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KEKO CLUSTER
CLUSTER ON ADAPTATION TO AND MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
Why KEKO cluster?
Today, society has a wealth of data and evidence-based knowledge on the drastically deteriorating environmental situation and science-based solutions to overcome them. However, the substantive awareness of environmental problems and the solutions proposed by natural scientists (e.g. ecological restoration, restorative agriculture, permanent forestry, compensatory forestry) are not translated into enforceable practices by lawmakers and decision-makers or are distorted.
The ambition of the KEKO cluster is to use interdisciplinary teams, including social science expertise, to build a "translation engine" to translate scientific knowledge into practical, sustainability-effective and non-harmful solutions. In other words, it would identify the causes of the gaps between science and real-world practices and, based on knowledge of the principles of change in thinking and behaviour, build a process model for the more immediate application of scientific information in decision-making processes (e.g. at national, municipal, business level).
What we
do?
KEKO development seminars: “Circular Bioeconomy - From Challenges to Actions”, “How the humanities interact with sustainability?”
Meetings with businesses like Mahlametsa OÜ, The Estonian Cleantech Association, Estonian Printing and Packaging Industry Association, Estonian Plastics Association, SOL Baltics, Tallinna Vesi, Bolt, Verston, Trilatel Research Ethical AI, Software Imagination & Vision - SIMAVI
Meetings with ministries like the Ministry of Climate, the Ministry of Economic Affaiirs and Communications, the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Finance
Meetings with local municipalities and other organisations like Lääne-Harju Municipality, Saue Municipality, Harku Municipality, Environmental Board, Western Harju Partnership, Võrumaa Partnership Assembly, Pärnu County Development Centre
Presentations in conferences like Hariduskonverents “Elukestva õppe väärtused ja paradoksid”, Ülemiste City EduFest, Kliimakompass 2025, Impact Day, Opinion Festival, Curiosity Day, Tallinn University Environmental Management 25
Green Tiger active membership
Energy Discovery Centre Supervisory Board
Circular Bio-economy seminar "From Challenges to Actions"
Workshop on biodegradable packaging materials
Management of the Baltic University Programme (BUP) Estonia's Centre and Presidency 2025
Organisation of the international conference “Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development”
Presentations in conferences like “Spillover from school to society - climate awareness, sustainable education and human resource management” at Sustainability Research + Innovation & Sustainability Science Days Helsinki, COP28 Dubai
Active memberships in international networks like associations of hydrology - NFH ja IAHS; the OECD and European Commission joint network EIPC - Education and Innovation Practice Community; eucen - European Universities Continuous Education Association
Preparing for international partnerships and projects like Horizon Europe Missions Brokerage Event 2024
SUSTAIN ERA – ERA Chair in Sustainable Futures
BioPackMan - Biodegradable Packaging Materials Advancing Circularity, Sustainability & Eco-innovation
Research Partnerships of Ministries for Achieving EU 2030 Climate Targets
Preparation of the northwest Estonian Geopark development strategy until 2031
SHINE - mainstreaming Systems tHinking In Natural sciences and Environmental education
Creation of a methodological framework for the regional roadmapping of the circular economy
Bridging STEAM practices and home economics in teacher education
STEAM for Home economics And Research ExchangE
Gogreen Routes - Resilient Optimal Urban natural, Technological and Environmental Solutions
Development of Climate Act
Estonian Human Development Report 2024
Environmental Development Plan KEVAD
Energy Discovery Centre
Estonian Geography Association
Green Tiger Core Plan
Development of Horizontal Green Skills
Supporting Sustainable Thinking
Environment and Man
LIFE courses like Development of educational programmes and communication of the Energy Discovery Centre, Example Story Case for North-West of Estonia, Curricula project for Circular Bioeconomy Microcredential Programme
LIFE/HÜPE course "Climate and innovation awareness" for master students
Micro-credentials Exchange System for Higher Education in Europe (MESHE)
EUCEN. European Education and Culture Executive Agency. 01.12.2025–30.11.2028
Green Transition Management Micro-credential Programme
Senior Work Professionals Micro-credential Programme
Sustainable Human Resource Management Micro-credential Programme
Development of the Circular Bioeconomy regional roadmap Programme
Sustainable University Action Plan
ONE MINUTE LECTURERS
Us about UN Sustainable Development Goals
Why is it necessary to make the city fairer?
Why does man harm the environment?
What is the price of garbage?
How to save the world with local food?
How to do a favour to nature?
What happens to used electronics?
Does sustainability mean giving up?
EXPERT ON AIR
Anu Realo “Kestlik tulevik – kas ja kuidas me selleni jõuame?”
Eliis Härma ja Piret Vacht “Kuidas luua keskkonda, kus inimesed päriselt tahavad olla?”
Climate change - are we hopelessly late?
About the end of the time of abundance and environmental protection
How to develop a green city?
Katrin Männik ja Tarmo Pikner "Miks peaks kestlikkust õpetama kõigile?”
