REBOUND (Reconceptualizing Boundaries Together Towards Resilient and Just Arctic Future(s) is the first project coordinated by the University of Lapland to receive the competed SRC funding. The duration of the project is 3+3 years i.e. the second funding period will be applied separately. The first three-year period of funding for the REBOUND project consortium will amount to approximately €2.7 million and the second period will be up to twice the amount of the first funding period.

According to Tanja Joona, the project aims to address the social and economic challenges stemming from climate change, biodiversity loss, and relate land use changes. 

– We argue that understanding the concept of “justice” from the perspective of different stakeholders is crucial for the success of a just green transition. This entails examining how risks, benefits, and harms are distributed and taking into account in the planning and decision-making. 

REBOUND project consortium will be led by University Researcher Tanja Joona from the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland. Photo: Santeri Happonen

The project is built upon interdisciplinary collaboration, the premise that co-development methods can better address the challenges posed by climate and environmental change, thereby promoting socioecological resilience, the ability to adapt to changes.

A key objective of REBOUND is also to establish a new interface organization between different disciplines, organizations and stakeholders. This new approach will enable knowledge and collaboration to flow naturally between different groups and help solve complex problems.

The research focus is on the Northern Finland, where local-level conflicts are already evident due to changes in energy policy and land use, driven by national climate objectives and altered geopolitical circumstances. REBOUND’s novel participatory approach can guide a way towards just and resilient futures. 

The project consortium involves the University of Lapland, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Natural Resource Institute Finland (Luke) and the University of Helsinki.

From the University of Lapland in the Faculty of Art and Design responsible professor is Jonna Häkkilä, and in the Faculty of Education responsible professor is Pigga Keskitalo. Ari Laakso from the Arctic Centre will act as the project's outreach and communications officer.

For more information:

Consortium PI: Tanja Joona, University of Lapland, tanja.joona(at)ulapland.fi
Faculty of Art and Design: jonna.hakkila(at)ulapland.fi
Faculty of Education: pigga.keskitalo(at)ulapland.fi
Responsible for interaction activities: Ari Laakso, ari.laakso(at)ulapland.fi

List of funding decisions: JUST ENERGY
List of funding decisions: JUST TRANSITION