LiU Sustainable

Agenda 2030

An airport with the UN sustainability goals at the widowUN Sustainability goals Photo credit Susie Hedberg

 

Concerns environmental, financial and social sustainability. Top-flight research groups are working in, for example, climate and climate policy, ecology, sustainable cities, the circular economy, biogas, industrial symbiosis, environmental management systems, and new materials.

Biogas

Biogas contributes to all of the UN’s sustainable development goals. LiU has strong multidisciplinary research that covers the complete range from refinement of the processes to distribution, use, and the societal effects of biogas. LiU is also host university to the Swedish Biogas Research Center, BRC.

Circular economy

Concerns resource-efficient solutions, life-cycle-based business models, and the development of combined product and service provision. The research gathers technology, economy and the social sciences, and research is conducted in close collaboration with small and large companies.
LiU also coordinates the Mistra REES research programme – resource efficiency and effective solutions – under the auspices of the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research.

Climate and climate policy

This research is multidisciplinary and unites traditions from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The climate problem is placed into context with other measures for sustainable development. The researchers also study how knowledge and communication are used as a basis for decisions on large-scale manipulation of the climate.

Ecology

The research explores not only how animals and plants are influenced by their surroundings and by each other, but also the role of humans in the ecosystem and how important substances such as carbon, chlorine and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane circulate in various ecosystems.

Environmental management systems

The focus of the research is on change and environmental management, and it is conducted from technical, economic and social scientific starting points.
Environmental problems and an environmental perspective lead to change, while politics and systems sometimes preserve old ways of thinking, becoming in this way obstacles to the move towards a more resource-efficient society.

Forestry and agriculture

Forestry and agriculture are central in society’s quest for sustainable development. LiU conducts outstanding research in new materials from forestry products, and is host university for the VinnVäxt programme Agtech2030.

Industrial symbiosis

Long-term collaboration between local and regional actors makes possible a more efficient use of materials, energy and other resources, not only in a local area, but also throughout Sweden and around the world.

New materials

LiU is host to the Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials, that carries out both basic and applied research into new materials in such fields as more efficient energy conversion, solar cells, white LED illumination, water purification, electronic plants, etc., all designed to achieve higher sustainability.

Sustainable cities

This research collects technical, economic and social scientific starting points. The role of industry in the city is studied as is how the choice of technical systems guides the way in which people act. The research covers a broad spectrum: from studies of cycling, traffic and sustainability in Norrköping and Linköping to resource management and sustainable development in the world’s megacities.

Related research areas

Whose results also contribute to increased sustainability: Energy (and energy efficiency), Flows and contaminants, Green humanities, (sustainable) Production and (sustainable) Transport.


Research

Biogas

Circular economy

Industrial buildings by the water under pink and blue skies

Resource productivity and sustainable business growth

Industrial and Urban Symbiosis (IUS) mitigates economic and environmental problems by creating more value with fewer resources and emissions. Regenerative businesses can enhance IUS practices and benefits.

Pieces of fabric in different colours

The Role of Logistics in Circular Retail Business Models

An important step towards more sustainable trade is to introduce and scale up circular business models. The purpose of the project is to explore the current and future role of logistics in various circular business models in trade.

AI generated picture of a city in aquarelle style

Centre for Business Model Innovation

The centre for business model innovation (CBMI) takes a starting point in the role of businesses in society, and the way in which business models are changed and renewed over time in order to adapt to societal and business changes.

Climate and climate policy

Increasing homeowners adaptive capacity

Increasing homeowners adaptive capacity

Warmer weather, heavier rain, risk of flooding but also drought. How will climate change affect our houses and homes in the Nordic region? Now you can find out with a few simple clicks on the Internet.

NAMAs, support to developing countries to reduce emissions

NAMAs, support to developing countries to reduce emissions

The UN climate politics encourage developing countries to, voluntarily, take on nationally appropriate mitigation actions. If needed, they can apply for international support. This project examines what it takes to improve the process.

