Exploring the importance of complexity and resilience in sustainability transformation
Date: 4 June 2025
Time: 9.00-11.30
Location: Florence Auditorium A101, Alere Building (Wolffintie 27, Vaasa) or online
We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming seminar by the RELIEF-project on the complexity, resilience, and sustainability transformation on Wednesday 4 June at 9–11:30.
The seminar will be conducted in a hybrid format, offering both in-person attendance in the Florence Auditorium A101, Alere Building (Wolffintie 27, Vaasa) and the option to participate via Teams. Please register for the seminar here.
Our keynote speaker is Doctor Adam Day (Head of the Geneva Office of United Nations University Centre for Policy Research), who will give a presentation on The Forever Crisis. Dr Day oversees programming on peacebuilding, human rights, peacekeeping, climate-security, sanctions, and global governance, while also acting as Research Lead for the Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board.
The program also includes an opening by Research Director Petri Uusikylä and Professor Harri Jalonen, University of Vaasa, comments from Professor Niko Soininen. In the end, there is time for discussion.
Programme
9:00 Opening, Petri Uusikylä & Harri Jalonen, University of Vaasa
9:10–9: 45 Keynote: The Forever Crises, prof. Adam Day, UNU-CPR, Geneva
9:45–10:00 Comment, prof. Niko Soininen, UEF
10:00–10:30 Discussion
10:30 Break
10:45 RELIEF Project: Project Overview & Early Insights
11:30 Closing
RELIEF, a research project funded by the Strategic Research Council of Finland, examines the role and impact of law in sustainability transformation through the lens of resilience. We’ll explore how legal systems interact with ambitious sustainability targets, including climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and water management. Through novel theories and methodologies, RELIEF seeks to identify leverage points within the legal system that can drive transformative societal change towards sustainability. RELIEF is led by prof. Niko Soininen (University of Eastern Finland) and co-led by prof. Seita Vesa (Finnish Environment Institute).
