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Earth Day 2022: The shifts we need to mobilize

The latest IPCC report highlights that while the window to prevent the worst impacts of climate change is closing, we still have the opportunity to act. However, urgent, collective, and transformative action is required. Demos Helsinki calls for several key shifts: taking accountability at all levels of governance, embedding equity in the climate response, and understanding that the climate crisis is a systemic issue that should inform all decision-making. Humility and learning from diverse voices, including indigenous wisdom, are also essential as we move beyond net-zero and towards sustainable livability.


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Humble Timber: Building towards a carbon-neutral future

Timber buildings offer a sustainable solution to decarbonizing construction. The Humble Timber alliance, led by Demos Helsinki, brings together key stakeholders in Finland’s building industry to address challenges in transitioning to carbon-neutral construction. By fostering collaboration and identifying shared goals, the alliance aims to overcome barriers like the supply-demand dilemma and promote timber as a competitive and sustainable building material for the future.


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What is the Collingridge dilemma and why is it important for tech policy?

The Collingridge dilemma highlights the challenge of regulating new technologies due to limited early knowledge and entrenched systems later. Experimental governance offers a solution through early, continuous collaboration between stakeholders, fostering transparency and trust. This approach helps co-develop accountable and equitable technologies while addressing societal risks.


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16 Horizon projects later, our goal is the same

Demos Helsinki is currently involved in 14 Horizon Europe projects. From exploring the societal impacts of new technologies to tackling climate challenges, these projects reflect a growing demand for research that sparks systemic change. Discover how we are working across disciplines to shape fairer, more sustainable futures.


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Demos Helsinki is part of three SRC-funded research projects on democracy and water security

These three research projects are: 1) Reducing polarisation via material participation (MaDem); 2) Coastal waters under pressure – safeguarding a healthy Gulf of Finland in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape (CoWup); and 3) Safe Water for All (WaterFall).


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A time to build – shaping the next generation of public institutions

We are pleased to announce that the UNDP’s Istanbul Innovation Days (IID), taking place in March 2025, will focus on shaping the next generation of public institutions for a secure and prosperous world.


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At the Conceptual Crossroads of Politics and Technology: An Exploration Into EU Digital Policy

While existing scholarship has examined discursive strategies and technocratic
tendencies in EU digital policy in isolation, this article distinctively analyses their paradoxical interplay.


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Applying ethics in a complex piloting context

With the increasing culture of applying piloting as part of technology innovation, the need for understanding its societal implications is becoming more crucial. With the aim of understanding better the power relations, tensions and agencies pivotal to negotiating and embedding ethics across processes, we consider utilizing a framework of “design logics” to the data.


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Revitalising and protecting European democracies

The European Democracy Shield is a timely and commendable initiative aimed at addressing the EU’s growing democratic challenges. However, it would benefit from a more human-centered approach focusing on citizen participation, civil society engagement, and more nuanced policies on digital regulation.


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