Doctoral Research: Promoting Sustainability Transitions in the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve

Promoting sustainability transformations in the era of ecological crises requires extensive and rapid structural and systemic changes across various sectors of society. At the local level, cross-sectoral collaboration has been identified as a key prerequisite for implementing just sustainability transitions. Comprehensive consideration of the local environment and its actors as part of knowledge production supporting transitions has also proven essential. In recent decades, environmental governance has sought to meet these requirements through various forms of network-based governance. These forms emphasize more inclusive participation as part of joint decision-making, in addition to operational efficiency. However, implementing sustainability transitions effectively, interactively, and justly within prevailing environmental governance practices has proven challenging. This creates a need for up-to-date knowledge on promoting sustainability transitions in local-level network-based collaboration forms.

Purpose of the Study 

The purpose of the doctoral dissertation is to gain a deeper understanding of promoting sustainability transitions at the local level within prevailing environmental governance structures and how interaction during these governance processes occurs between the involved parties. The North Karelia Biosphere Reserve, as an entity participating in local-level sustainability transitions guided by the UNESCO MaB program and managed by the North Karelia ELY Centre, offers a diverse perspective on local-level environmental governance. 

Implementation of the Study 

The study will be conducted as a case study utilizing multiple data collection methods. These include research interviews, participatory observation, and the collection of document materials related to the activities of the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve, as well as a possible electronic survey. Participation in the study is voluntary, and consent will be requested from all participating parties. Data collection for the study will be carried out during 2025 and 2026 in connection with the activities of the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve. 

Dissemination of Research Results 

The doctoral dissertation is an article-based dissertation consisting of three separate articles. Each article will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journal. The publication of the research articles and the doctoral dissertation will be communicated to the participating parties by the researcher.

Additional Information 

The doctoral dissertation is part of the Sustainability Transition Doctoral Training Pilot (SusTra) led by the University of Eastern Finland. The doctoral training pilot will run from 2025 to 2027 in collaboration with 10 universities and the Finnish Environment Institute. The pilot aims to train 40 new doctors in Finland with funding granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Academy of Finland.

The doctoral dissertation is conducted by Doctoral Researcher Niko Nesterinen at the Department of History and Geography, University of Eastern Finland. Nesterinen is working on his dissertation as part of the Responsive Natural Resources Governance research group led by Professor Irmeli Mustalahti in the field of environmental policy (PhD). The supervisors of the study are Professor Irmeli Mustalahti and University Lecturer Marja Alastalo from the University of Eastern Finland. 

For more information on the implementation of the doctoral dissertation, please contact: Doctoral Researcher Niko Nesterinen, Department of History and Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, [email protected], +358294455477  

A research notice and privacy statement have been prepared for the study, which can be read via the buttons below.