Home

Björn-Ola Linnér: I am a frustrated optimist

05 September 2023

Jonas Roslund

Björn-Ola Linnér intended to be a social studies teacher. Instead, he became a climate researcher. He had never imagined an academic career. Yet, he became a professor at the Department of Thematic studies - Environmental Change in Linköping and, as a researcher, plays an active role in the environmental debate.

Photo credit Anna Nilsen

He talks vividly about his journey from the free church environment in his childhood Gothenburg to a professorship at Linköping University.

“I didn’t know anyone who went to university until I was 18 or 19. I thought you had to be super smart.”

In the video, he talks about why he calls himself a frustrated optimist, the link between research and his free church background, how he handles the sometimes hateful climate debate and what he says to all those who despair about the future.

From Lund to Linköping

But through his sister’s boyfriend, thoughts of studying were awakened in him, which led to the upper secondary school subject teacher education programme in Lund. At the same time, he was interested in the environmental debate and was attracted by the research, but realised that the environmental issue spanned both the social and the natural sciences.

Therefore, he decided that he needed an interdisciplinary PhD education. In 1993, he found his way to Linköping University, and there he has remained.

“The most important thing in my life right now? That it wouldn’t be so much fun that you work too much,” smiles Björn-Ola Linnér.

Translation: Simon Phillips

Photo credit Anna Nilsen

Facts: Björn-Ola Linnér

Born 1963 in Gothenburg. At the Department of Thematic Studies - Environmental Change, Björn-Ola Linnér conducts research on international climate policy and sustainable development.
He is also Programme Director of the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra, and is affiliated with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the University of Oxford.
As a researcher, he has also been involved in the international climate negotiations.

Related research

Norrköping Decision Arena.

Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, CSPR

CSPR is a platform for knowledge production to trigger and promote societal changes towards safe and just climate futures for all. Our goal is to create knowledge and methodological approaches that can support and advance climate actions.
Flooding.

AI4ClimateAdaptation

AI4ClimateAdaptation explores the capacity of AI-based image processing and text mining to contribute to evaluating the accuracy of the national system for impact-based weather warnings and to contribute to the development of the system.
Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, Nadi, Fiji

Ontological security in a transforming world

Climate change presents security and health challenges. We need to better understand how political and practical responses to climate change emerge from how people experience such challenges and vice versa.

Related news

En grupp människor som sitter vid ett bord framför en folkmassa.

Participants in UN climate meetings want greater focus on implementation

UN climate negotiations are often criticised for moving too slowly. A new study published in Nature Climate Change examines what changes government delegates and other participants at the COP29 UN climate conference would like to see.

New centre drives sustainability transition

With a mission to catalyse research and collaboration on sustainable societal transformation, a new centre, LiU Sustainability Transformations, LiUST, will be a new meeting place for innovation and collaboration – both within and outside of LiU.
COP26

Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research at COP26

Researchers from the CSPR participated on site during the UN climate negotiations, COP26. Among other things, they followed the negotiations, coordinated survey studies and studied the youth movement's involvement in the climate issue.

Organisation

Water on a rock

Environmental Change (TEMAM)

Almost all nature bears traces of human activity. Its condition is strongly linked to social development. This creates a need for scientific breadth and problem-solving skills. Education and research at Environmental Change respond to this challenge.
Drone image of the Tema building at Campus Valla

Department of Thematic Studies (TEMA)

In an increasingly complicated world, there is a need for researchers that can handle both breadth and depth, and can collaborate across disciplinary borders. Major societal questions are studied from an interdisciplinary perspective at TEMA.

Latest news from LiU

A couple of people that are in a room.

ERC funding for two LiU researchers for the energy solutions of the future

LiU researchers Nara Kim and Catherine Aitchison, both at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, have each been awarded an ERC Starting Grant worth approximately SEK 18 million over five years in a highly competitive process.
Rasmus Åhman, forskning inom perioperativ vård och utfall efter operation. Målet på lång sikt är att förbättra prognosen för patienter som opereras i Sverige.

Level of education most strongly linked to survival after hip fracture

Level of education is the socio-economic factor most strongly associated with survival rates after acute hip surgery. This is shown in a LiU study of 58,000 people. The results can be used to identify patients who may need more support after surgery.
An older man wearing a hat and glasses.

How do genocide and crimes against humanity arise?

Dehumanisation is a driving force behind some of history’s worst atrocities, according to Professor David Livingstone Smith. As Visiting Professor at LiU he will investigate when, how and why one human being comes to see another as less than human.