Comparison of Sustainability Indicators (DECOIN)” and “Synergies in Multi-scale Inter-Linkages of Eco-social systems (SMILE)”.
The project consortium consists of non-profit research organisations with a strong background in socio-economic energy research and/or sustainability indicators/ evaluation.
The project started on March 2015 and it will be completed during 45 Months.
Project personnel at the FFRC: Jarmo Vehmas, Jari Kaivo-oja and Juha Panula-Ontto.
Project website: http://www.euforie-h2020.eu/
FLxDeep is a six-partner initiative led by Finland Futures Research Centre at Turku School of Economics – University of Turku in cooperation with futures literacy experts at UNESCO.
It is funded by EIT Climate KIC and aims to co-create and implement processes that introduce, develop and actively apply the capability called futures literacy to support climate-related social, business, and technological innovation.
> Read more about the project.
Further information: Nicolas A. Balcom Raleigh, Finland Futures Research Centre
A project funded by 6Aika, where solutions for advancing carbon neutrality and resource wisdom in industrial areas are being constructed in collaboration with cities of Turku, Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo, VTT and Turku Science Park Oy.
Further information: Essi Silvonen
The City of Turku and Finland Futures Research Centre have conducted a joint feasibility study to deter-mine the preconditions for the Turku region to take part in the Green Circular Cities Coalition initiated by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
Circular economy was examined through the six thematic sectors determined by ICLEI: urban spatial planning and governance, circular public procurement and supply chain, circular industrial park, municipal resource management, buildings and construction and water-food-energy nexus. Circular economy was recognised widely through the operations aimed at increasing resource efficiency and transitioning from a linear economy paradigm to a circular one, for example renewable energy sources, recycling, reuse, sharing platforms, bio economy and cleantech.
Further information: Essi Silvonen
Project reports:
- FFRC eBooks 10/2019: ICLEI Green Circular Cities Coalition. Feasibility study to build an active network of circular economy actors in the Turku region. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-7766-6
- Tutu eJulkaisuja 9/2019: ICLEI Green Circular Cities Coalition. Toteutettavuustutkimus aktiivisen kiertotaloustoimijaverkoston rakentamiseksi Turun seudulla. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-7764-2
The aim of the project is to create a circular economy operational entity that supports the circular economy-related business of existing companies in the City of Salo area, helps to create new circular economy companies and thus new jobs.
The project activities consist of (1) collecting and analysing existing data and (2) using data as background and discussion materials for workshops. The workshops produce new meeting places for companies and other needed organizations, create business ideas, and create the commitment and trust needed for collaborative networks. The project will provide companies in operation with the means to start or further export their circular economy activities, and start-up companies will support the development of their business.
The project is funded by the European Union Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and will be implemented between 1 December 2021 and 31 August 2023. The project is coordinated by Yrityssalo Oy and involves Lounavoima Oy, Turku University of Applied Sciences and the University of Turku (Finland Futures Research Centre).
The project is divided into three work packages: A common vision for circular economy cooperation in Southwest Finland (TP1), Building the Lounapuisto circular economy ecosystem, assessing and managing its activities (TP2), and Communications (TP3). The tasks of the Finland Futures Research Centre are mainly related to the development of Lounapuisto vision (TP1). It creates a phenomenon map related to the circular economy, organises visioning workshops and, based on the phenomenon map and workshops, produces Lounapuisto vision for 2035.
Further information: Jarmo Vehmas
The Myanmar Energy and Environment Education (MEEE) project directly contributes to the development of sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth in Myanmar by enhancing capacities of Myanmar partner institutions to provide quality education on environment and sustainable energy for growing societal and energy sector development needs.
Myanmar is currently in a critical time in its energy transition. To be able to attract investors in the renewable energy sector and to re-investigate the government’s RE targets, enhancing access to energy and electrification, as well as reducing CO2 emissions and environmental pollution from fossil fuels there is a dire need for nationally grounded energy expertise.
Partners of the project:
- Yangon Technological University
- Europa-Universität Flensburg
- Wageningen University
- University of Yangon
- University of Turku (coordinator)
- Tampere University
- Myeik University
- Mandalay Technological University
Project is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and participating institutions during 11/2019–11/2022
Further information: Jyrki Luukkanen, Mika Korkeakoski, Noora Vähäkari & Osku Haapasaari, Finland Futures Research Centre
Access to modern energy services has direct implications on every aspect of sustainable development. Lesotho is one of the world's Least Developed Countries (LDC) where many households do not have access to electricity (less than 50% have access to electricity, roughly 10% in rural areas 2019). In the electrified areas, the demand for electricity is growing at a fast pace, but the supply has not been able to catch up. Lesotho has an abundance of techno- economically exploitable renewable energy resources such as hydro, solar and wind.
Application of renewable energy resources and adoption of energy efficiency measures can provide sustainable energy solutions and reduce the effect of increasing energy demand on greenhouse gas emissions. One of the major barriers hindering sustainable energy use and production in Lesotho is a shortage of knowledgeable and skillful human resources.
