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Coastal waters under pressure

Safeguarding a Healthy Gulf of Finland in a Changing Political and Environmental Landscape (coWup)

Read more about the project
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About the coWup

The CoWup project identifies, analyzes, and quantifies the risks the marine environment faces in the Gulf of Finland in the current geopolitical situation, where Russia’s war against Ukraine has ended cooperation with Russia and brought new risks for the marine environment to the forefront.

By creating knowledge-based scenarios related to environmental risks and analyzing the causal chains of events behind those risks, we support preparedness, anticipatory decision-making and risk mitigation.

The CoWup project develops new methods and models that make it possible to assess the effects of these risks on the marine environment, while also taking into account the uncertainties associated with them.

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Integral principles

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Interdisciplinarity

CoWup is an interdisciplinary project that brings together security studies, marine and environmental risk research to analyze the heightened threats in the Gulf of Finland. The project strengthens Finland’s capacity to respond to and prepare for potential crises.

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Stakeholder engagement

In collaboration with experts and stakeholders, the project analyzes environmental risks related to the changing geopolitical situation. Stakeholder engagement is essential for producing timely and relevant research insights, and it supports understanding the causal relationships behind the environmental risks arising from the geopolitical context as well as identifying the necessary actions to address them.

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New methodologies

The project develops models and methodology for understanding the effects of harmful substances on marine ecosystems. This improves preparedness for emergency situations and supports long-term risk management in the Gulf of Finland and other coastal areas.

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Insight for challenging situations

The current geopolitical situation is unpredictable. The project produces new knowledge that helps us understand and prepare for the threats facing the Gulf of Finland.

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CoWup is part of the WAWE program

The CoWup project is part of the Water for Welfare, Security and Peace (WAWE) programme funded by the Strategic Research Council of Finland. The projects involved in the programme aim to produce sustainable and just science-based solutions for the management of waters and the marine environment, as well as for strengthening water security.

Partners

The CoWup consortium includes the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the Finnish Environment Institute, the University of Helsinki, and Demos Helsinki.

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