Suchergebnisse

De senaste åren har sjukförsäkringen utvecklats i en åtstramande riktning utan att någon ändring av socialförsäkringsbalken har skett. Tidigare forskning har fokuserat på regeringens styrning mot ett sjukpenningtal på 9,0 som förklaring till Försäkringskassans förändrade tillämpning. Inom ramen för denna förklaring har även aktiveringspolitikens påverkan på styrningen lyfts fram. I denna artikel argumenterar jag för att det inte endast är regeringens styrning och aktiveringspolitiken som påverkat Försäkringskassans interna styrning, utan också en självideologi hos myndigheten som ligger i linje med ett ämbetsmannastatligt etos. Artikeln undersöker detta genom att göra en åtskillnad mellan enkelt respektivekvalificerat handlingsutrymme hos förvaltningen. Artikeln driver tesen att förändringen inom sjukförsäkringen har sin grund i en kombination av en ämbetsmannastatlig idé om relationen mellan politik och förvaltning (utövandet av ett kvalificerat handlingsutrymme) och en aktiveringspolitisk idé om relationen mellan stat och individ. ; Since the first two decades of the 21st century the Swedish social insurance system has evolved in a more restrictive direction without any corresponding change in the law. Previous research has mainly focused on the government's steering towards a sickness benefit ratio of 9.0 as an explanation to the changed enforcement of the system. Within the framework of this explanation, the activation policy has also been highlighted as a form of meta-ideology that has influenced the governance. This article argues that it's not only the government's control of activation policy that governs the actions of the Swedish social insurance agency, but also a specific ethos of the bureaucracy which consist of the self- ideology that the agency is the lord of the welfare state, not the server. In order to explore this, the article make a distinction between two types of discretion of the bureaucracy, and argue that the change in the Swedish social ...

Under 2021 genomförde sekretariatet för selektivt fiske, vid institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua) tillsammans med svenskt yrkesfiske, ett projekt inom ramen för regeringens satsning på selektivt fiske. Den övergripande målsättningen för alla projekt inom selektivt fiske är att underlätta införandet av den landningsskyldighet som sedan 2015 införts i och med reformen av EU:s gemensamma fiskeripolitik, samt att utveckla mer skonsamma och rovdjursäkra fiskemetoder. Projektet som genomfördes under 2021 syftade till testa en ny typ av redskapslösning, "The Excluder", för reduktion av oönskad fångst i det pelagiska trålfisket. Excludern består av ett förlängningsstycke med en inre tunnel konstruerad av ett selektionsnät. Tanken är att målarten, som är av mindre storlek, passerar genom maskorna i denna tunnel och ut i förlängningsstycket för att sedan fångas upp i trålpåsen. Oönskade arter, som är av större storlek än målarten, kommer inte passera genom maskorna i den inre tunneln utan leds ut utanför trålen via ett hål i botten av förlängningsstycket vid tunnelns slut. Excludern testades i industrifisket efter tobis i Nordsjön via alternerande hal, dvs. fångstens storlek och sammansättning i en trål med en Excluder monterad jämfördes med fångstens storlek och sammansättning i en trål utan en Excluder monterad. För att bekräfta att redskapet bibehöll avsedd form under fisket och för att visuellt kunna observera fiskens beteende i de olika delarna av Excludern användes även undervattensvideo under redskapsförsöket. Resultaten tyder på att Excludern fungerade som tänkt i fisket efter tobis med avseende på fångsteffektivitet, selektion av fångst och redskapets symmetri under trålning. Jämförelse av fångst per ansträngning visade att Excludern reducerade mängden oönskad fångst av större fisk med 96 % i vikt. Resultaten från detta projekt tyder även på att selektiviteten av fisk av mindre storlek kan förbättras ytterligare och att det finns potential för att denna tekniska lösning kan nyttjas i andra typer av kommersiellt fiske.

