Personal profile
Curriculum vitae
Dr. Markku Kanninen is Research Director and Professor Emeritus at the Department of Forest Sciences of the University of Helsinki, Finland. He is an expert in tropical forestry, climate change, forest ecology, and forest management. He has published over 350 publications, including over 100 internationally peer-reviewed scientific articles.
He has been involved in tropical forest research for about 45 years. Prior to his current position, he was Director of Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI) (2010-2020); Director of the Environmental Services and Sustainable Use of Forests Program of CIFOR (2003-2010); Deputy Director General of CATIE (Costa Rica) (1996-2003); and earlier the Director of The Finnish Research Program on Climate Change (1990-1995).
He has been involved in science policy dialogue on forests and climate change for more than 30 years, and he has been actively involved in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 1990. He was a Lead Author of the recent IPCC Special Report on 1.5 Degrees. From 2011 to 2019, he was member of the Finnish Climate Panel.
Since 2004, he has been a member of the Finnish Academy of Sciences and Letters. He contributed to the Nobel Peace Prize 2007 for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
External positions
Seconded Principal Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research
1 Sept 2016 → 31 Aug 2017
Seconded Principal Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research
1 Sept 2015 → 31 Aug 2016
Director, Environmental Services and Sustainable Use of Forests Program, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
1 Mar 2003 → 31 Dec 2010
Deputy Director General and Research Director, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE)
1 Jan 1996 → 28 Feb 2003
Project manager, The Finnish Research Program on Climate Change (SILMU), Academy of Finland
1 Mar 1990 → 31 Dec 1995
Fields of Science
- 4112 Forestry
- Tropical Forests
- Natural resources
- 1172 Environmental sciences
- Climate change
- Development
- Environmental Policy
- Sustainability science
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Metsät maailman asialistalla [Forests on the global agenda]
Translated title of the contribution :Forests on the global agenda Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Professional
Open AccessFile -
Suomalaisen metsäosaamisen kansainvälistymisstrategia ja toimet sen toteuttamiseksi [The strategy for the internationalization of Finnish forest expertise and actions to implement it]
Käär, L., Päivinen, R., Kanninen, M. & Rajala, P. T., 2024, Helsinki: Tapio Palvelut Oy. 43 p. (Tapion raportteja)Research output: Book/Report › Book › Professional
Open Access -
Variation of stress wave velocity, wood density and static bending strenght of 22-year-old planted Tectona grandis trees in Northwest Vietnam
Van Duong, D. & Kanninen, M., 19 Nov 2024, In: Journal of Tropical Forest Science. 36, 4, p. 416-423 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Viheliäiset ongelmat ja muut tulevaisuuden haasteet
Translated title of the contribution :Wicked problems and other future challenges Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › General public
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Hyytiälän kesä 1973 - Kuvakavalkadi
Kanninen, M., Koskimäki, A., Päivinen, R. & Rajala, P. T., 2023, Puoli vuosisataa metsäisillä taipaleilla. Hyytiälän kurssi 65 mukana murroksissa. Kanninen, M., Päivinen, R., Koskimäki, A. & Rajala, P. T. (eds.). Helsinki: Hyytiälän kurssi 65, p. 46-60 15 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Professional
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Erasmus+ Institutional Credit Mobility
Chakma, D. (Participant), Kanninen, M. (Participant) & Webb, E. L. (Participant)
01/06/2024 → 31/05/2026
Project: Other project
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FORSU: Higher Education Cooperation for Forest Landscape Restoration and Sustainable Livelihoods in Bangladesh and Vietnam
Webb, E. L. (Principal Investigator), Chakma, D. (Project manager), Staudt, E. (Participant), Kanninen, M. (Participant), Yirdaw, E. (Participant), Starr, M. (Participant), Kaislasalmi, E. E. (Participant), Monge Monge, A. A. (Participant), Hogarth, N. (Participant), Bui, C. (Participant), Lähtevänoja, A. J. (Participant) & Holopainen, J. (Participant)
01/12/2022 → 31/05/2026
Project: EU Erasmus+ (EPLUS)
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Suomalaisen metsäosaamisen kansainvälistymisstrategia ja toimet sen toteuttamiseksi [The strategy for the internationalization of Finnish forest expertise and measures to implement it]
Käär, L. (Principal Investigator), Päivinen, R. (Co-Principal Investigator), Kanninen, M. (Co-Principal Investigator) & Rajala, P. T. (Co-Principal Investigator)
01/04/2023 → 31/03/2024
Project: Other funder
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Erasmus+ Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility
Chakma, D. (Participant) & Kanninen, M. (Participant)
30/11/2020 → 30/06/2023
Project: EU Erasmus+ (EPLUS)
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FRAME: Forests, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation: Higher Education Cooperation in Mekong Region
Hogarth, N. (Principal Investigator), Chakma, D. (Project manager), Monge Monge, A. A. (Participant), Yirdaw, E. (Participant), Holopainen, J. (Participant), Webb, E. L. (Participant), Kanninen, M. (Participant) & Ylinen, I. K. M. (Participant)
15/11/2020 → 14/11/2023
Project: EU Erasmus+ (EPLUS)
Prizes
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Influencer of the Year (Vuoden vaikuttaja) 2018
Kanninen, M. (Recipient), 3 Dec 2018
Prize: Prizes and awards
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Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun I luokan ritarimerkki (Knight First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland)
Kanninen, M. (Recipient), 6 Dec 2018
Prize: Prizes and awards
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Teacher of the Year (Hyvä Opettaja) 2013
Kanninen, M. (Recipient), 17 May 2013
Prize: Prizes and awards
Activities
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Field course Tropical Forests and Agroforests
Chakma, D. (Secretary of organizing committee), Webb, E. L. (Chair of organizing committee), Yirdaw, E. (Speaker: Presenter), Kanninen, M. (Speaker: Presenter), Chen, J. (Attendee) & Naing, A. K. (Attendee)
6 Jan 2025 → 20 Jan 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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Vietnam National University of Forestry
Chakma, D. (Visiting lecturer) & Kanninen, M. (Visiting lecturer)
5 May 2025 → 9 May 2025Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Academic visit to other institution
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Forests and adaptation to climate change – lessons learned from research
Kanninen, M. (Keynote speaker)
4 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Restoring forest structure, biodiversity and ecosystem function in the West African humid tropics: secondary versus plantation forests
Kanninen, M. (Member of thesis committee / follow-up group)
2024Activity: Examination types › Member of doctoral thesis committee / follow-up group
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Thai Nguyen Climate Conference 2024
Chakma, D. (Member of organizing committee) & Kanninen, M. (Speaker: Keynote)
4 Nov 2024 → 7 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
Press/Media
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Amazonin metsäkadon hidastaminen on yksi suurimpia ilmastotekoja toistaiseksi, ja Kiinankin päästöt ovat kääntymässä laskuun
24/10/2025
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Participatory Landscape Workshops: Envisioning a sustainable future for Zambia
17/02/2025
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Metsät ja monimuotoisuus Suomessa ja globaalissa etelässä - [Forests and biodiversity in Finland and in Global South]
23/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Metsät osana arkea globaalissa etelässä ja Suomessa [Forests and trees in our everyday lives – in the Global South and North]
29/04/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Mitä maailman metsille kuuluu? [World’s forests – how are you doing?]
30/11/2023
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media