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Industry & Technology

Solveig Roschier

06.11.2019

Data on CO2 emission reductions available from JRC

There is a lot of talk about reducing CO2 emissions but much less data available and used to back these discussions. The European Commission Joint Research Center JRC Ispra (Italy) air quality laboratory is an ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) Class 2 Atmospheric Station and it has been benchmarking the impact of policies on air quality and climate change for more than 30 years.

General

Lauri Larvus

03.06.2019

Circular Economy is a Trillion-Dollar Opportunity

The transition to a low-carbon circular economy is taking place as we speak. The switch is truly and deeply needed. Last year, 1st of August marked the on which we had used the ecological resource budget for the whole year and exceeded Earth’s annual capacity to regenerate those resources.

General

Ulla Heinonen

04.03.2019

Vastuullisuus on valttikortti kasvuun ja parempaan bisnekseen (in Finnish)

Vastuullinen liiketoiminta on kannattavaa. Väitteen osoittavat todeksi useat viimeaikaiset tutkimukset ja kirjoitukset. Muun muassa Financial Timesissä ja Harvard Business Review:ssä nostetut tutkimukset osoittavat, että pitkällä aikavälillä vastuullisuus tuottaa kannattavuutta ja kasvua – sekä minimoimalla riskejä että luomalla avauksia oikeasti uudelle liiketoiminnalle.

Developing Markets

Paula Tommila

22.01.2019

Large-scale agricultural production shapes productivity in Africa

When travelling across southern and eastern Africa, it is evident that farming is a critical livelihood for people, yet there is plenty of room for improvement in productivity and efficiency of land use. Together with global population growth and increasing consumption, sustainable ways for increasing agricultural production are desperately needed.

Developing Markets

Paula Tommila

15.11.2018

Holiday destinations under development

In tourism, Africa is on the path to become the next Thailand. African tourism industry provides an opportunity for substantial revenues through reasonable investments, with a potential for significant development impacts. The Dqae Qare San Lodge in Western Botswana and Liquid Dive Adventures resort in Mozambique perfectly exemplify how tourism can create real local impacts.

Energy

Markus Klimscheffskij

14.11.2018

Jakeluverkkoyhtiön tehotariffi – vaihtoehto puhtaasti kiinteälle kuukausimaksulle? (in Finnish)

Energiaviraston selvityksen mukaan sähkön jakeluverkkoyhtiöiden perimä kiinteä kuukausimaksu on noussut keskimäärin 40% vuosien 2011-2017 aikana. Samaan aikaan kulutukseen perustuva siirron energiamaksu on kasvanut 5%. Kiinteiden maksujen osuus onkin jo lähes puolet verkkoyhtiöiden keräämistä kokonaismaksuista.

Developing Markets

Paula Tommila

28.09.2018

Strengthening local business opportunities in townships would boost the South African economy

Small businesses can have a game changing role in South Africa but means for growth need to be generated. A visit to Khayelitsha, the largest township of the country with over five million residents, shed light on why this is so important.

Developing Markets

Paula Tommila

03.09.2018

Exploring the various landscapes of African entrepreneurship

Our international business manager Paula Tommila will be touring southern and eastern Africa for the rest of the year. We are sad to see her leave, but as a parting gift, she has promised to write a series of blogs about her travels through the new African landscapes of entrepreneurship.

General

Gaia pressroom

16.05.2018

Our dear Baltic Sea – how are you doing?

News about the alarming condition of our oceans are almost daily. Toxic substances, overloads of nutrients, overfishing and excessive amounts of plastic waste are taking over our marine environments. The Baltic Sea is no exception.

ICT

Ulla Heinonen

12.02.2018

Digitalization enables sustainable development (in Finnish)

Digitalisaatio ja kestävä kehitys – kaksi tämän päivän muotitermiä, jotka löytyvät useimman organisaation ja yrityksen strategiasta ja monista tulevaisuutta pohtivista kirjoitelmista. Onko sanahelinän takana konkretiaa ja liittyvätkö nämä niin usein käytetyt termit lainkaan toisiinsa?

Cities and municipalities

Juha Vanhanen

15.01.2018

Disruptions create new business opportunities (in Finnish)

Käynnissä ovat jatkuvat rakennemuutokset. Kuluttajien mieltymykset, yhteiskunnan murrokset, teknologiset innovaatiot ja globaali kilpailu muuttavat yritysten toimintaympäristöä. Näin aukeaa mahdollisuuksia uudelle liiketoiminnalle. Samalla realisoituu riskejä, jotka voivat lopettaa nopeasti nykyisen menestyksen.

Energy

Gaia pressroom

03.04.2017

Consumers drive the energy revolution (in Finnish)

Gaian tekemä graafi tuo näkökulman kuluttajan energiamurrokseen. Kilpailu energiasektorilla tulee kovenemaan. Uudet toimintamallit ja palvelualustat tulevat haastamaan perinteisen tavan tuottaa, myydä ja kuluttaa energiaa. Kuluttajan ja tuottajan roolit häilyvät.

General

Elina Heikinheimo

14.10.2016

Sharing is caring – Gaia launched a series of open webinars

Last Friday Gaia organised an open, 1-hour long webinar on practical tools for circular economy. The idea was to share Gaia’s knowledge and gathered information about the hot topics in sustainable business. This was the first time Gaia posted an open invitation to a webinar online. Invitations were sent via our social media channels, LinkedIn and Twitter, and our newsletter.

Financial Services

Mikko Halonen

14.10.2016

The financial sector is only half awake with the advancing impacts of climate change

The multiple impacts of climate change are being felt in the global economy with increasing force and through a number of interconnected pathways. The approach chosen by Finnish actors in the financial sector to date, have generally been reactive and defensive - consisting mainly of carbon footprint assessments and occasional divestments from fossil based assets.

Industry & Technology

Gaia pressroom

06.09.2016

Future of circular economy is pure chemistry

We take carbon from ground and emit it into air. Our food crops take phosphorus and nitrogen from soil and eventually they end via consumption and waste waters into our water bodies. We extract aluminium and copper from rock for our devices, just to let them accumulate into soils under our landfills.

Consumer Good & Services

Gaia pressroom

07.03.2016

Designing circular economy

Can we generate products, materials and services efficiently by minimizing the use of raw materials and by decreasing losses and low-value side streams? How well and how long does a product or material serve in its intended function and what kind of impacts does it have during its lifetime? How about after its life cycle? Can it be reused? Is it economically viable to repair? Can it be easily recycled? Can different materials and parts of the product be recovered cost-effectively?

Industry & Technology

Gaia pressroom

19.02.2016

Biochemicals and biomaterials are attracting investments

Many biofuel investments face regulatory risks and lowering reference prices. However, investments in the production of biomaterials and biochemicals benefit from an increasing market pull and more favorable pricing scenarios.

Energy

Gaia pressroom

27.01.2016

The age of solar energy has begun (in Finnish)

Tulevaisuudessa katto, jonka pinnalla ei ole aurinkopaneeleja, saattaa herättää kummastusta. Aurinkoenergia yleistyy vinhaa vauhtia, ja siitä voivat hyötyä myös yritykset.

Energy

Juha Vanhanen

28.09.2015

Is Finland attractive to investors? (in Finnish)

Suomi kiinnostaa sähkö- ja kaasuverkkoinvestoijia. Entä muut investoinnit?

Energy

Gaia pressroom

17.08.2015

Does wind power skew the Finnish electricity market (in Finnish)

Sähkön hinnan halpeneminen saattaa pitkällä aikavälillä johtaa jopa sähkötehon loppumiseen.

Energy

Tuomas Raivio

31.10.2014

Towards a nickel society – with cold fusion? (in Finnish)

Mitä jos omakotitaloa lämmitettäisiin vuosi grammalla nikkeliä ja autot myytäisiin toistaiseksi tankattuina? Viimeaikaiset tutkimustulokset kylmäfuusiosta säväyttävät.

Energy

Gaia pressroom

18.09.2014

Will geopolitics determine what comes through our power sockets?

The recent re-emergence of geopolitics in European energy discussion has taken many by surprise. But has geopolitics really ever left the energy discussion in Europe or have we just ignored traditional geopolitical issues in the face of the current climate discussion or in the heat of solving the euro crisis? Have we been lulled into a partly false sense of security by these past few years of smooth energy cooperation between the EU and Russia and started assuming that all problems were permanently solved?

Industry & Technology

Pasi Rinne

17.06.2014

Environmental offsets – A license to trash or an effective tool to save the planet?

Since the 1970s, environmental offsetting has been used in several countries as an instrument to reduce water pollution, to prevent the loss of habitats and biodiversity, to encourage energy efficiency and to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Looking back at the track record of offsetting, its results look mixed, and environmental professionals disagree on whether offsetting is creating additional much-needed environmental measures or actually discouraging responsible development.

General

Paula Tommila

26.02.2014

Are we ready for increasing inequality and a fight for food?

The warming climate will not only affect our environment but also our means of living. Climate change causes tangible changes in the food we eat, products we use and places where we live and work. The changes won’t treat us equally but will instead increase the inequality within societies.

Energy

Anu Vaahtera

11.10.2013

The rising cost of energy generates a new kind of poverty (in Finnish)

Yhä useammalla kotitaloudella on vaikeuksia selviytyä lämmityskuluistaan ja sähkölaskuistaan.