Human activity affects planetary systems that support living on Earth and the food systems is a large contributor to overstepping the planetary boundaries. Global and national sustainability aims include targets for organic food production, during the latest years many countries have grown their organic food market share. However, the Swedish organic food market share growth stopped in 2016. The purpose of this study is to understand why the decline of the Swedish market share growth occurred and what the future might hold for the organic food category. This qualitative study has aimed to find answers through interviews with initiated persons in the Swedish food system. Results indicate that many changes in the political and societal landscape pressured the Organic food and the Organic food category transformed into the new Sustainability food category, presenting more competition for organic labelled food, together with plant-based, vegetarian and climate-friendly food. The rise of Swedish produced food, increasingly important from a national self-sufficiency and survival perspective, should be viewed as sustainable, and is also a competitor of organic food. The shine of organic food is often lost in the multi-faceted competition with the other sustainability and Swedish foods, but the market share has stayed at a stable level since 2016. Looking to the future, the new sustainability food category in Sweden will contain organic food but also locally produced food, that has been produced with more effective and environmentally friendly methods. The Swedish climate presents difficulties for year-round agriculture and the aim to become more self-sufficient needs to include locally produced meat, dairy, vegetable, and plant-based foods, indicating a need to focus innovation and development on Swedish food production and conservation methods. Socio-environmental sustainability aspects in Swedish food production, such as the unhealthy effects of mineral fertilizers and pesticide on all living species, should be ...

Den här rapporten ger en inblick i vår pågående forskning i projektet "Making Sense of Adaptation - Adaptation practice in a governance perspective" (härefter MASA). MASA har sedan år 2018 följt och följeforskat ett antal organisationer och institutioner med ansvar för klimatanpassning i en svensk kontext. Syftet med projektet är att bidra med kunskap om hur dessa aktörer uppfattar och genomför sitt arbete i praktiken, samt att baserat på detta underlag bidra till en bättre förståelse för om, och i så fall vilka, förändringar i klimatanpassningsarbetet som är önskvärda och möjliga. Med utgångspunkt i teorier om sociala praktiker har vi zoomat in på specifika klimatanpassningspraktiker genom att följa, observera och analysera pågående arbete. Nästa steg är att zooma ut och blicka framåt tillsammans med dem som befinner sig i dessa praktiker. Den workshop som vi genomförde tillsammans med myndighetsnätverket för klimatanpassning under våren 2021 inledde denna fas, och denna rapport kan ses som ett första avstamp för gemensam reflektion och diskussion om våra preliminära resultat. Myndighetsnätverket för klimatanpassning är en central aktör och viktig källa till kunskap i det svenska klimatanpassningsarbetet. Nätverket kopplar samman ett stort antal myndigheter och sektorer på olika nivåer (regionala och nationella) som är involverade i och har ett utpekat ansvar för samhällets klimatanpassning. Syftet med workshopen var att tillsammans med nätverket reflektera och prata om visioner kopplade till klimatanpassning utifrån nätverkets egenidentifierade behov och preliminära resultat från vår forskning. Vilken målbild och vision för klimatanpassning har myndighetsnätverkets medlemmar? Vad behöver utvecklas och förändras för att en sådan vision ska realiseras? Detta sökte vi svar på genom att diskutera frågan Hur ser ett samhälle ut där klimatanpassningen fungerar och genererar önskvärda resultat? Som riktlinje fick deltagarna förhålla sig till år 2040, varifrån vi sedan spårade oss bakåt i tiden mot nuläge (så kallad backcastingmetod) för att identifiera såväl prioriterade frågor som risker med nuvarande sätt att arbeta med klimatanpassning. Vision för