Strategic Research Council grants substantial funding for research into just green transition

The Strategic Research Council (SRC) established within the Research Council of Finland has granted a total of 27 million euros for research to be conducted under the theme ‘just green transition’. The ten consortia or sets of projects that will receive funding focus on long-term research to find solutions to key societal challenges.

Just green transition refers to comprehensive, long-term solutions to ecological sustainability crises that also strengthen the stability of society and support the participation of different groups in society.

Five consortia were granted funding under the SRC programme Energy Solutions as Part of a Just Green Transition (JUST ENERGY). Likewise, five consortia received funding under the SRC programme Societal Solutions in a Just Green Transition (JUST TRANSITION). Both programmes will run for six years, ending in 2029. The funding granted to a single consortium during the first three-year period comes to an average of 2.7 million euros.

The JUST ENERGY programme examines how changes in the global and European operating environment challenge energy solutions made in Finland and how the solutions can promote energy security and strengthen societal and economic resilience. Through multidisciplinary and interactive research, the programme aims to build a wide-ranging knowledge base and expertise to support the green transition of the welfare society.

The funded consortia represent 14 disciplines, and the projects involve 15 organisations, for example universities, government research institutes and universities of applied sciences.

The JUST TRANSITION programme focuses on societal solutions essential for the green transition from the perspective of different institutions and actors.

Of particular interest in the programme are structures and practices that support or prevent a just green transition in different sectors of society and in the everyday lives of people and communities.

The funded consortia represent a total of 13 different disciplines, and the projects involve 17 organisations such as universities, research institutes and companies.

The SRC also selected programme directors for the two programmes. Juha Peltomaa, Development Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute, was appointed as programme director for the JUST ENERGY programme, and Olli-Pekka Ruuskanen, Research Director at the Pellervo Economic Research institute, was appointed as programme director for the JUST TRANSITION programme.

SRC Chair, Vice President Anu Kaukovirta said: “This was the first time that projects and programme directors for SRC programmes were selected at the same time. The reform provides a good opportunity for principal investigators and programme directors to work from the outset on meeting the programme’s objectives and planning joint actions and advocacy work. I believe that this new approach will give our programmes a flying start and a solid operational basis for the years to come.”

Figure 1. Statistics on the SRC 2023 programme call. The amounts for the programmes are based on the first call stage. The amounts awarded are the amounts allocated for the first funding period of the projects (3 + 3 years). The amounts applied for or awarded for programme director funding are not included in these totals. The collaborators are key partners for the implementation of the project, indicated in the application. The gender distribution includes funded parties of the research consortia of both programmes.