My doctoral research aims to determine the link between Forest Landscape Restoration and Local Livelihoods in the context of the vigorous expansion of planted forests in Vietnam that is dominated by high-density monocultures of non-native species.

I research bushmeat hunting, wildlife trade and alternative livelihoods. In my PhD, I will also work with Sustainable Development Goals and Indigenous People and Local Communities.

Hi! I am Marianna Birmoser Ferreira-Aulu, project researcher and doctoral student at the University of Turku (UTU), Finland. My long-term professional goal is to contribute to society by exploring innovative pathways towards just and sustainable futures. I intend to do this by producing high-quality scientific materials, by popularizing science to catalyze positive transformations, and by engaging with the civil society to collaborate with various stakeholders. During the past five years, I have been working as project researcher in two departments in the University of Turku: the Finland Futures Research Centre, and the Centre for Collaborative Research. I have been engaged with various projects in strategic foresight, futures literacy, sustainability and climate action, renewable energy, food research, and international collaboration. In addition to desk research, I enjoy doing workshop facilitation (have experience in Finland, Peru and Colombia). I have also been quite active in public speaking, by giving talks in various seminars and conferences. I also enjoy cooperating to developing the strategy of our own organization. I have represented UTU in international cooperation initiatives through international education services. Since the beginning of 2021, I have also been pursuing my doctoral degree in Futures Studies. The working-title of my dissertation is “Building a Strategic Roadmap for Ecologically Sound and Socio-politically supported Conservation of the Brazilian Amazonia”. The research takes into consideration the local socio-political dynamics, the uniqueness of its peoples and its biodiversity. I look at the conservation of Amazonia as a wicked problem that needs diverse set of actions to attempt to solve it. This research topic is a continuation, and expansion of my Master’s Thesis, where I explored futures scenarios for the Volta Grande do Xingu, the region most affected by the construction of the Belo Monte Dam, in the East of the Brazilian Amazonia.

My PhD project seeks to document the linkages between inclusive and sustainable development in Africa, on the one hand, and the regional and continental economic integration trajectories, on the other. The discussion on the trade-led development narrative is core to the project.

I am professor of Tropical Silviculture and Director of Viikki Natural Resources Institute (VITRI) at the University of Helsinki, Finland. I am an expert in tropical forestry, climate change, forest ecology, and forest management.

Projects

Building Biocarbon and Rural Development in West Africa (BIODEV) – Work Package 3 (WP3): National policies and capacity strengthening

UN WOMEN Project (Preventing Forced Migration and Trafficking of Women and Girls in Nigeria: Build Resilience, Promote Sustainable Development), Development of a NAPTIP Gender Policy and Capacity building on the Implementation of the Policy. February– August 2021. UNHCR Global Compact on Refugees (National Focal Person), February 2019– December 2020. Kolo, L. Ladidi (2009) “Building more effective work teams at Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons”. A thesis written in fulfillment of an MSc in Human Resources Development (International Development). University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Published by University of Manchester Press Kolo, L. Ladidi (2019) “Statelessness. Nigeria’s realities and implications”. A paper presented at the Regional Strategic Meeting on Statelessness in Abidjan, 9th May 2019. Kolo, L. Ladidi (2019) “Mitigating Protection Concerns in Mixed Movements”. A paper presented at the UNHCR Regional Protection Dialogue 2 held in Abuja, 29th January 2019. https://reliefweb.int>report>niger Kolo, L. Ladidi (2020) “Implementing a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework in Nigeria”. A paper presented at the Country Meeting for the Implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees, 9th December 2020.

Projects

Promotion of Capacity and Energy Education Development in the Caribbean Region (PROCEED CARIBBEAN)

CHINA AND EUROPEAN UNION IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: ANALYSIS OF CHANGING ECONOMIC STRUCTURES AND RELATED POLICIES (CHEC)

GREEN ECONOMY TRANSITIONS IN LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (GET-LDC)

Higher Education Institutional Cooperation Instrument-Sustainable Climate Change and Energy Education Development

SCALING UP LOW CARBON HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGIES IN THE LOWER MEKONG SUB REGION (DIAMOND)

REDEFINING ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY IN THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: ANALYZING INSTITUTIONS AND INITIATIVES IN THE MEKONG REGION (RECLAIM)

WHY RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS FAIL OR SUCCEED? DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OFENERGY ASSISTANCE PROJECTS IN CAMBODIA AND LAO PDR (DREAM)

ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL (ENERGY FOR ALL) 2011–2014

FUTURE RESOURCE ECONOMY AND POLICIES IN LAOS TILL THE YEAR 2020 (FREPLA)

ADEQUACY OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION INITIATIVES IN LAOS AND CAMBODIA (COOL)

INTERLINKAGES BETWEEN ENERGY AND LIVELIHOODS - DATA, TRAINING AND SCENARIOSFOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PLANNING IN LAOS (INES)

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (SEED)

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OF CAMBODIA AND FINLAND FUTURES RESEARCH CENTRE (ICI-CAMBODIA)

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURES PROJECT BETWEEN FACULTY OF ENGINEERING OF NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LAOS AND FINLAND FUTURES RESEARCH CENTRE

Access to water and sanitation services remains low for most sub-Saharan African countries, and the progress towards achievement of this access for all by 2030, as per the SDG targets is stunted. The state of low access to water and sanitation has dire socioeconomic repercussions that scientific research can contribute to untangling. My research aims at providing recommendations for enhanced citizen participation in water and sanitation services as a remedy to accelerate water and sanitation services development, the case of Kenya.

MFA: Digitalization and human rights (2019); Ministry of Education: Data protection, privacy and child rights (2018-19); Various publications to the World Bank on climate change mitigation and adaptation (2010-12); LuKe (former RKTL): Consumers' willingness to buy eco-labeled fish (2004) Various articles in HS, Talouselämä and UNICEF blog on corporate responsibility (2015-19)

Projects

Urban Governance for Sustainable Cities