Aleksander Pulver ja Kadi Liik “Mida saab ettevõte õppida teadlaselt?"
Piret Ilves “Tarbime targalt või tarbime lihtsalt rohkem?”
Palojoki, P., Anttila, S., Haapaniemi, J., Jussila van Leeuwen, M., Oikarinen, K., Taar, J., Paas, K., Männik, K., Nõmmik, M., Heinmäe, E., Maguire, H., Callaghan, A., & Hopper C. (2026). Educating for the Future: Integrating Home Economics and STEAM in Europe. Tallinn: Tallinn University. School of Natural Sciences and Health. LINK
Paas, K., Taar, J., Vänt, T., Männik, K., Rossi, M.J., Palojoki, P., Haapaniemi, J., Oikarinen, K., Ulbrich, E., Bekesi, B., Da Cruz, M., Aharonian, V., Helland, M.H., Skarstein, F., Olsen, K.M., & Knævelsrud, I. (2025). Integrating Home Economics and STEAM: A Guide to Interdisciplinary Learning for Sustainability. The outcome of the Erasmus+ KA201 project STEAMKitchen. Tallinn: Tallinna Ülikool. Loodus- ja terviseteaduste instituut. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389909271_Integrating_Home_Economics_and_STEAM_A_Guide_to_Interdisciplinary_Learning_for_Sustainability
Männik, K., & Pata, K. (2025). Advancing students’ sustainability competences with capacity building course development. In Contemporary Issues in University Lifelong Learning: University lifelong learning and the quest for a greener future. European Journal of University Lifelong Learning, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.53807/0901aB2c
Männik, K., Paulus, C., Atabarut, T., & Royo, C. (2025). Position paper on eucen: Integrating green skills into university lifelong learning. eucen. ISSN 2617-0973 Position Paper Issue 07 https://eucen.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PositionPaper-09_GreenSkills_eucen_FINAL.pdf
Terasmaa, J. (2025, August 29). Tasa sõuad, kas kuhugi jõuad? Sirp. https://www.sirp.ee/tasa-souad-kas-kuhugi-jouad/
Malleus-Kotšegarov, E., Arro, G., Uppin, H., Semilarski, H., Kalle, K., Ehlvest, A., Männil, M., Öövel, H., Saluveer, A., & Keedus, K. (2025). Keskkonnahariduse juhendaja käsiraamat. https://media.voog.com/0000/0045/7498/files/Keskkonnahariduse_juhendaja_k%C3%A4siraamat.pdf
Pikner, T. (2025). Resonances of planetarity and commons within evolving urbanisms. https://doi.org/10.11143/fennia.148026
Palang, H. (2025). Kliimaksmõtlemisest ja maastiku ajaloost. Akadeemia. https://www.akad.ee/issues/2025-10
Kall, K., Raudsepp, M., Roosmaa, E.-L., Ubakivi-Hadachi, P., Roosalu, T., & Taru, M. (2025). Social sustainability and acceptance of recycled plastics. https://primus-project.eu
Arro, G., Annist, A., Terasmaa, J., Alekand, A., Malleus-Kotšegarov, E., & Jesmin, T. (2024). Eesti õpetajate kliimateadlikkus ja kliimaalaste teadusmõistete muutus koolituse mõjul. https://doi.org/10.12697/eha.2024.12.2.04
Post, P., Uibu, K., & Terasmaa, J. (Eds.). (2024). Kliimateadlikkuse edendamine hariduses ja ühiskonnas (pp. 1–225). Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus. https://doi.org/10.12697/issn2346-562X
Rajandu, E., Kaljuvee, K.-L., Kulp, M., Kaasik, M., Elvisto, T., & Küttim, M. (2024). Syntrichia ruralis as a suitable bioindicator for urban areas: The case study of Tallinn city. https://doi.org/10.12697/fce.2024.61.03
Senka, G., Tramonti, M., Dochshanov, A. M., Jesmin, T., Terasmaa, J., Tsalapatas, H., Heidmann, O., Caeiro-Rodriguez, M., & Vaz de Carvalho, C. (2024). Using a game to educate about sustainable development. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti8110096
Kulbok-Lattik, E., Roosalu, T., & Saro, A. (2024). Cultural sustainability and Estonian community houses. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2024.1305143
Kalev, L., & Sinivee, H. (2024). Multiple citizenship: Public debates and regime change in five Central and Eastern European countries. In A comprehensive history of post-communism, colonialism, totalitarianism and secularism (ISBN 979-8-89113-466-9). Nova Publishers. https://novapublishers.com/shop/a-comprehensive-history-of-post-communism-colonialism-totalitarianism-and-secularism
Pikner, T., Pata, K., Teder, L., Plaan, J., Kapanen, G., Tuisk, T., & Arro, G. (2023). Methodological framework for developing a regional circular bioeconomy roadmap. Tallinn University; Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture. https://www.ester.ee/record=b5718832
Meet the
KEKO cluster people
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