PROPEL is a collaboration project between the National University of Lesotho (NUL), University of Turku (UTU) and Aalto University (AU). The main objectives of PROPEL are to enhance internationalization activities between partner universities and to engage in capacity building at NUL to develop the quality of futures-resilient sustainable energy education through the training of trainers-approach. The project enhances the skills and competences of HEI staff in sustainable energy production and consumption by focusing on problem-based learning, online learning, and blended learning methodologies. The project supports the NUL’s MSc in Sustainable Energy programme and competences of NUL teaching staff to deliver high quality learning outcomes to students in both classroom and online environments.
Project activities focus on
- developing sustainable energy study content from a holistic perspective that incorporates supply and demand side considerations with a systemic lens;
- improving pedagogical expertise for the provision of high-quality, problem-based and digital sustainable energy education; and
- enhancing internationalization activities, enabling the formation of long-term partnerships between NUL, UTU and AU through student and staff mobilities, research collaboration and networking.
The project also aims to disseminate and promote thematic knowledge on sustainable energy to industry, public sector, and to civil society, building a foundation for long-lasting collaboration between all major stakeholders.
An overarching challenge that PROPEL addresses is the existential risk imposed by climate change. By promoting futures-resilient sustainable energy education in Lesotho and the internationalization between universities focusing on sustainable energy issues, the project addresses local educational needs, in influences growth of green jobs in the sustainable energy sector and promotes mitigation responses to climate change.
PROPEL is funded by Team Finland Knowledge programme and will be carried out by 31.12.2024.
Further information: Osku Haapasaari
Real Estate and Sustainable Crisis Management in Urban Environments (RESCUE) is a multidisciplinary study funded by the Academy of Finland for 2020–2023.
The research project aims to promote the dynamic resilience and crisis preparedness of societies by concretising the role of real estate in both anticipated and unanticipated crises, at local and global scales.
Further information: Professor Emerita Sirkka Heinonen
The small sub-project of the SAFER2028 research program produces future information with a different time perspective for the final disposal of high-level nuclear waste.
The report deals with possible developments affecting the final investment system, taking into account all emerging phenomena, shocks and discontinuities. The work is based on a literature review and expert interviews.
The sub-project by the FFRC will be implemented from 1 October 2024 to 28 February 2025 and is financed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
Further information: Jarmo Vehmas, Ira Ahokas & Hanna Lakkala
Sub-project final report (in Finnish):
Ahokas, Ira – Lakkala, Hanna & Vehmas, Jarmo (2025) Esiselvitys korkea-aktiivisen ydinjätteen loppusijoituksen mahdollisista tulevaisuuksista (SAFER2028). Tutu eJulkaisuja 3/2025, Tulevaisuuden tutkimuskeskus, Turun yliopisto.
Detailed information on the Finnish site
Many countries are now going through energy transitions by increasing the share of decentralised renewable energy as a part of the emerging bio-economy. In this project, we will study external drivers, actors, mental models, policies and institutions that affect sustainability in energy transition. They are analysed across the landscape, regime and niche levels of the multi-level perspective on socio-technical transition (MLP) framework.
The MLP framework is widely used in transition research, but to date it lacks a systematic inclusion of alternative futures that shape the actions taken on different levels. The project has:
- The theoretical and methodological objective of developing the MLP framework to a futureoriented integrative tool;
- The empirical objective of analysing the transition from centralised fossil based energy towards decentralised renewable energy up to 2030; and
- The societal objective of providing and interactively disseminating highly needed policy-relevant information regarding the prerequisites and obstacles of the energy transition.
We focus on three case technologies that are at different stages of socio-technical transition in Finland: Biogas, ground source heat pumps and woodchips burning.
Through the cases, we explore the current and emerging roles of consumers, producers and prosumers of energy, and the roles of international energy markets, policies and public framings shaping expectations and actions.
The project is organised into five work packages that are based on specific datasets and methods – a Delphi study, policy document analysis, key informant interviews, national survey and media content analysis.
Our aim is to spark a new generation of sustainability transition studies by the systematic integration of alternative futures at all critical sub-systems and process phases. By envisioning and elaborating alternative futures, and examining how they are taken into account, this approach also increases the agility of sociotechnical system transition.
The FutWend project employs a prominent consortium of central research institutions in the field of bioeconomy and sustainability and demonstrated excellence in futures research. The project is led by Finland Futures Research Centre and the collaborating partners are Finnish Environment Institute SYKE and Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE.
The research team has a track record of over 200 peer-reviewed publications. The project continues and enhances close-knit teamwork across organisations and builds new international collaboration. It is based on a transdisciplinary approach sensitive to stakeholder knowledge.
The FutWend project is been funded by the Academy of Finland during 2016–2019.
Further information:
Petri Tapio (Project Leader), Ville Lauttamäki, Marjukka Parkkinen & Jarmo Vehmas at Finland Futures Research Centre
Vilja Varho, Natural Resources Institute Finland
Timo Assmuth, Finnish Environment Institute
Roadmap for circular and resource wise on Turku region by 2040. Priority topics include buildings and construction, traffic and logistics, energy system, water cycles, food system and nutrient cycles.
Further information: Essi Silvonen