klimatanpassning år 2040 - hur ser ett önskvärt läge ut? En viktig utgångspunkt i deltagarnas vision av klimatanpassning är tillgången till insti-tutionellt stöd och ledarskap, bättre kunskapsunderlag samt att klimatanpassning behandlas som en prioriterad fråga, politiskt, i samhällsdebatten samt i den egna organisationen. I deltagarnas vision är klimatanpassningen mer flexibel och proaktiv, samtidigt som det finns en tydligare ansvarsfördelning mellan samhällets olika aktörer och nivåer. Helhetssyn och långsiktighet präglar arbetet där globalt samarbete och rättviseaspekter har en självklar plats. Några deltagare lyfter även vikten av att existentiella frågor kopplade till klimatanpassning och klimatförändring diskuteras och ges mer utrymme än idag. Bärande för och underliggande visionen är en pågående samhällsomställning och transformation, eller strukturell förändring, av olika samhällssektorer. Förutsättningarna för klimatanpassning är avhängigt samhällsutvecklingen i stort och i visionen hanteras inte klimatanpassning längre som en enskild fråga. Frågor att fokusera på redan nu Deltagarnas övergripande vision, tillsammans med de nyckelområden och risker som vi identifierade i efterföljande diskussion, ger en viktig fingervisning om vilka frågor som är centrala att fokusera på och utveckla i klimatanpassningsarbetet redan nu. Politiskt mod, eller tydligt klimatledarskap, på alla nivåer identifierades i workshopen som helt centralt för framgångsrikt arbete med klimatanpassning. Baksidan av samma mynt är deltagarnas uttryck för en rädsla bland enskilda tjänstemän och myndigheter att göra "fel" vilket riskerar att skapa passivitet i klimatanpassningsarbetet. Därför krävs olika former av stöd såsom tydligare vägledning och målstyrning som kan underlätta myndigheternas avvägningar. En annan aspekt som pekas ut som viktig för klimatarbetet är möjligheter till gemensamt utforskande av svåra frågor där det saknas enkla svar eller stöd av tidigare erfarenheter. Kontinuerliga reflektionsprocesser inom nätverket och dess olika organisationer menar vi kan vara ett sätt att bidra till att skapa detta utrymme och samtidigt skapa förutsättningar för institutionaliserat lärande. Myndighetsnätverkets medlemmar poängterar särskilt vikten av tydligare ansvarsfördelning. Även om ansvarsfrågan lyfts tidigare och varit föremål för statliga utredningar, menar nätverket att många oklarheter består. Därför vill vi understryka att frågan om ansvar för och ledarskap i samverkan kring klimatanpassning bör ges större vikt. Ett helhetsgrepp är en förutsättning för att kunna nå önskvärda förutsättningar för fungerande klimatanpassning. Lärdomar och framåtblickar Lärdomar från denna process är att ett medvetet visionärt fokus och förhållningssätt kan skapa viktiga diskussionsytor för att angripa klimatanpassningsfrågans mer komplexa aspekter. Att göra som vi gjorde i projektet, formulera en vision i en halvt avlägsen framtid - tillräckligt långt borta för att inte uppfattas som låst av nuläget, men tillräckligt nära för att vara relevant för redan pågående beslut och processer - möjliggjorde för deltagarna att röra sig bortom sakfrågor och fragmenterade perspektiv till att ta ett bredare grepp på klimatanpassning. Vi ser en stor potential i myndighetsnätverket att fortsatt arbeta på detta sätt. Precis som deltagare framhåller under workshopen, bör nätverket värna rollen som ett öppet forum där frågor kan dryftas på ett prestigelöst sätt. Vi föreslår också att nätverket fortsätter att utforska möjligheterna att institutionalisera processer och skapa verktyg för olika former av återkommande reflektion och övergripande dialog som kan bidra till att utveckla och utnyttja nätverkets potential. Rapportens upplägg Den första delen i rapporten ger en inblick i forskningsprojektet MASA. Vi beskriver kortfattat projektets ansats, sammanfattar vad vi sett så här långt samt ger en bakgrund till workshopens inriktning. Del två återger upplägget på och resultaten av workshopen uppdelat i deltagarnas vision samt identifierade nyckelfrågor, riskområden och behov kopplat till klimatanpassningsarbetet. Del tre blickar framåt och fokuserar på myndighetsnätverkets nuvarande och framtida roll och potential.

