Thesis Cluster for Sustainable Transition 2026/2027

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How can the climate transition engage children and young people and create better conditions for growing up in West Sweden?

At the same time as society needs to accelerate the climate transition, young people’s engagement with climate change has declined markedly since the beginning of the 2020s. In an ongoing research project at Örebro University following 1,000 upper-secondary school students, results from 2026 show that more than 70% are highly indifferent to climate change. Other surveys, conducted by Ungdomsbarometern and the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg, indicate that young people’s belief in their ability to influence climate change has declined over the same period and that the issue has become increasingly polarised, for example along lines of gender, political identity and geography. This development has coincided with growing concern about personal finances, geopolitical conflicts and gang-related crime in particular. Although concern about climate change remains and awareness is high, many young people perceive the issue as secondary and distant from their everyday lives.

West Sweden is one of the regions in Sweden where geographical differences in values among young people are particularly pronounced, not least between central Gothenburg and other areas close to universities on the one hand, and young people in the county’s smaller municipalities, particularly inland, on the other. This polarisation is closely linked to socioeconomic differences between young people and clear disparities in educational attainment and labour market patterns. Socioeconomic conditions and access to resources affect both engagement and influence.

For a just climate transition, it is essential that young people are given equal opportunities to participate in the transition and benefit from the new opportunities it creates.

Theses within this cluster can contribute to a better understanding of how the climate transition can improve young people’s living conditions while drawing on their perspectives, experiences and motivations as a resource in the transition. They can also generate new knowledge about what creates engagement and optimism about the future among young people in West Sweden more broadly, as well as how municipalities, public authorities, civil society and businesses can work more systematically with youth participation and inclusion.

Examples of knowledge needs identified by external stakeholders in this cluster include:

• What young people in West Sweden themselves consider important in motivating them to engage in the climate transition, both in larger cities and in rural areas.
• How young people’s voices are taken into account in decision-making processes, and how equal conditions can be ensured in their opportunities to influence and participate in society.
• How different sectors of society can mobilise and support young people’s engagement.
• Connections between young people’s consumption, health, well-being and engagement with climate change.
• How young people’s concerns can be transformed into agency, community and long-term civic engagement.
• How climate-related issues can be integrated into activities that already engage many young people, without being perceived as a separate or distant societal problem.
• How young people view green jobs of the future, and how this affects their interest and engagement in climate issues and their optimism about the future more generally.
• How citizen involvement can be designed to strengthen young people’s participation in the local climate transition in rural areas and smaller municipalities.

Confirmed external partners:

• Västra Götaland Region – Department of Regional Development
• City of Gothenburg – City Executive Office
• RF-SISU Västra Götaland
• Municipality of Lilla Edet
• UNESCO Lake Vänern Archipelago and Mount Kinnekulle Biosphere Reserve
• Fyrbodals kommunalförbund

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How can the expansion of local and sustainable energy supply in West Sweden be carried out in a just and inclusive way?

The expansion of a sustainable energy system is central to the climate transition, but it also involves several complex societal challenges. In a just climate transition, the development and expansion of the energy system must not only be technically and economically efficient, but also rooted in local communities and balanced against other economic, ecological, cultural and social values.

Local energy solutions have the potential to reduce environmental impact and increase self-sufficiency. However, the expansion of such solutions faces resistance due to economic, cultural and political factors. Understanding and managing these tensions is therefore crucial to enabling a sustainable and inclusive long-term energy transition.

As Sweden’s leading industrial region, West Sweden faces particular challenges in ensuring sufficient power capacity as electrification progresses. The region is home to some of the country’s most energy-intensive industries, while most of its electricity is currently imported from other parts of Sweden. According to Västra Götaland Region’s own forecasts, electricity demand in the county is expected to almost double by 2030 and triple by 2045. At the same time, resistance to the expansion of local energy production is strong in some areas.

A majority of wind power projects proposed in the county in recent years have been halted by municipal vetoes following strong public opposition.

Theses within this cluster can contribute to a better understanding of how local and regional energy supply in West Sweden can be developed in ways that strengthen social cohesion rather than intensify conflict, and how different actors can help create more inclusive processes and broader participation. Students may also critically examine whether expanding the energy system is the only route towards a sustainable energy supply.

Examples of knowledge needs identified by external stakeholders in this cluster include:

• The socioeconomic effects that expanding local energy solutions could have in West Sweden.
• How costs and benefits can be distributed in ways perceived as fair and legitimate by, for example, citizens, landowners and businesses.
• How municipalities and other actors involved in spatial and societal planning can work with more inclusive and systems-based energy planning.
• Mapping different forms of resistance and polarisation associated with energy projects, and how these can be understood, managed and prevented.
• How incentives can be designed to promote more resource-efficient and flexible energy use, particularly in West Swedish industry.
• How design, local place values and local perspectives can influence acceptance of local and sustainable energy solutions.

Confirmed external partners:

• County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland – Environmental Department
• Innovatum Science Park
• Municipality of Ale
• Skaraborgs kommunalföbund

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How can efforts to preserve and strengthen biodiversity in West Sweden go hand in hand with the climate transition while also contributing to a better quality of life and new business opportunities?

The loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest societal challenges of our time and is closely linked to climate change. Humans and our societies depend directly on healthy ecosystems for basic needs such as clean water, pollination and climate regulation. Access to nature is also an effective way of improving people’s quality of life and health. In addition, a recent report by the British intelligence services indicates that nature loss and ecosystem collapse threaten the global food supply, potentially leading to increased migration and conflicts over natural resources. Despite all these benefits and values, biodiversity is often given lower priority in decisions where economic and social interests compete for land and resources. Reversing this trend requires new ways of addressing conflicting objectives so that conservation and development can go hand in hand.

Västra Götaland offers unique conditions as a testbed for new initiatives aimed at strengthening and preserving biodiversity. The region encompasses marine environments, forests of high ecological value, dramatic table mountains and Sweden’s largest lakes. The county is also one of Sweden’s economic and industrial engines, with a strong innovation climate and significant potential for the development of green industries. Among other things, it has the highest number of agricultural businesses in the country that also own and manage forests.

This cluster focuses on how work on biodiversity, climate transition and societal development in Västra Götaland can reinforce one another rather than compete. Several important initiatives are already under way at both local and regional level. Examples to learn from include the biodiversity agreement between businesses, municipalities and academia in the Gothenburg region (Bee-Goo), and the City of Trollhättan’s pioneering work in providing biodiversity advice to individual households and businesses. Extensive conservation work is also being carried out, focusing on species conservation and the restoration of valuable habitats, as well as the conversion of mown lawns into hay meadows and flower fields to support pollinating insects in urban areas.

Theses within the cluster can contribute to developing knowledge about how different actors can work with biodiversity in a more integrated way, for example through planning, governance, business models and innovation. From a justice perspective, it is also important to understand how measures to preserve and strengthen biodiversity affect different groups in society in different ways, and how we can create more equal opportunities for people to access nature and recreational environments.

Examples of knowledge needs identified by external stakeholders in this cluster include:

• How green-blue planning can be developed in response to increasing requirements for nature restoration, climate adaptation and carbon sequestration.
• How the public sector can support businesses in working strategically with biodiversity.
• How food production in West Sweden can develop in ways that simultaneously strengthen biodiversity, improve food preparedness and support the climate transition.
• How circular systems and supply solutions can contribute to biodiversity as well as increased robustness and resilience.
• How biodiversity can be valued, measured and incorporated into decision-making, governance and business models.
• How biodiversity can contribute to a better quality of life and improved health for different groups in society.

Confirmed external partners:

• County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland – Environmental Department
• City of Trollhättan
• Municipality of Mark
• Municipality of Ale

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How can we strengthen West Sweden’s capacity to plan for and implement the climate transition while also improving our preparedness for acute crises?

At a time of growing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to global supply chains, the need for stronger preparedness has risen to the top of the political and societal agenda. The focus on acute threats, ranging from security policy concerns to global trade conflicts, has to some extent increased at the expense of attention and investment in the climate transition. At the same time, a growing number of voices argue that climate transition and preparedness can reinforce each other if treated as interconnected issues. One common argument is that climate change itself is a major driver of several of the crises we are experiencing. Another is that many synergies can be created through measures that benefit both the climate and societal preparedness. The latest report by Västra Götaland Region’s Climate Research Council, entitled A Resilient Climate Transition, provides several examples of such synergies, including a transition towards more circular resource flows, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, stronger regional energy and food supply, and greater participation by residents and civil society organisations.

Västra Götaland has one of Sweden’s most ambitious regional climate targets and a jointly adopted climate strategy supported by a broad range of actors under the banner Climate 2030 – Västra Götaland is transitioning.

Despite this, the climate transition is still progressing too slowly, creating a strong need for new ideas, initiatives and knowledge to accelerate the transition.

Theses within this cluster can contribute knowledge that strengthens society’s ability to develop communities that are better equipped both for long-term climate transition and acute crises. A just climate transition also requires a better understanding of how different groups are affected by climate change and crises, what the costs of different measures are, and how those costs can and should be distributed. There is also a need for greater understanding of how popular education and civil society can contribute to local preparedness, stronger democratic participation and resilience against disinformation, as well as how residents’ knowledge, source-critical skills and trust can be strengthened.

Examples of knowledge needs identified by external stakeholders in this cluster include:

• Which groups in West Sweden are most affected by climate change and crises, and how these groups can be reached.
• How civil society organisations and citizens can be strengthened as key contributors to climate transition and preparedness.
• How public education can counter disinformation while safeguarding freedom of opinion and expression.
• The role of the sharing economy, local initiatives and everyday practices in societal preparedness and the climate transition.
• How local and regional food preparedness can be strengthened while simultaneously reducing climate impact.
• How social innovation and learning can contribute to strengthening both the climate transition and preparedness.
• How conflicts of interest can be addressed in the evidence and knowledge used for the climate transition, for example in spatial planning, and how inclusive processes can be developed so that more voices are heard.

Confirmed external partners:

• AgroVäst
• Gröna Klustret
• Kollaborativ Ekonomi Sverige
• Västra Götaland Region – Folk High School Administration and Cultural Affairs Administration
• Skaraborgs kommunalförbund
• County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland