Environmental impacts of material flows caused by the Finnish economy (ENVIMAT) (2006-2008)
Start year: 2006
End year: 2009
Contact at SYKE: Jyri Seppälä
Project member(s): Jyri Seppälä (SYKE), Sirkka Koskela (SYKE), Ari Nissinen (SYKE), Tuomas Mattila (SYKE), Marja-Riitta Korhonen (SYKE), Tuuli Myllymaa (SYKE), Juha Grönroos (SYKE), Ilmo Mäenpää (Thule insituutti), Tiina Härmä (Thule insituutti), Yrjö Virtanen (Maatalouden tutkimuskeskus, MTT), Juha-Matti Katajajuuri (MTT), Merja Saarinen (MTT) and Tarja Häkkinen (VTT)
Funding: Ministry of the Environment
Partners: Thule institute (University of Oulu), MTT Agrifood Research Finland and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
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Environmental Cluster Research Project no. 110
Background
The processing of natural resources causes different impacts on the environment. Natural resources used for manufacturing have different characteristics for example from the perspective of future generations' utilization. Furthermore, resources can be renewable (e.g. wood) or non-renewable (such as minerals, fossil fuels). For this reason, the mass amounts of different material flows cannot be considered equal from the point of view of environmental protection. In order to achieve sustainable development it is important to recognize those material flows that stress the environment most or even exceed its environmental capacity.
Objectives
The aim of this project is to define the life cycle environmental impacts of the material flows used for production and consumption in the Finnish economy allocated to different activity sectors and product groups. In the project, the focus is not restricted to domestic environmental loads. Impacts on the environment caused by imported raw materials and goods are also taken into account. The final objective of the project is to create a so called hybrid model by which the relationships between environmental impacts and economic effects caused by the use of natural resources in Finland can be assessed. In the environmental assessment, life cycle methodology and databases are connected to the national material flow accounts and input-output analysis. Duration
The project is one of the projects funded by the Environmental Cluster Research Programme (4th phase: Ecoefficient Society). The ENVIMAT project has started in June, 2006 and will be finished by the end of 2008. Organization of the research
The project is carried out by a research team consisting of Finnish Environment Institute (in charge), Thule institute (University of Oulu), MTT Agrifood Research Finland and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. A steering group, including representatives from administration, industry associations and research organizations, will advice and supervise the work of the research team. Events
Two national seminars for interest groups and an international seminar for researches will be arranged during the project. Publications
A final report will be published in Finnish and English. Articles on project results will be submitted for international scientific journals and Finnish trade magazines. For more information
Project leader Prof. Jyri Seppälä
Tel. +358 40 7401708, +358 20490 2322
firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi
Project coordinator Senior Reseacher Sirkka Koskela
Tel. +358 400148811, +358 20490 2319
firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi
Project supervisor Ms. Merja Saarnilehto, Ministry of the Environment
Tel. +358 9 1603 9622
firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi
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