Swedish research programme to analyse geopolitics, sustainability trends and consequences of COVID-19 pandemic

Mistra Geopolitics explores the interface between geopolitics, human security and global environmental change. In particular, it helps Swedish government, businesses and other stakeholders to anticipate future opportunities and challenges.

Thomas Nilsson, Programmes Director at Mistra, said: “We are looking forward to another four years with Mistra Geopolitics. In a turbulent time with great geopolitical uncertainty, this programme is more important than ever.”

In its first four years, Mistra Geopolitics managed to build new international research networks and attract several international guest researchers. Among other highlights noted by Mistra’s international expert panel, it was able to regularly influence global scientific debate on geopolitics in the Anthropocene. It has also contributed to establishing geopolitical foresight at the top of industry organizations, agencies and financial institutions.

“SEI is proud to host the programme”

Åsa Persson, Deputy Director and Research Director at Stockholm Environment Institute, said:

“We are very proud to host this programme at SEI and to work with world-class partners, in Sweden and internationally. The knowledge and analysis Mistra Geopolitics offers is in increasing demand, and we are constantly looking for ways to make sense of new geopolitical and sustainability trends. In this second four-year phase of the programme, we are very excited to be bringing in expertise on emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.”

Björn-Ola Linnér, Programme Director of Mistra Geopolitics and Professor of Environmental Change at Linköping University, emphasizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many uncertainties:

“The pandemic could thwart the goals of the Paris Agreement. We may see a turn toward more isolationism and pollution-intensive economic recovery efforts. However, the COVID-19 pandemic may also spur a ‘geopolitics of generosity’. It offers a timely opportunity to shift towards greener, healthier and more resilient societies.”

According to Björn-Ola Linnér, collaboration is more important than ever:

“I am so pleased that we have received funding for a second phase of Mistra Geopolitics. The collaboration of researchers from different fields of expertise is central to understanding the complexity of these issues. We also engage with our partners, collaborate with industry, agencies, political institutions and civil society, and are constantly learning new things from each other.”

Mistra Geopolitics has produced over 90 publications, many of them published in high profile journals such as Nature, Nature Climate Change, Foreign Affairs, Global Environmental Change and WIRES Climate Change, or by publishers such as Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press.

Eva Krutmeijer, Communications lead, Mistra Geopolitics
[email protected] +46 709 846 638

Mistra Geopolitics is a research programme that examines the dynamics of geopolitics, human security and environmental change. The programme brings together a strong interdisciplinary research team consisting of six Swedish core consortium partners: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Linköping University, Uppsala University, Stockholm University and Lund University. It also involves numerous stakeholder partners including Swedish government agencies, companies, industry associations and two international partners, E3G and Adelphi. www.mistra-geopolitics.org Twitter, #MistraGeopolitics

Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is an international non-profit research and policy organization that tackles environment and development challenges. We connect science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future for all. Across our eight centers in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, we engage with policy processes, development action and business practice throughout the world. www.sei.org @SEIresearch @SEIclimate

The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra, supports research of strategic importance for a good living environment and sustainable social development. More information is available at www.mistra.org/