SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE DAYS 2023: CLIMATE & DEATH
VENUE: Metsätalo, University of Helsinki/online
TIME: 25.5.2023
Join us in discussing the complex relation between climate & death and some ways to deal with grief and other emotions caused by the inevitable loss that we are facing because of climate change and related crisis. The session Climate & Death is organized on Thursday 25.5.2023 13.15-14.45 (EET) as part of the Sustainability Science Days 2023 (SSD2023). SSD2023 is organized by Aalto University and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) and it brings together researchers from different disciplines under this year’s theme Pathways of Hope - Knowledge, Actions, Solutions. Sustainability science is an interdisciplinary field in general but we wanted to push the envelope a bit with our transdisciplinary session by bringing in Tunne ry, a Finnish civil society association working with eco-emotions and, in collaboration, the Finnish Death Studies Association. You can find us at Metsätalo hall 6 next week’s Thursday, come join the discussion and say hi if you’re around!
Please note that there is a registration fee for SSD2023 in-person participation but online participation is free - register here for the online option. Our session is available online. You can find the session description and speakers below.
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Session Description: Climate change and death overlap in many areas, such as extreme weather, air quality, health & well-being, security, ethics and culture. This session invites perspectives from researchers, civil society representatives and artists on the relation of death and climate change. Our main question is: how to deal with climate change-related death and loss in a way that maintains hope? Climate change, extreme weather phenomena and poor air quality contribute to global mortality. For example, according to WHO, the effects of air pollution are associated with 7 million premature deaths annually, making it one of the leading causes of mortality globally. Climate change directly and indirectly effects human and non-human (psychosocial) well-being, as well as the environment; it can also contribute to loss of cultures, communities or ecosystems. The effects are often most destructive for marginalized communities and individuals.
The theme of the session is strongly connected to eco-emotions; especially to grief experienced in the face of existential threads such as climate-related natural disasters, conflicts, mass extinction and loss of biodiversity, clean air and water. While these feelings/themes are mostly seen as negative, climate research and discussion can also create hope by providing tools for climate action and for dealing with the inevitable loss.
Location: Metsätalo, sali/hall 6 and online
Program:
1. Opening & guidelines for discussion
2. Invited Speakers for Short Talks in this Session:
“Climate Change, Air Quality and Mortality: A Planetary Health Perspective” by Michael Boy, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR, University of Helsinki
“Taboo and Stigmatized Emotions around Planetary Death (tbc)” by Heidi Kosonen, Post-doctoral Researcher, Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Music, Art and Cultural Studies, University of Jyväskylä
“Climate Change, Death and the Ethics of Human Life Extension” by Rosa Rantanen, D.Soc.Sc., Research Coordinator, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR, University of Helsinki, University of Helsinki (also session convener & host)
“Eco-Emotions and Grief: Dealing with Climate-Related Loss” by Taneli Saari, Executive Director, Tunne ry – Känsla rf (also 2nd session convener)
3. Discussion with all the speakers and audience
Click here for additional biographical information for the speakers in this session.