Government appointed new Climate Change Panel - chaired by Jyri Seppälä
On 9 November 2023, the Government appointed the new Finnish Climate Change Panel for the term 2024–2027. The panel will be chaired by Jyri Seppälä from the Finnish Environment Institute. The panel gives statements and produces scientific knowledge to support decision-making.
The panel will be composed of 15 researchers from universities and research institutes. The Climate Change Panel is an independent expert body. The provisions of its status are laid down in the Climate Act. According to the act, the task of the Finnish Climate Change Panel is to produce, compile and analyse scientific information and identify information needs concerning climate change mitigation and adaptation. The information is used for climate policy planning, implementation, monitoring and decision-making.
“To achieve the climate targets, we need strong and multidisciplinary dialogue between the scientific community and decision-makers. Our aim in electing the panel was to make sure that knowledge and expertise from different fields of science will be represented,” says Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen.
The search for members to the Climate Change Panel started last spring. The Ministry of the Environment requested proposals for members from universities and research institutes. A total of 41 proposals for members and 6 proposals for the chair of the panel came in. The chair of the new Climate Change Panel will be Professor Jyri Seppälä, who has served as a member since the panel was established.
“It is important that Finland will meet its climate targets and proceed resolutely towards a carbon neutral society. This is how Finland can also tap into the opportunities related to the transition. The task of the Climate Change Panel is to bring science-based knowledge to this process that will support the decision-making,” Jyri Seppälä says.
The Climate Change Panel works in collaboration with the other scientific panels. Besides the Climate Change Panel, the Finnish Nature Panel is a statutory one. The two other scientific panels are the Sustainability Panel and the Finnish Forest Bioeconomy Science Panel. In addition, the Sámi Climate Council under the Climate Act appointed this autumn is composed of researchers and holders of traditional knowledge.
The Ministry of the Environment has commissioned an evaluation of the Finnish Climate Change Panel that will be published in December.
Composition of the Finnish Climate Change Panel 1 January 2024–31 December 2027:
Chair
Jyri Seppälä
Professor
Finnish Environment Institute
Members
Paula Kivimaa
Research Professor
Finnish Environment Institute
Antti Arasto
Vice President, Industrial energy and hydrogen
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Hannele Korhonen
Director of Climate Research Programme, Research Professor
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Lassi Ahlvik
Associate Professor
University of Helsinki
Kati Kulovesi
Professor
University of Eastern Finland
Raisa Mäkipää
Research Professor
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Jaana Halonen
Chief Researcher
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Kati Koponen
Senior Scientist
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Risto Soukka
Professor
LUT University
Heikki Liimatainen
Professor
University of Tampere
Jarek Kurnitski
Adjunct Professor
Aalto University
Sampo Soimakallio
Group Manager, Leading Researcher
Finnish Environment Institute
Anne Toppinen
Vice Dean, Professor
University of Helsinki
Heikki Lehtonen
Research Professor
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Inquiries:
Heta-Elena Heiskanen
Senior Specialist
Ministry of the Environment
tel. +358 295 250 380
[email protected]
Chair of the Finnish Climate Change Panel 2024–2027
Jyri Seppälä
Finnish Environment Institute
tel. +358 295 251 629
[email protected]