Energy

Gaia pressroom

02.09.2013

Investment pressure on electrical grids calls for swift action (in Finnish)

Uusi sähkömarkkinalaki astui voimaan syyskuun alussa. Laki lisää merkittävästi sähköverkkoyhtiöiden investointitarvetta, sillä se vaatii sähköverkon luotettavuuden huomattavaa parantamista. Tuoreessa laissa on määrätty, ettei jakeluverkon vioittuminen saa aiheuttaa yli kuuden tai asemakaava-alueen ulkopuolella yli 36 tunnin sähkökatkoa. Tämä vaatimus on täytettävä vuoden 2028 loppuun mennessä.

Developing Markets

Pasi Rinne

30.05.2013

Tanzania – a place to be

One of the world’s fastest growing economies with young, growing and urbanizing population. One of the biggest Foreign Direct Investment targets in Africa. Enormous minerals and gas reserves. Enough fertile land to feed a good part of the world…

Energy

Gaia pressroom

31.10.2012

Multiple reasons for E.ON to leave Finland (in Finnish)

Maailman suurimpiin energiayhtiöihin kuuluva saksalainen E.ON ilmoitti lokakuun lopussa poistuvansa kokonaan Suomesta

General

Alain Schilli

13.06.2012

Biomimicry links business to biodiversity

Biomimicry might be a term you do not come across every day, but you should: it is all about business and biodiversity. Biomimicry is nature inspired innovation and design.

Industry & Technology

Gaia pressroom

19.03.2012

Mining companies need to stand criticism (in Finnish)

Suomalainen kaivostoiminta elää nousukautta. Suomessa toimii yksitoista kaivosta, ja suunnitteilla on useita kymmeniä uusia. Samalla paikalliset kiistat haitoista ovat nousseet esille. Iso kysymys on, ymmärrämmekö, mitä tapahtuu, kun globaali kaivostoiminta saapuu maahan.

General

Mikko Halonen

24.01.2012

Climate mainstreaming – our way out of the climate crisis?

It is time to demystify climate change and provide concrete tools for decision makers on all levels. There is an urgent need to understand the causes and links of climate risks and interlinkages between mitigation and adaptation. We can´t afford random action – sporadic climate mainstreaming will not take us there.

Developing Markets

Pasi Rinne

22.11.2011

Africa – the New China in making

Africa could be on the brink of an economic takeoff. Its vast richness of natural resources and growing population could be the ingredients for being the New China. Not without innovative solutions for sustainability.

Developing Markets

Gaia pressroom

17.10.2011

Every drop counts – Policy challenges and opening opportunities in India’s water sector

Rain has always added a romantic touch to Bollywood films. For Indians, the start of monsoon is a point of joy after the hot and dry summer days. Water availability in India will, however, be increasingly scarce. Therefore, effective policy and actions will be needed to address the evolving challenges.

Energy

Iivo Vehviläinen

11.05.2011

Impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident on energy markets (in Finnish)

Uutinen Japanin maanjäristyksestä tunkee perjantain lähienergiapalaveriin kännykän kautta. Pieneltä ruudulta välittyy kuva maasta, joka on tulessa. Viikonlopun mittaan päähuomio vaihtuu maanjäristyksen ja tsunamin katastrofista räjähdyksiin Fukushiman ydinvoimalassa.

Developing Markets

Gaia pressroom

17.03.2011

Trouble in Paradise – Experiences from the Caribbean region

The Caribbean is not only about beaches – it is also about economic, social and environmental challenges. I have spent the last 15 months working with Red Cross National Societies in the Caribbean to improve disaster preparedness of the area. Now being back at Gaia again, I would like to share some experiences with you.

Industry & Technology

Päivi Luoma

01.03.2011

Bioeconomy is a rapidly growing business area (in Finnish)

Euroopan maat kaipaavat uuden talouskasvun lähteitä, joissa kova teknologia kehittyy kuluttajalähtöiseksi ja ympäristöä kunnioittavaksi kehitykseksi. Kasvava biotalous on kiinnostava vastaus talouden ja ympäristön asettamiin haasteisiin. Se voisi olla Suomen menestyksen uusi aalto, joka synnyttää ympärilleen laajan ja osaavan yritysverkoston.

General

Pasi Rinne

21.10.2010

Arctic – from forgotten desert to a hotspot of global attention

Greetings from Brussels where Arctic Futures Symposium has 14 – 15 October discussed, under the leadership of Prince Albert II of Monaco and EU President Rompuy, the futures of the Arctic. The Arctic has recently become one of the hotspots of world politics, and it is the area that paradoxically and tragically symbolizes climate change.

