He has been a Visiting Researcher at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs (topic: Russian Environmental Politics), a Visiting Professor to the University of Bristol and a Visiting Lecturer to the University of Helsinki (topic: Global Environmental Politics).

He has been an adviser to the United Nations Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification, and a member of the Heinrich Böll Foundation “Jo’burg Memo” team prior to the Johannesburg 2002 WSSD Summit.

Mr. Haavisto is a Spokesperson for the European Federation of the Green Parties, EFGP. He was the Minister of the Environment and Development Co-operation in Finland during1995-99, and a member of the Finnish Parliament in1987-95. Mr. Haavisto was one of the co-founders of the Green Party of Finland, and the chairman of the Finnish greens 1993-95. His special interests are foreign policy and global environmental issues.