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The Baltic Sea is a thorn in the side of Finns – and in the Finnish mental landscape. 

This is a conclusion Professor Tuomas Räsänen would like to draw from his research, although straightforward conclusions and solutions are not typical of historical research, which tends to be more reflective and multi-faceted.

“We like to think that all is well and good; yet we live next to the world’s most polluted sea. This constitutes an anomaly in the myth about Finns’ unique relationship with nature and makes it quite an interesting subject of study.”

Finns’ activities, too, pollute the Baltic Sea, which calls into question the uniqueness of our relationship with nature. This is why the Baltic Sea has been given more attention than the conservation of peatlands and forests, despite them not remaining pristine, either.

Räsänen has studied the history of environmental change in the 20th century, that is, how the environment has changed during that time, what kind of reactions this has evoked, and what kind of measures various societal actors have taken to protect and conserve the environment. In addition, he has examined, from different perspectives, why industrial activity has led to environmental degradation.

“In a nutshell, my research delves into why and how the world has ended up in such a poor environmental state.”

Finns like to think they are the most environmentally friendly people in the world

In his PhD thesis, Tuomas Räsänen investigated pollution of the Baltic Sea, as well as collaboration between the Baltic Sea States. Awareness of the polluted state of the Baltic Sea arose in the 1960s, with Finland and other democratic Baltic Sea States spurring into action. The communist states, on the other hand, had little interest in environmental action, and their involvement was often motivated by other things, such as the desire to obtain Western technology that could be used to purify drinking water. The environmental impacts of wastewater, however, were of little concern.

In Finland, there was more interest in environmental conservation, but the country’s relationship with nature was far from unproblematic. The 1970s saw the development of wastewater treatment and the banning of the most dangerous toxins. However, not all pollution could be stopped, and vast amounts of nutrients from fields and forests have run off into the Baltic Sea, for example.

“Commercial forestry is, at least implicitly, considered much more important than the state of the Baltic Sea. Moreover, since environmental conservation is expensive – at least in the beginning – many measures aimed at improving the state of the Baltic Sea have also been opposed and delayed.”

Finns like to think of themselves as the most environmentally friendly people in the world, which is something Tuomas Räsänen has tried to debunk in some of his writings. Finnish politicians, too, like to talk about how Finland has the world’s cleanest food and air, as well as the best and most environmentally friendly forestry.

“We have invented myths about Finns’ environmental relationship and about us being a down-to-earth, nature-loving people. In reality, I find Finns’ relationship with forests, and nature in general, to be quite exploitative.”

Historians could bring new perspectives to the environmental debate

However, not all of Tuomas Räsänen’s research is about how people are destroying everything, as he has also studied what kind of new methods have been developed, and what kind of efforts have been made, to protect and conserve wild animals.

“I’ve talked about a reversal of the human-animal relationship. In the past, animals were seen to exist to do labour for humans, but in the latter half of the 20th century, the relationship has shifted towards nature conservationists going above and beyond to protect endangered animals.”

He notes that there is an evident shift in Finns’ attitudes, with the number of those concerned for the environment on a stark rise. However, attitudes rarely translate into action, and in conflict situations, economic considerations still tend to prevail. 

Natural scientists often dominate the discussion on environmental change, but Tuomas Räsänen believes that historians, too, have something to contribute.

“Rather than providing ready-made solutions, historians offer deep insight into the mental constructs underlying environmental exploitation. This allows people to recognise their own, partly subconscious ideas and mentalities that that define their relationship with nature.”

The topics Räsänen addresses in his research have turned him cynical; however, the doom and gloom also make them interesting. As a professor, he wants to set up a research group focusing on environmental history.

“I run both Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis seminars. After taking on the professorship, I probably could have left the Bachelor’s seminar out of my schedule, but I wanted to keep it. Future researchers are often found in these seminars.”

For the time being, Tuomas Räsänen lives in Turku, Southwestern Finland, but as someone born in Kuopio, he aspires to return to Eastern Finland with his family once his daughter has left home. In his free time, he reads and goes skiing, orienteering and hiking. Lapland is close to his heart, and one day, he hopes to conduct environmental history research on Lapland.

TUOMAS RÄSÄNEN

• Professor of Environmental History, 91����, 1 Jan 2024–
• Title of Docent in Environmental and Animal History, University of Turku, 2018
• PhD, University of Turku, 2015
• MA, University of Turku, 2003

KEY ROLES

• Associate Professor (tenure track), 91����, 1 Jan 2020–31 Dec 2023
• Associate Professor (tenure track), University of Turku 1 Jan 2019–31 Dec 2019
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS), 1 Jan 2018–31 Dec 2018