Energy

Juha Vanhanen

13.09.2010

Insecure energy policy slows down investments – Finland’s energy policies need to be based on transparent and extensive studies (in Finnish)

Poukkoilevuus, hämmennys ja epävarmuus ovat leimanneet viime päivien uutisia Suomen energiapolitiikan taustaselvityksistä ja päätöksenteosta. Onko energiapoliittisissa selvityksissä menty pahasti metsään tai tarvottu peräti suolle saakka virheellisen kartan kanssa?

Energy

Iivo Vehviläinen

03.05.2010

Once my grandpa built a nuclear power plant

Öljylamppu oli aikansa huippuinnovaatio. Sveitsiläisen Amié Argandin 1780-luvulla kehittämä lamppumalli ratkaisi aiempien öljylamppujen ongelmat. Se valaisi kodit ilman epämiellyttäviä hajuja, tuotti moninkertaisesti enemmän valoa kuin kynttilät ja oli käytössä edullinen. Argandin-lamppu valtasikin nopeasti kansainväliset öljylamppumarkkinat ja vauhditti osaltaan käynnistyvää teollistumista*.

General

Pasi Rinne

04.12.2009

Manage and mitigate your emissions! (in Finnish)

Kustannustietoinen ilmastotoiminta on pop. Tarkasti tehty päästölaskenta auttaa suunnittelemaan päästöjen vähennyksiä, joilla voi leikata roimasti yrityksen operatiivisia kustannuksia.

General

Mikko Halonen

15.10.2009

Will mainstreaming climate change save the planet?

Climate change is one of the central challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Addressing this challenge necessarily implies integrating climate mitigation and adaptation considerations into all societal activities and decision making.

General

Pasi Rinne

05.10.2009

25 years until the end of the world (In Finnish)

Sri Lankan ympäristöministerin huoneessa oli kuumaa ja ahdasta keväällä 2005 tavatessani ensi kerran Julian Caldecottin, englantilaisen ympäristötutkijan. Nelisenkymmentä asiantuntijaa oli Julianin kanssa kartoittanut kilometri kilometriltä tsunamin aiheuttamia ympäristötuhoja Sri Lankan rannikolla. He raportoivat, että yli 60 000 juomavesikaivoa oli saastunut, suuri osa rannikkoalueen vesijohtojärjestelmästä rikkoutunut ja veden levittämät yhdyskunta- ja teollisuusjätteet aiheuttivat terveysongelmia.

General

Ylva Gilbert

25.05.2009

Cutting costs through cutting risk – are you making the most of this potential?

In today’s economic climate both private and public sector are looking to cut costs. Essential items are scrutinized and “nice to have” items no longer included on the shopping list. When times are hard, available funds for unexpected items often decrease. Financial and strategic risk management becomes ever more critical for continuous success.

Developing Markets

Gaia pressroom

17.03.2009

One Billion People at Risk – India has a mixed record on climate change

At the same time climate change discussions are calling for ”a global solution to a global problem”, the issue is not perceived as such in all parts of the world. Although India will face several serious challenges from climate change; history, faith and religion play their own part in how Indians regard the matter.

Industry & Technology

Piia Pessala

22.01.2009

Treated wastewater effluents may be harmful

The amounts of wastewaters produced around the world are vast. For example, in Finland approximately 100 000 cubic meters of urban wastewater effluents per inhabitant are discharged each year. A recent study in Finland confirmed that Finnish wastewater treatment plants are efficient in removing components that might cause acute effects in whole organisms. However, indications of estrogenic and genotoxic potential were detected in effluents discharged from these treatment plants. Thus, treated wastewater effluents still may cause harmful effects on the environment.

Developing Markets

Gaia pressroom

28.11.2008

“Low Carbon China” (in Finnish)

Vuonna 2003 Kiinan uskottiin nousevan maailman suurimmaksi kasvihuonepäästäjäksi vuoteen 2012 mennessä. Vuonna 2005 arvioitiin Kiinan saavuttavan Yhdysvallat jo vuonna 2010. Viime vuonna voitiin todeta, että Kiina ohitti Yhdysvaltojen päästöt jo vuonna 2006.

Energy

Gaia pressroom

05.11.2008

Rural energy – one solution for the global crisis?

Finland and China have something in common. We both need decentralised renewable energy solutions. Global financial crisis and the subsequent economic slow-down pose severe challenges for societies all over the world. It coincides with ongoing food and energy price increases, and their consequent effects on markets and global political instability. Awareness of the fact that we must find ways to reduce radically our dependence of oil and other fossil fuels has been spreading fast. Renewable energy is seen as a crucial part of the solution.