Powerlines at foggy field.

Resilience in the future electricity system

The Swedish electricity system is facing major changes. New research has begun at LiU which focuses on resilience in the future electricity system. The project can provide insights into how the resilience of the electricity system can be improved.

Ecology

Environmental management systems

Energy management using AI

Excellent energy management using AI - XEMAI

The project aims to enhance digitalisation within the manufacturing industry to improve energy efficiency and achieve sustainability.

Industrial buildings by the water under pink and blue skies

Resource productivity and sustainable business growth

Industrial and Urban Symbiosis (IUS) mitigates economic and environmental problems by creating more value with fewer resources and emissions. Regenerative businesses can enhance IUS practices and benefits.

A picture of metal laser.

Sustainable supply chains in Swedish industry

The project studies models and approaches that large companies are currently working with to promote an upstream sustainable supply chain, identify success factors and develop a new unique model for supplier sustainability assurance.

Forestry and agriculture

Industrial symbiosis

New materials

Sustainable cities

Powerlines at foggy field.

Resilience in the future electricity system

The Swedish electricity system is facing major changes. New research has begun at LiU which focuses on resilience in the future electricity system. The project can provide insights into how the resilience of the electricity system can be improved.

Imagine Action

Imagination as a tool for climate action: towards preparedness in the Swedish water sector, ImagineAction

The Swedish water sector needs transformation to meet the rapidly changing climate, but despite overwhelming evidence, adaptation is currently not happening fast enough. The problem is not primarily about lack of knowledge, but lack of imagination.

Building site in front of apartment complex

Circular Construction Logistics

With 23 partners, this two-year project will provide the construction industry with scenarios for complete logistics setups enabling circular material flows at scale, moving the industry from existing standalone examples.

Related research areas

News

Biogas

Photo of PhD-student at her office.

Biogas in Brazil - a resource not being used

Brazil has a significant capacity for biogas production from organic waste that has not yet been realised. Hanna Zanatta has studied several societal aspects that affect the introduction of biogas systems.

Two women in the laboratory.

New lab, but still the same

Following a fire, the lab at TEMAM has been under restoration since 2020. Now that it is finished, most of it looks the same as before, as nobody could think of any changes they would like to make to the premises.

Jonas Ammenberg.

LiU researchers spread international biogas expertise

A wide-ranging report from IEA Bioenergy has highlighted different perspectives on how biogas can be used in the transport sector.  The report shows that well-designed biogas solutions are technically, economically and sustainably competitive.

Circular economy

Mattias Lindahl.

The world's first ISO standards for a circular economy have arrived

Several researchers from the Linköping University have participated in the work to develop the world’s first ISO standards for a circular economy. The goal is a more sustainable society.

Mattias Lindahl.

Professor Mattias Lindahl is contributing to a global ISO standard

There are hundreds of definitions of circular economy in the world, which leads to confusion. A new ISO standard with a definition widely accepted and disseminated will remedy the situation.

Two female student, dissasembling an Ikea product.

Students disassemble Ikea products

This is part of a research project in which LiU students get to collaborate with the Swedish furniture giant. The students document possibility of repairing, replacing and reusing.

Climate and climate policy

Two men and a woman talk in front of a screen

Machine learning can give the climate a chance

Machine learning can help us discover new patterns and better tackle the climate crisis. Researchers from all over the world meet at Linköping University with the goal of finding and deepening collaborations in this area.

CO2 written in cloud letters on a blue sky.

Risky path to meeting climate targets for Stockholm

Stockholm aims to capture more carbon dioxide than is emitted by 2030. Therefore, the city is investing in new technology. But it is a strategy that has been adopted without sufficient discussion of the risks, says researchers at LiU.

Mattias Lindahl.

Professor Mattias Lindahl is contributing to a global ISO standard

There are hundreds of definitions of circular economy in the world, which leads to confusion. A new ISO standard with a definition widely accepted and disseminated will remedy the situation.

Ecology

Wild boar.

