Vili Virkki

I work in the Global Water Sustainability research group led by Associate Professor Miina Porkka on two projects.

The GloWater project, funded by the Strategic Research Council established within the Research Council of Finland, places Finland in the global water security context. I am currently analysing Finland’s contribution to changes in freshwater resources and water security elsewhere in the world (e.g. through trade markets) and the potential risks to Finland from freshwater change in selected highlight areas that emerge from the analysis  (e.g. for security of supply).

The AQUAGUARD project, funded by the European Research Council, investigates the impacts of human activities on the freshwater cycle and its subsequent effects on other parts of the Earth system. I am instructing two PhD theses within the project: Elina Paavonen’s research focuses on changes in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and Ronit Bohra’s research delves into forests and climatic impacts of freshwater change. Moreover, I support the research of three AQUAGUARD postdoctoral researchers: Marija Cosovic‘s work on wetland biodiversity, Ville Lindgren‘s work on moisture recycling, and Vincent Sorjonen-Biard‘s work on flow changes and riverine ecosystem health.

My doctoral thesis, completed in autumn 2024, dealt with changes in the freshwater cycle and the role of these changes in the Earth system, with a particular focus on the planetary boundaries framework and its development.