This thesis aims to create an understanding of how structures affect grain producers' work with sustainability, and to investigate if perennial grains can be part of the future grain production in Sweden. The agricultural sector is facing a dilemma, both to ensure that ecosystem services are kept intact but also to keep up the global food supply for the growing population. Today's efficient industrial agriculture has contributed to increased emissions and the sector needs a sustainability transition. The food and agriculture industry has a strongly institutionalised structure, which means that fundamental changes take a particularly long time. Swedish grain producers are affected by structures from different levels within the sector which affect their possibility to act sustainable within their business. The current cultivation systems with annual grains requires a lot of tillage which contributes to a lot of emissions. Perennial grains are used in other countries but not yet integrated into the Swedish agricultural sector. The ongoing research development of perennial grains in Sweden is to adapt the crop to the Nordic climate and to develop a perennial grain that can be compared with the current yield and profitability of annual grains. The data collection in this thesis has been conducted through semi-structured interviews with six grain producers in Skaraborg, Västra Götaland. The theoretical framework in the thesis consists of structuration theory and sustainability transitions. The concept duality within structuration theory with structures and actions are applied on the different MLP-levels within sustainability transitions to analyse how the selected grain producers are affected by structures from the different levels and how their individual agency is affected. The results reveal that the institutionalised structures affect the grain producers' attitude towards sustainability within their business through both change inertia and the fear of lowered profitability. Joint structural changes within politics, research and development, consumers, and the grain producers themselves; are needed before the respondent perceives an opportunity to act more sustainably within their day-to-day operations. Most of the respondents consider perennial grains to be more interesting if they had better characteristics such as higher profitability, higher yield, and a higher market demand. The attitude towards perennial grains is positive but the perceived risk of low profitability inhibits implementation. By analysing the grain producers' own context with selected theoretical framework: This study shows that a supporting system is needed that enables increased profitability for sustainable initiatives and sustainability through all levels. Researchers and retailers are important actors in creating resources and structures that make it easy for grain producers to act sustainably. The grain producers themselves need to take risks when they are in situations where they have a choice to act sustainably.

The forest is considered a national asset in which many values must coexist. As a consequence, conflicts arise between different interests. Since the 1950s, clear-cutting has been the most common way of forest management in Sweden. Reindeer husbandry is negatively affected when the forest is clear-cut and is therefore in need of the forest to be managed in other ways than today. At the same time, the government wants to increase the proportion of continuous cover forestry. Chequered-Gap-Shelterwood-System is a forestry method that is regarded as a continuous cover forestry. Using a grid pattern, half the area is harvested while the rest is left to be harvested at a later time. This method is currently only available at the experimental level but is said to combine benefits from both clear-cutting and continuous cover forestry. The overall purpose of the study is to map whether Chequered-Gap-Shelterwood-System can reduce the conflict between forestry and reindeer husbandry. Through semi-structured interviews with three reindeer herders and three employees at forest companies, two main issues were studied. One was about their attitude towards the method and the other about how they thought it would be best applied. An interesting result is the perception that the method can benefit the snow conditions and the treelichen's dispersibility in relation to clear felling. The conclusion is that the attitude towards Chequered-Gap-Shelterwood-System is surprisingly positive and the analyse is that the method has the potential to reduce the conflict between the two industries. Application of the method can be used in areas that are important for reindeer husbandry and as a substitute for clear-cutting. The time between the harvests must be at least long enough for the regeneration in the openings to have time to grow above the snow cover. ; Skogen är en nationell tillgång och i den ska många värden rymmas, som en konsekvens uppstår konflikter mellan olika intressen. Sedan 1950-talet har trakthyggesbruk varit det vanligaste sättet att bruka skog i Sverige. Rennäringen påverkas negativt när skogen kalavverkas och är därför i behov av att skogen brukas på andra sätt än idag, samtidigt vill regeringen öka andelen hyggesfritt skogsbruk. Schackrutehuggning är en skogsbruksmetod som räknas som hyggesfritt skogsbruk. Metoden går ut på att skogen brukas i ett rutmönster, där halva arealen avverkas medan resten får stå kvar tills vidare. Denna metod finns idag endast på försöksnivå men sägs kombinera fördelar från både kalhuggning och hyggesfritt skogsbruk. Studiens övergripande syfte är att kartlägga om schackrutehuggning kan mildra konflikten mellan skogsbruk och renskötsel. Genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med tre renskötare och tre anställda på skogsbolag studerades två huvudfrågor. Den ena handlade om deras inställning till metoden och den andra om hur de ansåg att den bäst skulle tillämpas. Ett intressant resultat är uppfattningen att metoden kan gynna snöförhållanden och spridning av hänglav i förhållande till kalhuggning. Slutsatsen är att inställningen till schackrutehuggning är överraskande positiv och metoden har potential att mildra konflikten mellan de två näringarna. Tillämpning av metoden kan användas i områden som är viktiga för renskötsel och som en ersättning till kalhuggning. Tiden mellan avverkningarna ska åtminstone vara tillräckligt lång för att föryngringen i luckorna ska hinna växa upp ovanför snötäcket.