Shaping the Future of Climate Change Adaptation in the Nordic Region – Join Us at NOCCA2025

The 7th Nordic Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (NOCCA2025) takes place
on 14-15 May 2025, at the Lappia Hall in Rovaniemi, Finland. The conference is part of
Finland’s presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Follow live stream

The biennial NOCCA2025 conference will be held on 14-15 May, 2025, in Rovaniemi. The conference will dive into adaptation challenges and opportunities in the Nordic region. Plenaries and joint sessions can be followed live on both days.

Why NOCCA2025?

At the heart of NOCCA2025 lies a critical question: What are the limits to adaptation in the Nordic context? Set against the stunning backdrop of Lapland, this conference will dive into pressing adaptation challenges and opportunities for ecosystems, natural resources, and the livelihoods of indigenous and rural communities.

Who will Attend?

NOCCA2025 is the forum for Nordic researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and community representatives. Whether you’re from academia, local government, national authorities, business, or NGOs, this conference offers a unique platform for knowledge exchange and peer learning.

Our Mission

To advance the science and practice of climate adaptation across the Nordic region through collaborative efforts and open dialogue. Join us in shaping a resilient future for our communities and ecosystems.

Conference Outreach

The key messages from the conference will be presented in conjunction with the meeting of Nordic Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MR-FJLS), scheduled for June 11-12, 2025, in Kuopio. The policy brief summarizing the conference outcomes will support Nordic adaptation initiatives, particularly in preparation for the ECCA25 conference (June 16–18, 2025) and COP30.

Keynote Speakers

Frans Berkhout

Professor of Environment, Society and Climate, King’s College London

Frans Berkhout is Professor of Environment, Society and Climate at King’s College London. He was a lead author in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 4th and 5th Assessment Reports (2007 and 2014). His research on climate change adaptation is informed by behavioral organisational theory and policy studies, understanding that the adaptive capacity of actors is institutionally-situated.

His interest flows from his work in the IPCC on ‘limits to adaptation’ and the application of a risk-based approach that he helped develop for the problem of ‘loss and damage’ in the UNFCCC. He is interested in developing approaches to specifying limits to adaptation that may inform novel approaches to the governance of losses suffered as actors reach such limits.

Kerstin Stendahl

Special Envoy on Environment Security at the Ministry of the Environment and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office

Kerstin Stendahl is the Special Envoy on Environment Security at the Ministry of the Environment and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office. She has extensive experience in the field of international environmental governance and diplomacy having worked for a decade at the United Nations Environment Programme in various senior roles related to climate (IPCC), chemicals, biodiversity and ocean governance. Before her current position she was the Special Envoy on Environment and Climate at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Petteri Taalas

Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)

Prof. Taalas has a PhD from Helsinki University and is a Docent of the University of Eastern Finland. Taalas led the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for 8 years in 2016-2023. In Finland he has worked at the Finnish Meteorological Institute as a researcher, Research Professor and currently as the Director General (in 2002-2015 and again from the beginning of 2024).
Taalas is the Chair of the National IPCC Working Group of Finland and has acted as a Member of the Board of Fortum and as the first Chair of the University of Eastern Finland. He has acted as the Adviser in climate issues for the UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The Reader’s Digest nominated Prof. Taalas as the European of the Year in 2021 for the excellent work done for climate communication. For the same reason he has been rewarded by the Foundation of Louise ja Göran Ehrnrooth and Niemi Foundation.

Venue

The meeting venue Lappia Hall is one of the most recognised landmarks of Rovaniemi and designed by world-renowned architect Alvar Aalto. Lappia Hall is located in the Rovaniemi city centre.

Address:

Jorma Eton tie 8 A
96100 Rovaniemi, Finland