Environmental Change (TEMAM)

Tema M – Environmental Change is a platform for highly topical, problem-oriented and critical interpretive environmental research and education. At a time when almost the entire nature bears traces of human activity, the state of the environment is strongly linked to the development of society. Today, environmental problems are no longer perceived as ‘problems in nature’ but also as complex social problems that set new standards for scientific breadth, integration and problem-solving.

Environmental Change meets this challenge through a strong combination of analysis traditions and methods for natural science, social sciences, and the humanities. Among these included are analysis of biogeochemical processes and material flows, policy studies developed in close collaboration with user groups, as well as analytical studies of ideas and debates within the environmental and climate field. By promoting interdisciplinary cooperation in the borderland between these different analytical traditions, Tema M ensures that environmental change as a concept, process and political point at issue is not taken for granted but instead subject to constant review and transparency.

Tema M builds on a strong tradition of interdisciplinary environmental studies that have permeated the unit since 1980 and the Center for Climate Science and Policy Research (CSPR) since 2004. At Tema M, these studies are further developed and profiled in relation to contemporary environmental science and environmental policy development.

Strategic Research Areas

A park bench in water.
Photographer: Pixabay

Climate Change

We study challenges posed by climate change, their implications around the world and actions that could lead to fossil free societies that are robust to the effects of climate change.

Insjö skog around.

Contaminant and Element Cycling

We study natural and human-induced changes using observational, experimental and modeling approaches. From major and trace elements to contaminants, we focus on biogeochemical processes driving their distribution and cycling in ecosystems.
People holding up signs.
Photographer: Pixabay

Knowledge politics and communication 

We study how knowledge about current environmental and developmental challenges is represented, legitimized, problematized and made sense of in education, research practices, media and policy processes.

Lab environment.
Photographer: Anna Nilsen

Earth resources 

We study challenges associated with sustainable use and management of resources with focus on waste, water, land, ecosystems, nutrients as well as renewable energy. We co-create knowledge through interactions with societal actors to assess and develop processes, technologies, analytical tools, and frameworks.

Research Project

A forest grove

The behavior of radioactive chlorine in soils

Radioactive chlorine is part of the waste from nuclear power plants. It has a long half-life of 300 000 years, is highly mobile and bioavailable. In cooperation with e.g. French Nuclear Safety Authority, we examine the chlorine cycling in nature.

An exhaust pipe in the shape of a heart

Societal Transformations Lab

With Societal Transformation Lab, we create an innovative platform for research on how communities can be set to become sustainable.

Demonstration with banners

Non-state actors in climate cooperation

Non-state actors, such as companies and organizations, participate in the UN climate negotiations in various steering groups and side events. This research program focuses on these types of activities and the impact they have.

Publications

Latest publications

2025

Veronica Brodén Gyberg, Mathias Fridahl (2025) Swedish climate aid in transition?
Cecilia Enberg, Anders Jidesjö, Ola Leifler, Donatella Puglisi (2025) Case Study Three: Challenge-Based Learning for Sustainability Education A Practical Guide to Understanding and Implementing Challenge-Based Learning, p. 131-139 (Chapter in book)
Ashley Almqvist-Ingersoll (2025) Risking delay: the storylines of (bioenergy with) carbon capture and storage in Swedish parliamentary discourse Frontiers in Climate (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Alexandra Buylova, Naghmeh Nasiritousi, Jennifer Bergman, Lisa Sanderink, Björn Wickenberg, Cesar Casiano Flores, Kes McCormick (2025) Bridging silos through governance innovations: the role of the EU cities mission Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, Vol. 6 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Helena Rodrigues Oliveira, Thuane Mendes Anacleto, Fernanda Abreu, Alex Enrich Prast (2025) New insights into the factors influencing methanogenic pathways in anaerobic digesters Anaerobe, Vol. 91, Article 102925 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Alireza Vaezi, Joyanto Routh, Arun Rana, Sara Sokhansefat, Mohsen Nasseri (2025) Linking Future Hydroclimatological Changes with Past Climatic Conditions in Southeastern Iran: Insights from Models and Observations International Journal of Environmental Research, Vol. 19, Article 38 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Azam Akhbari (2025) Emerging opportunities of Biox in wastewater treatment BiOX-based photocatalysts for dual applications: Water Treatment and Energy Storage (Chapter in book)

2024

Idoia Beloki Ezker, Bo Yuan, Pernilla Bohlin-Nizzetto, Anders Røsrud Borgen, Thanh Wang (2024) Polychlorinated alkanes in indoor environment: A review of levels, sources, exposure, and health implications for chlorinated paraffin mixtures Chemosphere, Vol. 365, Article 143326 (Article, review/survey) Continue to DOI

News

News

Research for a sustainable future awarded almost SEK 20 million grant

An unexpected collaboration between materials science and behavioural science. The development of better and more useful services to tackle climate change. Two projects at LiU are to receive support from the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.

Researchers in front of a tree in a forest

LiU researchers explore sustainable forest management in the Amazon

Can climate action go hand in hand with the needs of local Amazonian communities? A research team from Linköping University is investigating this question through interdisciplinary work with communities in the Mamirauá Reserve, Brazil.

Researcher at a archeological excavation site.

Ancient seeds give clues on climate change

Thousand-year-old seeds, and traces hidden in the soil for more than 5,000 years, provide clues to how people and their crops were affected by climate change. This knowledge may help us adapt to changes in our lifetime and in the future.

PhD Programme

Education

Contact

Staff

Staff

Visit us in Tema Building, Campus Valla

Postal adress
Linköping University, Department of Thematic Studies/Environmental Change, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden

Organisation