Research Programme on 
Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Ohjelmamuistio
Programme Memorandum

Helsinki 2000

Contents

Foreword	23
1 Backgroud	25
2 Objectives	27
3 Themes	28
3.1 Production and use of renewable raw materials	29
3.2 Applying new research methods	30
3.3 Developing sustainable nature tourism	31
3.4 Planning and decision-making concerning natural resources	32
4 Implementation 	33
Financing of the programme	33
Application procedure	34
Programme evaluation	37
Additional information	37

Foreword

The initiative for the Research Programme on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (SUNARE) came from the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Environment and Natural Resources. On the basis of the initiative, a meeting was arranged on January 27, 2000, where the potential interest groups (universities, research institutions, ministries, the National Technology Agency Tekes and various foundations) expressed their views on the initiative’s content. In its meeting on February 15, 2000, the Research Council for Environment and Natural Resources decided to propose The Sustainable Use of Natural Resources as a new research programme to begin in 2001. The Board of the Academy of Finland met on March 21, 2000 and decided that the programme will be started. The Research Council for Environment and Natural Resources, the Research Council for Culture and Society and the Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering will participate in the programme.

The Board of the Academy of Finland decided on June 13, 2000 to appoint a steering group and subcommittee to plan the research programme. The members of the group are Director General Lea Kauppi (chair), Professor Marja Järvelä and Professor Pentti Yli-Jokipii from the Research Council for Environment and Natural resources, Professor Marja-Liisa Riekkola (vice chair) and Docent Riitta Keiski from the Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering, Professor Seppo Sajama from the Research Council for Culture and Society, Research Director Kari Ebeling from the Academy’s Board, Project Manager Christine Hagström-Näsi from the National Technology Agency Tekes (with Senior Technical Advisor Helena Manninen as her deputy) and Counsellor of Forestry Liisa Saarenmaa from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (with Senior Advisor Matti Heikurainen as her deputy). Senior Advisor Jaana Roos and Secretary General Eeva Ikonen from the Academy of Finland are also involved in the work of the steering group. The research programme’s expert secretary is Docent Esko Kuusisto from the Finnish Environment Institute. He also drew up the programme memorandum. The members of the research programme’s subcommittee are Director General Lea Kauppi (chair), Professor Pentti Yli-Jokipii, Professor Marja-Liisa Riekkola (vice chair) and Professor Seppo Sajama. The term of the group and the subcommittee ends on December 31, 2000.

1 Backgroud

This research programme will study the use of natural resources from the perspective of a living and productive ecosystem. In general terms, the sustainable use of natural resources means ecologically sound and economically viable use that takes into account people’s needs and values. Sustainable use is a continuous process of definition and learning which must respond to the challenges of biodiversity and a pluralist society.

Forest, field, bog and water ecosystems form the core of renewable natural resources and are exploited in numerous ways. Such small-scale ecosystems as fields and meadows have non-material values. Moreover, all these systems interact in many different ways; the use of terrestrial resources has an impact on aquatic resources and vice versa. The way forests, bogs and fields are treated and the force and timing of treatment have an elemental impact on surface and ground waters. As a result, the care and protection of aquatic resources must be approached from the perspective of entire catchment areas.

Landscapes play a key role in regional planning. As an economic activity, the sustainable use of natural resources is tied to a particular place and the preconditions and terms of its social acceptability are always local. In addition, the interaction between ecosystems must be well-understood before sustainability is possible.

Thus the management and use of natural resources must have proper ecological, economic and socio-cultural foundations. The ecological foundation contains principles inherent in natural economy on the basis of which sustainability can be assessed and measured. The other foundations, on the other hand, are defined mainly by value judgements and they change as society changes. Assessment of economic sustainability is often hampered by the fact that investment in ecological sustainability will not necessarily bring any results until several decades later. Finally, according to the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development, social equality, security, prevention of marginalization and maintaining productive employment are the key elements of social sustainability.

Multidimensional aims and the dynamic and interactive nature of the related processes mean that, in practice, sustainable solutions are often local. Yet sustainable development must be realised at many different levels: in individual field ecosystems, rural enterprises, society as a whole and, finally, at the global level. 

