De-Polarizing Land Use Conflicts in Sweden. A Multi-level Governance Perspective
ASG 2023-2024
Efficient and sustainable land use is at the heart of a debate on the global level where the interests of land owners, citizens and government are increasingly divergent. In Sweden, we are witnessing several land use conflicts related to sensitive topics such as forest management, organic farming and renewable energy. These conflicts are marked by an increasing polarization among actor groups, which in turn impacts the role and aims of research regarding land use.
This ASG will develop a new analytical approach to better understand land use conflicts in Sweden and how to address them both nationally and internationally. The group will apply this approach to the critical case of unprotected Swedish old-growth forests. The overall goal of the ASG is to build a research platform that unites the varied expertise at Lund University on this urgent issue.