Interviews at the British Embassy in Helsinki
The finalists of the International Climate Research Prize were announced on 8 May 2026. We asked three questions about climate change from four experts who attended the event.
1. Which perspective on climate change should receive more attention in public debate?
2. On which topic would you like to read more research or conduct research yourself?
3. Why is international cooperation important in tackling climate change?
Minna Koutaniemi, Director of International Cooperation, Finnish National Agency for Education
1.) We should talk more about human well-being and how climate change affects the everyday lives of each and every one of us.
2.) I would like to study how wars accelerate climate change and, on the other hand, slow down public discussion about it.
3.) International cooperation creates a new and more diverse understanding of climate change, which is above all a global issue.
Pekka Morén, Special Advisor, Ministry of Finance in Finland; Professor of Practice, London School of Economics
1.) Public debate needs more perspectives from political economy and the social sciences.
2.) I would like to read more research on economic aspects of climate and biodiversity and their interconnection. It is important that even complex research findings are made understandable for decision-makers so that they can grasp the full scope of systemic change.
3.) Expertise within a single country is limited, and not all topics can even be studied within one country alone. What matters is bringing expertise together and helping companies and governments solve problems.
Paula Kivimaa, Research Professor, Finnish Environment Institute; Member of the Finnish Climate Change Panel
1.) More discussion is needed about the indirect impacts of climate change on the economy as well as on food and water systems.
2.) I would like to read more about where climate action truly stands, what is happening right now and which measures have slowed down due to geopolitics.
3.) The impact chains of climate change are global in nature. It’s a large-scale problem that cannot be solved locally alone.
Laura Ticklén, Communications Specialist, Finnish Climate Change Panel
1.) Public debate should focus more on different levels of agency and their scale, in other words, government action compared with the actions of businesses, civil society organisations and individual citizens.
2.) I would like to read more about the interactions between climate change and water.
3.) International cooperation helps identify both shared challenges and national specificities that require tailored national solutions.