Lounaistieto’s 10th anniversary seminar brought together experts in regional development, research and public decision‑making on 24 March in Turku to celebrate a decade of advancing regional knowledge. The theme of the seminar, “Tiedolla kestävään tulevaisuuteen – Towards a Sustainable Future with Data”, framed discussions on how regional information and data can support work on climate change, biodiversity, sustainable urban structure, and monitoring the ecological state of the Archipelago Sea.
The event was opened by Regional Mayor Jyri Arponen. Following this, Jyri Seppälä, Chair of Finland’s Climate Panel, highlighted the importance of regional data in strengthening climate policy. Professor Nora Fagerholm from the University of Turku examined nature loss, urban nature and the role of knowledge in designing sustainable environments. Lauri Kuismanen from Turku University of Applied Sciences introduced the Coastrider method for new approaches to marine monitoring, while Ville Helminen from the Finnish Environment Institute explored indicators for sustainable spatial structure. Arttu Karila from the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) provided insights into the current knowledge base on green investments.
The day concluded with a look back at the ten‑year journey of Aluetietofoorumi and its growing importance as a regional knowledge hub. The seminar was hosted by Antti Vasanen, Lounaistieto’s Head of Information Services, who has played a key role in developing regional data services in Southwest Finland.
Lounaistieto, coordinated by the Regional Council of Southwest Finland, provides regional statistics, maps, geospatial data and open data. It offers reliable and up‑to‑date knowledge to support decision‑making, planning, research and development across the region
