Making Sense of Climate Change: Perspectives of Citizens, Business Leaders and Political Decision-Makers

Updated 20.10.2023 | 14:10

Making Sense of Climate Change: Perspectives of Citizens, Business Leaders and Political Decision-Makers.

The project will research major corporations, policymakers and citizens and their attitudes, motivational factors, level of information and internal and mutual conflicts surrounding climate change.

Public debate on climate change divides people, but less time is spent on reflecting what combines everyone in the change. What causes excitement in major corporations, politics and citizens, what prevents taking action? Is there any common understanding on climate change apart from conflicts?

This will be researched for the first time in a cross-sectoral project. Behind the research project is a versatile, cross-sectoral group of operators: Finnish Energy, MTK (the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners), the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of the Environment, Local and Regional Government Finland, and InnoLab (University of Vaasa) and e2 Research, which will jointly be responsible for the practical implementation of the project.

The research results to be completed year 2020 can be utilised in political and economic decision-making as well as in public debate, organisational activities and teaching.

The members of the consortium are together funding the project.

The research is conducted jointly by e2 Research and University of Vaasa, InnoLab: Research leaders Karina Jutila (e2 Research, Helsinki) and Mari K. Niemi (InnoLab, Vaasa). The University of Vaasa research team consists of project researcher Annu Perälä and Prof. of philosophy Tommi Lehtonen, and the e2 Research team consists of Dr of Political Science Ville Pitkänen and Jussi Westinen and project coordinator Aino Heikkilä.

Title: Making Sense of Climate Change: Perspectives of Citizens, Business Leaders and Political Decision-Makers (Ilmassa ristivetoa)
Time:
Budjet: 250 000 euroa, (consortium).
Project leaders: e2 Research and University of Vaasa, InnoLab research platform
Project partners: Finnish Energy, e2 Research, InnoLab (University of Vaasa), Local and Regional Government Finland, the Ministery of Agriculture and Forestry, MTK, STTK, the ministery of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministery of Environment.
Project contact person at University of Vaasa: Mari K. Niemi, +358 29 449 8510
Project contact person at e2 Research: Karina Jutila, +358 50 5515 361