The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is the national environmental research and development centre dealing with changes in the environment, cause and effect relationships, means of resolving environmental problems and effects of policy measures. SYKE is also the national environmental information centre providing expert services and taking care of certain national and international statutory tasks. SYKE employs about 600 people. The Research department of SYKE employs 175 researchers in seven research programmes.

The Baltic Sea Protection Research Programme which aims to elucidate the effects of anthropogenic changes on the Baltic Sea ecosystem. The research covers analysis and modelling of ecosystems, interaction between bottom sediments and the water phase, water quality changes and marine coastal biodiversity. The Environmental Policy Research Programme studies governance and other societal process related to environmental problems, resource management and the development and implementation of environmental policy.