The requirement of participation by ordinary people is an equally important element of sustainability. Whatever operating model is introduced from the outside, the solutions it offers cannot become reality until people have internalised the model and put it into practice in their daily lives.

Comprehensive analysis and utilisation of the opportunities offered by different sciences are necessary if we mean to ensure that natural resources really are used in a sustainable manner. Key concepts include eco-efficiency, economy, risks and social acceptability where ethical acceptability plays an important role. These concepts organise and link the various themes of the SUNARE programme.

In Finland, the northern climate restricts the scope and possibilities of activities based on nature’s production.  On the other hand, it also provides unique conditions which should be exploited in the sustainable use of natural resources. Besides climate, other features of the northern dimension may also be included in SUNARE projects. 

Decision-making and behaviour related to natural resources are affected by the way different actors – citizens, decision-makers and researchers – view the relationship between people and nature. The actors’ own values have a material influence on their aims and actions.

SUNARE has a particularly close relationship with two current Academy research programmes, the Biodiversity  Research Programme FIBRE, and FIGARE which studies global changes. FIBRE emphasises the importance of the methods, criteria and indicators of the use of natural resources in managing and protecting biodiversity. FIGARE, on the other hand, studies environmental changes caused by humans and nature itself relevant to the improvement of the sustainable use of natural resources.

SUNARE is also closely related to the recently completed SUSAGRI programme of the Agricultural Research Centre, and to EKO-INFRA of the Ministry of the Environment’s environmental cluster research programme and the forest cluster’s Wood Wisdom research programme. Of international programmes that are relevant to SUNARE the thematic research programmes, Quality of life and management of natural resources and Energy, the environment and sustainable development of the European Union’s fifth framework programme are the most important.

2 Objectives

The main objectives of the Research Programme on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources are:
•	to develop interdisciplinary research of the sustainable use of 
	natural resources;
•	to promote the transmitting of related research data from its 
	producers to its users;
•	to create new national and international research contacts;
•	to improve and diversify the sustainable management and use 
	of renewable natural resources;
•	to improve decision-making concerning the sustainable use of 
	natural resources; and
•	to promote researcher training in the field.

These aims can be reached with high-quality interdisciplinary research, the results of which are used to introduce life-cycle thinking to the use of natural resources and to apply ecological principles in the production of services and goods. This will require a comprehensive environmental and economic analysis where the use of natural resources, the risks involved in their exploitation and issues of social acceptability are viewed together. The programme also covers research on decision-making and policy instruments related to the use and management of natural resources.

The programme is an interdisciplinary one. Cooperation between researchers from different fields will create the new kinds of interdisciplinary methods needed to view the various dimensions of the sustainable use of natural resources together.

3 Themes

In the programme, the sustainable management of natural resources and the strategies and methods of using them are considered totalities which
•	permit economical and ecologically efficient land use;
•	minimise negative effects and risks; and
•	generate economically viable, culturally interesting and socially 
	acceptable operating approaches to the use and management 
	of natural resources.

In the programme, the following themes define research that seeks sustainability in the use and management of natural resources:

3.1 Production and use of renewable raw materials

The aim of the projects that come under this theme is to enhance the production and use of renewable raw materials and to diversify the range of materials based on plants, animals or microbes, taking into account the risks involved in production and their social implications. The work carried out in the projects will be based on the demands end-users have with regard to products and the selection of raw materials and on the demands the end-products set for raw materials.

Renewable raw materials are produced by agriculture and forestry, aquaculture, game management and reindeer husbandry. However, some of the production cannot be considered to form part of traditional rural livelihoods. Such new and increasingly significant product groups include biological fibres, membranes and fuels. In addition, wood-based materials are being used in many unprecedented ways.

The use of forests and fields as versatile sources of renewable raw materials demands that new production methods are developed and entire product chains are created. The comparison of the environmental impact of using renewable and non-renewable natural resources and of their lifecycles is an essential part of the research programme, as is relevant decision-making.

Green chemistry and industrial ecology also play an important role in the projects of this theme. Green chemistry means the design, production, use and disposal of chemicals whereby environmentally hazardous substances are replaced by environmentally friendly ones. In industrial ecology, material and energy flows are based on nature with the aim of eventually eliminating all waste flows. In other words, production processes based on industrial ecology are designed to have minimal energy consumption, waste generation and so-called hidden flows in all stages of the life cycle of products. Hidden flows are natural resources that are used in the manufacturing process but are not present in the final product.

