Photo of Åsa Svenfelt

Åsa Svenfelt

Senior Associate Pro

Associate professor in Urban and Regional planning. My research concerns long-term planning for sustainable consumption and just transitions to sustainable societies.

Long-term planning for sustainable and just futures

My research focuses on long-term planning for sustainable and just transitions. I hold a PhD in Sustainable Development and Futures Studies and study the strategies, policy instruments, and societal transformations needed to create sustainable futures within planetary boundaries.

In my research, I frequently use participatory futures studies and scenario approaches to explore alternative futures, address uncertainty, and support long-term societal planning. A particular focus is on sustainable consumption, sufficiency, and just transitions, as well as on the role of municipalities, regions and civil society organizations in sustainability transitions.

I am interested in questions concerning the role of consumption in the transition to sustainable societies, new narratives about future everyday life, and how governance and planning can support socially desirable and environmentally sustainable change. My research is conducted in close collaboration with societal stakeholders and aims both to generate new knowledge and to strengthen society’s capacity to address long-term sustainability challenges.

Publications

2026

Ann-Sofie Kall, Åsa Svenfelt (2026) När omställning skaver: Möten mellan hållbar omställning och lokala intressen (Report) https://dx.doi.org/10.3384/9789181186628
Naghmeh Nasiritousi, Kristina Trygg, Per Bolund, Alexandra Buylova, Rebecka Ericsdotter Engström, Alexandra Glemstedt, Sara Gustafsson, Kes McCormick, Harald Rohracher, Lisa Sanderink, Åsa Svenfelt, Björn Wickenberg (2026) The limits and opportunities of the EU Cities Mission: bridging literatures and learning from frontrunner cities in Sweden Urban Transformations, Vol. 8, Article 31 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s42854-026-00117-w
Åsa Svenfelt, Sara Gustafsson, Brita Hermelin (2026) Emerging planning practices for enabling citizens' sustainable food consumption FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABILITY, Vol. 7, Article 1786126 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1786126
Vishal Parekh, Åsa Svenfelt (2026) Tillräcklighet och minskad alkoholkonsumtion: erfarenheter från åtgärder i det svenska alkoholmonopolsystemet (Report) https://dx.doi.org/10.3384/9789181185188
Brita Hermelin, Sara Gustafsson, Åsa Svenfelt (2026) Kommuners roll i att möjliggöra invånares omställning till en mer hållbar matkonsumtion (Report) https://dx.doi.org/10.3384/9789181184242

News and features about current research

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