Finnish Meteorological Institute: Research collaboration helps municipalities in Uusimaa adapt to climate change

The Finnish Meteorological Institute has launched a research collaboration project with Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen, Kerava, Järvenpää and Tuusula to produce up-to-date climate change information to support adaptation work in the municipalities.

According to previous studies, heat waves in Finland are becoming more intense and frequent, while winters are becoming milder and shorter. Adapting to these changes requires accurate regional information on changing conditions. Information is also needed on the economic impacts of adaptation measures or inaction.

Researchers investigate how summers in Uusimaa are changing

The ILMOS project examines the entire chain of adaptation to the changes in conditions observed in Uusimaa, such as heat waves, droughts, the length of winter and winter rainfall, as well as future projections of these changes. The project focuses particularly on summer temperatures.

“We are investigating the intensity and probability of extreme heat conditions in the Uusimaa region that are possible but have not yet been observed,” says Anna Luomaranta, project leader at the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

The project will produce municipal and city-level heat assessments using dense temperature measurement networks and machine learning methods developed in previous projects. This enables the project to provide the participating municipalities with regionally accurate information on, for example, how green areas or changes in the urban structure affect local temperature conditions.

The study examines the benefits and costs of adaptation

The project also uses economic methods to examine the socio-economic impacts of adaptation measures.

“We assess, for example, the effects of selected adaptation measures, such as increasing urban greenery, on both the benefits experienced by residents and the costs that can potentially be avoided through adaptation measures. In the assessment, the impacts of adaptation measures are compared to a situation where no adaptation measures are implemented, says Anna Luomaranta.

The results of the project will be communicated through narrative descriptions of climate change. The aim is to illustrate the effects of climate change and adaptation measures as concretely as possible, for example in relation to a specific industry or activity.

In addition to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen, Kerava, Järvenpää and Tuusula are also involved in the project. The project will run until 31 May 2027.

Further information:
Group Manager Anna Luomaranta, Finnish Meteorological Institute, +358 50 383 5358
Group Manager Thomas Kühn, Finnish Meteorological Institute, +358 50 521 8291
Group Manager Eeva Kuntsi-Reunanen, Finnish Meteorological Institute, +358 29 539 5323
Email addresses are in the format etunimi.sukunimi@fmi.fi.

This press release was originally published on the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website:

This content has been translated using AI