3.2 Applying new research methods

Different renewable natural resources are connected to each other by various ecological links. These links pose huge challenges to the planning of the sustainable use of natural resources because the relevant interactions are not linear. Different sources provide information of a different nature and the total volume of information is immense.

Thanks to new research methods, place-specific information on natural resources generated from different sources and ecological modelling can be combined and new ecologically efficient methods for diversifying the use of natural resources can be created.

The new methods include ways of planning where ecological models are dynamically coupled with geographic data. Virtual technology offers new means of examining the impact land use and the management of natural resources have on the environment and their social acceptability. Together with scenario techniques they allow up-to-date information and social aims to be taken into account in managing natural resources and planning their use. However, the new technologies may have social impacts and meanings which should be anticipated.

3.3 Developing sustainable nature tourism

Developing sustainable nature tourism can be defined as a process which seeks a positive effect within terms established by nature on the socio-economic vitality of local communities without damaging their social structure or cultural identity. As a concept, sustainable nature tourism comprises several aspects. It does not refer to merely ecologically responsible tourism but is a principle which takes into account the life cycle of products and actions. As a rural livelihood, its aim is to encourage the customer to return time after time.

Finnish waterways, forests, the archipelago, marshlands and fells offer unique attractions that can serve as foundations for developing sustainable nature tourism. Finland’s extensive ‘everyman’s rights’ and the varied tradition of nature-related recreational activities and hobbies also provide a promising starting point.

Projects that fall under this theme can study related quality issues, ecological principles, networking and data-network management, commercialisation, marketing and factors that make certain areas popular among tourists. It will be especially beneficial to this theme if research groups comprise members from several countries.

3.4 Planning and decision-making concerning natural resources

Land use is affected by ecological, economic, cultural, legal and social factors, among others. Land use that fits its purpose is the foundation of the sustainable use of natural resources. The placing of various functions and the efficiency of land and water area use reflect on the environmental impact and economy of the functions, on related risks and on their social impact. Reasoned and careful land use that is based on an accurate inventory of natural resources is an important part of creating a sound community structure. It increases the functionality of communities and reduces costs. In addition, the importance of landscape ecology, aesthetics and cultural landscapes have an increasingly significant role in planning.

Governments, communities, industries and individuals need increasingly better tools for analysing and planning environmental issues. Matters of responsibility and decision-making are also closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources. Since decisions are not made only on the basis of available information, it is important to study what values lie behind the decisions of various decision-makers and other actors. This could be done by e.g. ethical and sociological studies. Developing policy instruments of managing natural resources is another important target of research.

The Finnish legislation on natural resources is in the process of being harmonised with those of other EU Member States. Key permit systems have been combined so that different impacts can be assessed according to unified criteria. For example, Finnish water legislation has traditionally favoured a permit system where each permit issue is considered as an independent case, while in the EU a normative approach is more common. The normative approach is applied in Finland as well, however; decisions concerning polluted land, for example, are largely based on limit values.

Nevertheless, treating individual cases separately on the basis of measurements and modelling is participatory and beneficial especially in issues that involve many stake holders with different interests. This approach requires that legislation is developed on a broad scientific basis so that future decision-making in Europe can be founded on comprehensive assessment of ecological, economic and social impacts.

Implementation of green chemistry and industrial ecology also demands new tools so that the environmental impact of different planning alternatives can be understood. A variety of decision-making models is required so that the impact of product and process planning and material flows on the outflows of production processes can be estimated while taking into account the fate of products after they have been abandoned by consumers.

4 Implementation 

Financing of the programme

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (SUNARE) is a three-year research programme that will take place in 2001—2004. It will be financed by the Academy of Finland and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Board of the Academy has granted FIM 45 million to the programme, providing that these funds are allocated to the Academy in the State budget. The Ministry is also prepared to participate in financing the programme. The financing periods for the research projects will begin in April 2001 and continue until 2004.

Application procedure

The research programme is interdisciplinary. Research projects should have research groups consisting of members from different disciplines. Projects should also, whenever possible, be involved in more than one theme. The projects should consist of a web of themes and research topics and be problem-oriented. The research topics can be based on local, national or global issues.

