The activities of the Finnish Environment Institute combine knowledge and expertise from different fields. These activities cover all environmental aspects from the natural to the built environment. The production and utilisation of environmental information play an important role.
Some important themes for the Finnish Environment Institute at present include climate change, the circular economy, and ecosystem services. Other topics include microplastics, urbanisation and the Arctic environment, as well as renewable digital environmental knowledge.
The effects of microplastics in the food web of the Baltic Sea are studied at the SYKE Marine research center. New imaging tools can be used to separate different types of plastic particles from environmental samples. The Bosmina -water flea in the picture has been exposed to conventional and biodegradable plastic in an experiment.
SYKE researches the sea in a multidisciplinary way
SYKE conducts multidisciplinary marine research and is responsible for national monitoring of the state of the Baltic Sea. The study covers the entire coastline and open sea areas of Finland. The Finnish Environment Institute researchers assess both natural and man-made changes in the sea.
SYKE provides expert marine management services and develops sustainable solutions for a cleaner Baltic Sea. This work is carried out in close cooperation with other marine research bodies. The most important partners are the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the Finnish Natural Resources Institute, Metsähallitus (Forest Administration), the Geological Survey of Finland, and universities.
The activities of the Finnish Environment Institute support Finland's maritime policy and legislation. Such research will provide the information needed to develop and implement these policies and legislation.
SYKE coordinates FINMARI, the Finnish Marine Research Consortium
The Marine Research Centre of SYKE coordinates the Finnish Marine Research Consortium, known as FINMARI. The FINMARI Consortium brings together all of the major Finnish marine research bodies. This cooperation will, among other things, be used to develop equipment for top-level research.
The open sea is comprehensively researched with the marine research vessel Aranda
The Finnish Environment Institute manages the Aranda, a modern ice-strengthened marine research vessel. The RV Aranda conducts offshore ecological, hydrographic, and acoustic research. The marine research professionals of SYKE also have access to the onboard state-of-the-art research laboratory, as well as a wide range of research equipment.