Closer Finnish-Japanese cooperation in environmental research

The Finnish Environment Institute SYKE and the National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan NIES have signed a cooperation document to promote joint projects between the two institutes. The aim is to improve the exchange of information between the countries, strengthen the research networks, and support joint research on a long-term basis. The initiative to the agreement came from Japan.

“Among the topics where we have shared interests are for example the Arctic regions, linkages between the environment and health, circular economy, as well as climate change and black carbon. Joint research projects and sharing of competence on these are most welcome in every respect”, says Lea Kauppi, Director General of SYKE.

“Both research institutes conduct interdisciplinary studies on a broad spectrum of topics, which creates excellent conditions to produce useful information for decision-making on environmental issues locally, nationally and globally.”

The Minister for Housing, Energy and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen visited Japan in March 2017, where he and Japan’s Environment Minister Koichi Yamamoto agreed to increase research cooperation between the countries.

“I am very pleased that the discussions with the Japanese led to a concrete agreement between SYKE and NIES. The standard of environmental research is very high in both countries. International research cooperation is very important because together we can respond even better than before to the world’s environmental challenges”, Minister Tiilikainen says.   

The cooperation document was signed in Helsinki on 9 July 2017, with representatives of the Ministries of the Environment and research institutes of both countries present.

More information:

Tita Korvenoja, Head of International and EU Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 295 250 138, [email protected]

Kirsi Norros, Communications Director, Finnish Environment Institute, tel. +358 40 740 1693, [email protected]