Research funds may be applied for by individual research groups or consortiums of several groups. Foreign research groups may participate in projects.

The application procedure will be in two stages. At the preliminary stage, plans of intent are to be sent to the Registrar’s Office of the Academy of Finland (PO Box 99, Vilhonvuorenkatu 6, 00501 Helsinki) by 16.15 o’clock on September 29, 2000 at the latest. The plan and any appendices are to be in English. All documents and appendices must be provided in 14 copies (original and 13 copies) to the Academy Registrar’s Office.

The plans of intent are to be prepared on the Academy’s application form (Application SA 1.2000E). The research programme’s code ‘Natural Resources’ must be entered on the front page. The form must be completed according to the Academy’s application instructions. However, only the following appendices are required:
•	a research plan of no more than four pages; and
•	the curriculum vitae and list of publications of the person in 
	charge of research.

The research plan must indicate research aims and main methods, and any links to other research, and researcher training taking place in conjunction with the project. A short introduction to every research group that is applying for funding must also be included. In the case of consortium applications, each party to the consortium shall complete their own application but only one research plan is required. The plan must indicate each party’s contribution to research, the planned activity of the project community as a whole and the added value it brings.

The steering group which consists of representatives of the various funding organisations will propose on the basis of the plans of intent which projects are requested for a full application and research plan. The programme subcommittee consisting of members of the Academy of Finland’s research councils who are members of the steering group will make the final decision which projects will be included in the second stage. The persons in charge of these projects will be notified in writing no later than November 20, 2000.

At the second stage the projects are requested to provide detailed applications by 16.15 on January 8, 2001 at the latest. The plan and any appendices are to be in English. They shall be sent to the Registrar’s Office of the Academy of Finland (PO Box 99, Vilhonvuorenkatu 6, 00501 Helsinki). All documents and appendices must be provided in 15 copies (original and 14 copies) to the Academy Registrar’s Office.

The plans of intent are to be prepared on the Academy’s application form (Application SA 1.2000E), complete with the full set of appendices specified in the application instructions. The maximum length of the plan is 10 pages. It must indicate research aims and main methods, and any links to other research, and researcher training taking place in conjunction with the project. A short introduction to every research group and research environment that is applying for funding must also be included. In the case of consortium applications, each party to the consortium shall complete their own application but only one research plan is required. The plan must indicate each party’s contribution to research, the planned activity of the project community as a whole and the added value it brings.

The applications will be evaluated by a panel of foreign experts. The projects will be evaluated under the following criteria:
•	scientific quality;
•	compatibility with the objectives of the research programme;
	innovation;
•	international contacts;
•	exploitability of results;
•	research group composition: the group should comprise senior 		researchers, newly-graduated doctors and graduate students;   
•	researcher training; and
•	quality of the research environment.

Persons in charge of the projects will be notified in writing of funding decisions by March 30, 2001 at the latest.

Programme evaluation

The research programme and its coordination will be evaluated after the conclusion of the programme. The evaluation will be carried out by international experts. The criterion will be how well the programme has met the targets that were set for it.
Additional information

The call for proposals for this programme, the research programme memorandum, application forms and the Academy of Finland Guide for Applicants are available at the Academy’s web site                           http:// www.aka.fi and its Registrar’s Office to which the applications are to be sent.

Postal address:
Academy of Finland, Registrar’s Office
PO Box 99
00501 Helsinki
Street address:
Vilhonvuorenkatu 6
Telephone: +358 (0)9 77488 377
Telefax: +358 (0)9 77488 299
E-mail: keskus@aka.fi

If you have any questions concerning the application procedure, please contact Senior Advisor Jaana Roos, e-mail jaana.roos@aka.fi, telephone +358 (0)9 77488 338; Secretary General Eeva Ikonen, e-mail eeva.ikonen@aka.fi, tel. +358 (0)9 77488 233; or Senior Advisor Tiina Forsman, e-mail tiina.forsman@aka.fi, tel. +358 (0)9 77488 348; or Senior Advisor Matti Heikurainen at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, e-mail matti.heikurainen@mmm.fi, tel. +358 (0)9 160 3359.