The Finnish Environment Institute (also known as SYKE, after the Institute's Finnish acronym) is both a research institute, and a centre for environmental expertise. SYKE's research focuses on changes in the environment, and seeks ways to control these changes. Our expertise is based on long-term environmental monitoring, wide-ranging research results, and the Institute's highly-qualified staff.

 

International Affairs Unit

The International Affairs Unit coordinates the provision of SYKE's wide environmental expertise in various international projects and assignments. SYKE offers valuable expertise in environmental policy-making and administration as well as in advanced research and monitoring techniques.

Through the work under the International Affairs Unit, SYKE's experts have participated in a wide range of international development projects. The projects have e.g. helped build the administrative and management capacities of environmental authorities in developing countries and elsewhere.

Currently, SYKE is implementing regional projects in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea regions. In addition, there are projects ongoing in Russia, Georgia, Croatia, Albania, Egypt, South Africa and Nepal. The projects are presented in more detail in the "Projects of International Expert Services".

SYKE provides its services to various customers, including the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, the European Union and the World Bank.

 

WHAT WE DO

 

Multi-disciplinary research into environmental issues

SYKE's research programmes assess environmental problems from a multi-disciplinary perspective, by integrating socio-economic considerations into scientific research. Research may focus on global environmental issues such as climate change and declining biodiversity, or on regional or local issues.

 

Expert help on environmental problems

SYKE's expert services can provide vital expert assistance on a wide-range of environmental issues for administrators, local authorities, industries, firms and other organisations. We can produce detailed environmental assessments drawing on expertise from many fields. SYKE also closely monitors environmental trends and the state of the environment in Finland in co-operation with regional environmental administration.

 

Information and co-operation

SYKE serves as the national centre for environmental data in Finland. The data stored in our information systems is widely used for environmental monitoring, environmental modelling, forecasting and impact analysis. SYKE co-operates closely with other research institutes, universities, environmental experts and businesses, both in Finland and internationally.