The selected research projects broadly promote the green and digital transition by developing new solutions for promoting carbon neutrality and for curbing and adapting to climate change. Research topics are related to the health effects of climate change, sustainable energy technology, forestry and environmental law, among others.
According to the professor Johanna Myllyharjuchair of the final sub-committee, it was great to see consortia among the applications that innovatively combine many research areas important to the green and digital transition.
Myllyharju said: “The funding decisions made now support versatile research to answer current challenges. The decision-makers were happy that the funded projects included projects led by researchers in the early stages of their careers and promising initiatives that can contribute to the development of new clusters of expertise.
Examples of funded projects:
Christopher Raymond (University of Helsinki) leads a consortium that combines mobility modeling, participatory mapping and transformative management methods. The goal is to enable modes of transport to shift from car use to more sustainable alternatives. In accordance with Finland’s National Recovery and Survival Plan (RRP), the project generates new information about how people live in the urban environment and how this local knowledge can be combined with urban policy, legislation and planning practices to enable rapid changes towards carbon neutrality and climate resilience.
Ari Seppälä (Aalto University) leads a consortium that investigates the environmental, economic and energy efficiency effects that can be achieved by optimizing energy systems with the help of new materials. The research uses artificial intelligence. The biggest current challenge for the utilization of renewable energy resources is their timing, which causes gaps between demand and supply. Efficient energy storage is key to solving this problem.
The granted funding is based on the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and Finland’s sustainable growth program. The projects financed in accordance with Finland’s national recovery and survival plan (RRP) are part of the Academy of Finland’s program package, which includes other RRF-funded projects and research infrastructures.
In making the decision, the subcommittee ensured that the projects comply with the RRF criteria. The criteria include the “Do no significant harm” principle, according to which projects must not include activities that cause significant harm to European environmental goals.
HT
Source: Academy of Finland