General
Ulla Heinonen
07.10.2020
Climate change is the next large tsunami lurking behind the COVID-19 wave, causing concern for company management and boards. How will climate change affect our company, our customers, our investors and the image of our sector? What type of risks and opportunities will it bring, and on what timespan?
Financial Services
Juha Vanhanen
07.10.2020
When discussing climate change risks, the first thing that springs to mind is the devastation caused by extreme weather conditions. These are easily imagined sudden events, pictured into the mind through news images. Extreme weather is, however, only the tip of the iceberg. To map the preparedness, management and opportunities, one has to know to look underneath the surface, too. With right strategic choices, the minuses can become plusses.
General
Gaia pressroom
07.10.2020
If we do not take immediate action to curb climate change, we will have a financial, social and human disaster on our hands, Kaisa Hietala and Pasi Rinne write.
Industry & Technology
Solveig Roschier
05.05.2020
As society becomes increasingly electric, batteries are being placed at the core of many businesses. Batteries work as storage for renewable energy and engines for electric transportation. New business models lengthen the lifespan of batteries but also pose new questions to be solved, for example on data management.
Financial Services
Gaia pressroom
19.03.2020
Capital markets react swiftly to acute threats or events such as epidemics or natural catastrophes. While global threats unfold, discussions continue on how to best prepare for emerging risks, such as climate change, in the future.
Industry & Technology
Ylva Gilbert
20.12.2019
There are huge challenges ahead if we want to hit the SDG targets within the next ten years. The only way to overcome these challenges is by harnessing the power of industry.
Industry & Technology
Solveig Roschier
06.11.2019
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
Gaia pressroom
03.06.2019
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
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
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
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
Gaia pressroom
14.11.2018
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Gaia pressroom
14.10.2016
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 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
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
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
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
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
Suomi kiinnostaa sähkö- ja kaasuverkkoinvestoijia. Entä muut investoinnit?
Energy
Gaia pressroom
17.08.2015
Sähkön hinnan halpeneminen saattaa pitkällä aikavälillä johtaa jopa sähkötehon loppumiseen.
Energy
Tuomas Raivio
31.10.2014
Mitä jos omakotitaloa lämmitettäisiin vuosi grammalla nikkeliä ja autot myytäisiin toistaiseksi tankattuina? Viimeaikaiset tutkimustulokset kylmäfuusiosta säväyttävät.
Energy
Gaia pressroom
18.09.2014
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
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
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
Yhä useammalla kotitaloudella on vaikeuksia selviytyä lämmityskuluistaan ja sähkölaskuistaan.
Energy
Gaia pressroom
02.09.2013
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
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
Maailman suurimpiin energiayhtiöihin kuuluva saksalainen E.ON ilmoitti lokakuun lopussa poistuvansa kokonaan Suomesta
General
Alain Schilli
13.06.2012
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Kustannustietoinen ilmastotoiminta on pop. Tarkasti tehty päästölaskenta auttaa suunnittelemaan päästöjen vähennyksiä, joilla voi leikata roimasti yrityksen operatiivisia kustannuksia.
General
Mikko Halonen
15.10.2009
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
