Panel Session: Biodiversity & Peace
This session explores the theme of ABOAGORA 2025 from the viewpoint of planetary boundaries.
The ongoing climate and biodiversity emergencies pose an imminent and ubiquitous threat to peace and, in turn, societal stability is imperative for tackling the environmental crises we are facing. In their panel discussion, Anna Törnroos-Remes, Nina Tynkkynen and Björn Vikström examine the interconnections of nature (biodiversity and climate) and human actions in general and environmental crises and peacebuilding in particular, and reflect on what this interconnectedness means for envisioning peaceful, sustainable futures.
The session is organised by Åbo Akademi University’s Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS) and research profiling area The Sea.
Speakers
Anna Törnroos-Remes is associate professor (tenure track) in environmental and marine biology and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS) at Åbo Akademi University. Her research focuses on the functioning of coastal areas, marine environments and particularly the seafloor. She is especially interested in what organisms do in the system, that is, what roles or functions they perform and how that translates to services for us humans, such as food resources, stabilization of coastal landscapes and carbon sequestration. With a passion for life in the sea, her recent work also brings her across disciplines such as social science, business and technology and humanities to investigate our human relationship with the sea and marine socio-ecological challenges, or wicked problems.
Nina Tynkkynen is professor of environmental governance and policy at Åbo Akademi University, where she also chairs the steering group of the university’s profiling area The Sea. Her research explores multi-level governance and knowledge politics particularly in relation to marine environment and sustainability within multi-level governance frameworks. Through her leadership in interdisciplinary projects, her research produces valuable insights on governance and policy approaches that steer societies toward a sustainable future.
Björn Vikström is professor of systematic theology at Åbo Akademi University. His research has focused on, among other things, ecotheology and environmental ethics, minority theology and the relation between religion and nationalism. He is currently PI of the Finnish team of a HERA-funded research project investigating how churches in Finland, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine have reacted to the Russian aggression, to rising nationalism, and to the threats against democracy.
