Mistra-SWECIA was a research programme on climate, impacts and adaptation. It extended and transcended state-of-the-art disciplinary research on climate science, biology/ecology, economics, and social sciences.
2008–2011
The overarching aim was to create a capacity for advanced analysis and consistent assessment of climate, economy and impacts. Global and regional models of climate, economy and impacts were the main tools, together with data on natural and human processes and systems. The application of this capacity involved a strong line of research on the adaptation process itself, focusing on learning from experience, putting new knowledge into use, identifying bottlenecks and opportunities.
The programme scope was global, with focus on regional and local scales in the Nordic region. Climate, impacts, economy and adaptation were considered on and across all these scales, including couplings and feedback. Indeed, Mistra-SWECIA forged a new interdisciplinary approach to serve as a stepping stone for improved and useful understanding and handling of the systems, processes and issues at hand.
SEI led the project “The Process of Adaptation to Climate Change” to investigate factors that influence people’s decisions to prepare or not to prepare for future climate risks. It involved analysis of people’s perceptions of risk, and of how information on the consequences of climate change promotes individual and collective learning. The research combined theoretical and empirical research. The empirical research was carried out in case studies, the first two of which were on the Stockholm region and the Swedish forestry sector.
Results of SWECIA are expected to help planners and policymakers in designing more effective strategies to reduce the vulnerability of Swedish citizens and firms to climate change, and to integrate climate concerns into day-to-day decision-making.
Head of Knowledge Management, Senior Research Fellow
Global Operations
SEI Headquarters
Team Leader: International Climate Risk and Adaptation; Senior Research Fellow
SEI Headquarters
SEI Affiliated Researcher
Team Leader: Cities, Communities and Consumption; Senior Research Fellow
SEI Headquarters
Other publication / This chapter identifies key factors identified through the research, including trust in climate science and personal objectives.
4 February 2016 / About Adaptation, Behaviour and choice, Climate policy, Climate services and Forests
Other publication / This article describes key issues arising from meetings with forest owners about how Swedish forestry is affected by climate change.
20 April 2015 / About Adaptation and Forests
Other publication / Mistra-SWECIA develops methods to communicate new knowledge about climate change mitigation and adaptation to stakeholders in the Swedish forestry sector.
25 August 2014 / About Adaptation, Climate services, Forests, Mitigation and Participation
Other publication / Focus group discussions with private forest owners and officials show how adaptation is a natural part of Swedish forest management.
25 August 2014 / About Adaptation, Forests and Participation
Other publication / Swedish forestry has been highlighted as a climate change "winner", but it's increasingly clear that there will be negative effects on Swedish forests.
22 March 2012 / About Adaptation
Other publication / How the continued climate change will unfold depends crucially on decisions on mitigation.
22 March 2012 / About Adaptation and Mitigation
Other publication / Mistra-SWECIA research uses participatory methods to improve knowledge on adaptation while contributing to methodology development.
22 March 2012 / About Adaptation
Other publication / Scientific knowledge is recognised as a source of knowledge for decision support, but it is often unclear what is needed and how it should be communicated.
20 July 2011 / About Adaptation and Forests
Journal article / Informal learning between individuals and groups and between different levels of society is a crucial basis for bringing about necessary change.
11 March 2010
Journal article / Human actions are likely the primary cause for contemporary climate change, and change will continue for a long time ahead. This calls for adaptation.
19 February 2010
Journal article / The authors examine the challenges and expectations of Nordic municipalities in using consumption-based emission data to embrace climate action.
9 January 2024 / About Climate policy, Finance and Mitigation
Feature / The European Union is not prepared to manage cascading climate risks. Researchers share key recommendations for EU policy makers to build climate resilience.
24 November 2023 / About Adaptation, Climate policy, Disaster Risk, Finance and Supply Chains
Other publication / This policy brief presents the findings from the report "Comparison and analysis of national adaptation policies in the Nordic region".
1 September 2023 / About Adaptation and Climate policy
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