Better wildlife observation with new counting method

Are wildlife populations increasing or decreasing? It is difficult to count wild animals, but the amount harvested through hunting gives an indication. Now, these statistics can be made more useful, thanks to a new model developed by researchers.

Two young women collecting samples in a urban garden in front of city houses.

Urban agriculture – is it all good?

Many cities are seeing an increasing interest for homegrown food. But researchers want to find out: is there also a downside to urban agriculture in the shape of nutrient loss to waterways?

arctic fox.

Species in polar regions hard hit by climate change

Many species will become extinct as a consequence of global warming. This is the prediction of a mathematical model developed at LiU. The simulations show that climate change will have a particularly large impact on ecosystems in polar regions.

Environmental management systems

Mattias Lindahl.

Professor Mattias Lindahl is contributing to a global ISO standard

There are hundreds of definitions of circular economy in the world, which leads to confusion. A new ISO standard with a definition widely accepted and disseminated will remedy the situation.

Mistra REES

Mistra to continue funding research into circular economy transition

The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research has granted SEK 47 million for four years to Mistra REES. The aim of the programme is to facilitate the transition by Swedish manufacturing industry to a circular economy.

Four countries gather to discuss the health of the Baltic

The Baltic Sea is one of the world’s most polluted.  A research project led by LiU brought together representatives from different countries to discuss possible solutions to some of the environmental problems.

Forestry and agriculture

Tractor with seed drill.

New technology to secure future harvests

Wars, natural disasters and climate change bring huge challenges for the agriculture industry, which must at the same time provide food for a growing population. Future high-technology solutions  can increase food production in a sustainable manner.

Karola Reuterström (Stora Lövhulta gård), Per Frankelius (Linköpings universitet) and Mattias Larsson (Abbotnäs säteri).

Climate-smart farming robot solves problems

An invention by researcher Per Frankelius and farmers in the region of Sörmland could be an important step in the electrification of agriculture. It also solves other problems such as hard-packed soil, emissions and poorer harvests.

Carl Fredrik Graf, governor of Östergötland

Ambassadors appreciate agricultural technology

Nineteen EU ambassadors visiting Östergötland not only saw the world première of a sowing machine, developed within Agtech 2030, they also heard Per Frankelius describe his vision of how smart technical solutions will contribute to a greener Europe.

Industrial symbiosis

New materials

Portrait photo of Mats Fahlman

SEK 380 million to cutting edge wood research

The Wallenberg Foundation has awarded SEK 380 million to research at the Wallenberg Wood Science Center, WWSC. A quarter of the grant will go to LiU, which is conducting the programme with KTH and Chalmers. The objective is high.

Spin-polarized semiconductor light emitting structure.

Major initiative in materials research for sustainability

A billion-kronor investment into research under the auspices of the Wallenberg Initiative Material Science for Sustainability (WISE) will develop sustainable and efficient materials to solve some of the huge challenges we face.

Mikhail Vagin and Penghui Ding working in the laboratory.

LiU researchers first to develop an organic battery

Researchers at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics have for the first time demonstrated an organic battery. It is of a type known as a “redox flow battery” that can be used to store energy from solar cells, and as a power bank for cars.

Sustainable cities

Photo of PhD-student at her office.

Biogas in Brazil - a resource not being used

Brazil has a significant capacity for biogas production from organic waste that has not yet been realised. Hanna Zanatta has studied several societal aspects that affect the introduction of biogas systems.

Tank station for the fuel HVO.

Difficult to create sustainable transport chains

Both transport companies and trading companies have high ambitions with respect to sustainable transport. But researchers at LiU and Linnaeus University have shown that several challenges remain before the entire transport chain becomes sustainable.

architecture of Valla city in Linköping

Research to aid smart urban energy planning

Researchers at LiU are to develop a platform that allows municipalities and urban areas to obtain support when making decisions about energy. The FlexSUS project lies under the EU Horizon 2020 programme, and is led by Associate Professor Yang Liu.