Sustainability Issue #4 August 2010

This is printed from sustainability.formas.se, last updated 8/16/2010 2:31:10 PM

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Swedish social scientific research into sustainability should be rejuvenated

Swedish social scientific research into sustainable development has quadrupled its external funding over the past ten years. But full utilisation of the potential of this research demands new ideas, bold programmes and a clear engagement by all actors. This is the verdict of the international panel which has evaluated Swedish social scientific research into sustainable development over the period 1998-2008.

The panel takes a favourable view of the increase in funding and the number of postgraduate students, as well as a trend towards more interdisciplinary research. However, conservative forms of funding and short term requirements for immediate application of the results provide far too little scope for new research ideas. The career structure at universities and the lack of dialogue between researchers and practitioners may also threaten development.

Responsible for this page: Birgitta Bruzelius

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Sustainability August 2010

Focus presentation

Land – a resource that is a source of conflict How do differences in land use affect sustainable development both nationally and internationally? This was the question when Formas allocated funds for some strong ...

Focus articles

Land use – a source of conflicts? Linné wished for "timber, tar and pitch". About a hundred years later, the American natural philosopher Thoreau thought that every community should be able to indulg... Multifunctional farming How do we bring about multifunctional farming for food, biodiversity and ecosystem services? At the same time as we are cost effective? Should organic farming be con... The world’s forests under pressure Climate change is already affecting the world’s forests, causing more forest fires and increased loss of biodiversity. This was stated recently at the World Forestry... Land and power Access to land and its use have, in all human communities and at all times, constituted the basis for power relations. In the project “Power, land and materiality” w... Biofuels in explosive conflict about resources Who has the power over land? When global land use changes, this can have unimagined consequences. Biofuel is sometimes produced at the expense of food crops. This ca... The volatile hydrocarbons of the future Volatile hydrocarbons directly from nature form ozone. But will ozone increase or decrease owing to future emissions of volatile hydrocarbons from forests and crops?...

The Interview

Measures to promote environmental goals and new jobs in the countryside Agriculture has both good and harmful effects on the environment. And several of the government's environmental quality objectives are part of the sphere of responsi...

More articles

What do pigs want to do? In neither of the organic and traditional production systems is animal health better than in the other. But there is a potential in organic animal husbandry that is ... The film Submission shown in New York In May, the film Submission reached UNEP. This is the highest international instance that is engaged on the issue of chemicals, and it is now hoped that decision mak... Optimal management of periurban forests Trends in Nordic research, environmental monitoring of green spaces in large cities, management of forests to favour birds, and the perception of periurban nature. T... Small bird populations are not recovering In spite of reduced emissions from two metal industries in the north of Sweden, the impact on the pied flycatcher is not diminishing. This is shown by a doctoral the... Research on the greenhouse gases of agriculture In New Zealand, agriculture accounts for about 50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. A meeting was held there in the spring of 2010 for a new international allia... Forestry research can take on more in the world In May, the Forestry Faculty of SLU arranged the conference The Challenges and Opportunities of Research for the staff of the Faculty – and a final panel discussion ... Marine environmental research – how is it utilised? Researchers and the potential users of research results do not ask the same questions. This is a mismatch that must be dealt with. Users have a limited time to acqui... Leasure boats are spreading toxicants in the Baltic Sea In spite of the prohibition of several toxic substances in antifouling paints, large quantities of toxicants collect in the sumps underneath boat wash stations. The proliferation of poisonous algae may be due to stolen chloroplasts Algae of the genus Dinophysis are best known for forming poisonous algal blooms. According to the most recent discoveries, they can steal chloroplasts from other org...

In brief

Formas grants MSEK 38+30+15 Formas Scientific Council has resolved to grant: MSEK 38 for research into sustainable renovation, inter alia the how much weight cultural and historical, archite... Three newborn snow leopards At the zoo Nordens Ark, three snow leopard cubs were born in May. Newborn cubs are blind and helpless, but around midsummer the cubs begin to venture out from the ... Shortcut to global networks for Swedish environmental researchers Swedish researchers will now be rapidly connected to international networks and research programmes for sustainable development. This will be done through a new secr... Swedish social scientific research into sustainability should be rejuvenated Swedish social scientific research into sustainable development has quadrupled its external funding over the past ten years. But full utilisation of the potential of... Nanotechnology may provide faster computers Within ten years, the silicon transistors in our computers may be replaced by transistors of carbon nanotubes. This is the hope of researchers at Göteborg University... Formas evaluates Swedish Board of Fisheries 20 years of World Water Week ResearcherFriday on 24 September Discover, wonder and enjoy! Sweden's most widespread science festival is held on 24 September 2010 in 22 towns in Sweden. The event is free of charge and is intend...

Results from research

Focus on babies' health How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... You are what you eat How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... The battle for food How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... What is the state of the Baltic Sea? How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Tolerance beyond the limits How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Looking for the colours of the past How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma...
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