Estonian researcher Jarek Kurnitski elected member of Finnish Climate Change Panel

TALLINN - The government of Finland appointed Jarek Kurnitski, director of the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), as a member of the Finnish Climate Change Panel.

The Finnish Climate Change Panel is an independent, interdisciplinary think tank of top-level scholars that promotes the dialogue between science and policy-making.

"The Finnish state attaches great importance to the opinion of researchers when making important decisions in the fields of energy, construction and transport. And this namely through the independent Climate Change Panel. Finland has set itself the goal of being climate neutral by 2035, 15 years earlier than the rest of Europe. The goal is technically highly challenging, but achievable. Wise decisions and big investments are needed. Estonia has also achieved the setting up of a climate and energy committee in 2019, which currently consists of ministers only, but scientists are increasingly being asked for advice," Kurnitski said.

The Finnish Climate Change Panel includes 15 members. Nominations could be submitted by Finnish universities and research institutes. Members were required to have a doctoral degree in a field related to the tasks of the Climate Change Panel, an active role in research, the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, the ability to communicate information between research and decision-making, and the ability to actively participate in the activities of the Climate Change Panel.

Jarek Kurnitski is a professor of energy efficient buildings and indoor environment at the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and director of TalTech's Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Since 2013, he is an adjunct professor at Aalto University in Finland.

The powers of the panel will begin on Jan. 1, 2020 and end on Dec. 31, 2023.