Where can the conflicts of the green transition be resolved, what conflicts can be anticipated and avoided, and when is it necessary to engage?

The goal of the green transition is a sustainable economy that does not rely on fossil energy or overconsumption of natural resources. Despite its positive goal, implementation of green transition projects will invariably encounter conflicting interests, divergent values, and rights. The construction of clean energy infrastructure has impacts on land use, nature, humans, and animals. For example, the majority of wind power construction projects in Finland result in zoning appeals, which then lead to lengthy processing times in administrative courts, causing the entire project to stagnate. As the situation currently stands, conflicts relating to projects affecting the natural environment are handled both in municipal planning and decision-making processes, and in impact assessment and permitting processes. These issue raise broader questions relating to the necessary speed of the green transition, regional impacts of green transition projects, the combined effects of multiple projects, regional benefits and drawbacks, and the role of new and emerging technologies and the impacts thereof.

To the extent that conflicts cannot be avoided, how and where should they be addressed? The implementation of the green transition requires tools for coordinating interests, anticipating conflicts, and finding solutions.

The seminar launches a two-year project, during which Akordi’s experts and a collaborative network, with the support of the Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation, will build a neutral forum for managing conflicts related to the green transition in Finland. The work will draw on international examples. The seminar covers topics such as:

  • How are land use conflicts resolved in municipal and regional planning processes?
  • How does proactive conflict management relate to legal processes?
  • What practices do responsible companies have for handling conflicts?
  • How does the demand for justice materialize in conflicts related to the green transition?
  • What could a center for anticipating and resolving conflicts related to the green transition look like in Finland?

Program:

Harri Lammi, Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation: Bottlenecks in Sustainable Transition and How to Open Them [Finnish]

Lasse Peltonen, University of Eastern Finland: ‘Fitting the forum with the fuss’ – What conflicts does the transition create, and what procedures are needed to address them? [Finnish]

Jonna Kangasoja, Akordi: Bringing together different perspectives and assisted problem-solving [Finnish]

Merrick Hoben, CBI: Dignity in a Time of Rupture [English]

Tiina Sanila-Aikio: Securing the rights of indigenous peoples in the green transition [Finnish]​

Commentary:

Minna Ojanperä, Confederation of Finnish Industries

Touko Sipiläinen, Greenpeace

Discussion and questions.

Past events:

Part 4/4: Case Sodankylä: Collaborative Water Impact Monitoring (November 28)

Part 2/4: Case of Wind Power in Reindeer Herding Areas (March 28)

Part 1/4: Sustainability Changes in Forests – Identifying Common Metrics  (January 11)