The overall aim of my research is to understand the role of freshwater in the Earth system and the well-being of societies and to provide knowledge that could help minimise the impacts of human actions on these life-supporting functions of water.

My main focus is currently on assessing human-driven changes in the global water cycle. Under the ERC-funded SOS.aquaterra project, I study freshwater change in the context of the global food system, with the aim to comprehensively define local-to-global safe operating spaces for meeting future food demand. Over the past few years, I have been involved in the reconceptualisation of the Planetary Boundary for freshwater change.

I obtained my doctorate in December 2016 with the Water and Development Research Group at Aalto University. My dissertation explored the implications of water scarcity and agricultural trade for global food availability in the 20th century. During my doctoral research, I was also involved in a number of other projects and collaborations on global water and food issues, including studies on water scarcity, environmental footprints of food waste and diet scenarios, mapping of global irrigation areas, and the water-energy-food nexus.

See my full research profile: https://research.aalto.fi/en/persons/miina-porkka