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats against public health in the world. Antimicrobial substances are used within all different sectors and contribute to development of AMR. Global action against irresponsible use of antibiotics and further development of AMR has been of great concern in the last years and risk factors are being pointed out. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have a precarious role in the matter. Insufficient health care systems, poor law enforcement and, high accessibility of over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) are contributing to the unregulated use of antibiotics. Poorly developed surveillance programmes make it hard to correctly analyse the situation of both antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR. Bangladesh, like its neighbouring countries, faces a lot of challenges regarding public health. One of the major concerns related to public health is access to safe food. Food products can be contaminated with toxins, chemical substances, and microbial organisms, including AMR-bacteria. Furthermore, national programmes for surveillance of AMU and AMR are inadequate. In this study, data from previously done field studies by Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and newly collected information from interviews were put together to analyse the AMR situation in Bangladesh. Sampling of food products (tomato, chicken, fish) from traditional markets and supermarkets was done at three locations representing rural, peri-urban, and urban areas from November 2018 to June 2019. Samples were tested for prevalence of Salmonella spp, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae. Samples positive for bacteria were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility through disc diffusion test. As a supplement to the analysis of samples, questionnaires to the vendors of the food products were made to provide background information. During 2020, statistical analysis of previously collected data and interviews with stakeholders working with AMR was made. The interviews aimed to serve as baseline information about current conditions regarding AMU and AMR. 320 cultivations of 1589 (20.1%) were positive for bacterial prevalence. 319 of these were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility where 203 (63.6%) were found to be multidrug-resistant (MDR) (resistant to three or more antibiotic groups). Furthermore, interviews with stakeholders stated that surveillance of AMU and AMR in Bangladesh is inadequate, especially within the animal and agriculture sector, and that a one health approach on a government level is needed to improve the situation. To be able to fully analyse the AMR situation in Bangladesh, a nation-wide study would need to be conducted, within all sectors, including both AMU and AMR testing.

The aim of this thesis paper is to integrate three important thematic aspects i.e., improve qualities in the urban ecological situation, provide ideas for handling stormwater flooding and ideas to improve socio-economic aspects for inhabitants. The integration of ideas is illustrated in a masterplan program-sketch in three phases. Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. Dhaka is a densely populated fast developing city. The chronological changes of the natural setting due to rapid growth of urbanization in Dhaka city creates an imbalance with nature and disrupts urban ecology. The green and blue structures are replaced with built areas and hard surfaces. The situation for urban ecology in the city of Dhaka affects storm water flooding and social wellbeing. The methods used for background knowledge to this proposal are literature reviews, document searches, interviews, GIS analysis and a study of role models from different countries and contexts where a variety of solutions, proposals and functions inspired me in my own sketching. The methods and the background for this thesis were used to formulate guidelines to support the overall program-sketch for the three phases in a masterplan. The first phase program-sketch includes redesigning the informal settlements in Karail into better living conditions for the dwellers according to Patrick Geddes theories by keeping the overall road- and block structure and provide new shelter, job opportunities and adding recreational values to the area. The second phase concentrated on re-establishing of water streams in a green park according to the philosophy of Fredrick Law Olmsted, and in the third phase the former airport Tejgaon to become a large green area for social meetings, recreation activities for the Dhaka city inhabitants and provide job opportunities for the informal dwellers. The discussion on strengths, limitations, challenges, and further development ends with a conclusion that it is of great importance to work integrated with the three thematic aspects urban ecology, storm water flooding and social wellbeing on an overall level and with understanding of the issues among both specialists, politicians, and inhabitants to be able to implement necessary change towards sustainability.

Sheep production in Sweden is an agricultural sector that today exists merely as a small niche, despite its agroecological potential. Through literature research, a survey and 18 semi-structured interviews, this paper defines the sector's marginality and attempts to explain it. The effects of the sector's marginality on the sustainability of Swedish sheep farming and agriculture as a whole are evaluated. Finally, desirable directions for development of the Swedish sheep sector are suggested. The findings showed that the marginality of the Swedish sheep sector to a large extent is a product of socio-cultural factors that affect the structure of the sheep sector. Not least, the sector's marginality reinforces itself. In addition, bio-physical, historical and political circumstances have played a role in marginalising the sector. Several weaknesses and strengths regarding sustainability were recognized within the current, small-scale structures of Swedish sheep farming. Opportunities were identified through which the sheep sector could actually contribute to agricultural sustainability precisely through its marginality. Equally, threats to sustainability that arise from the sector being limited to its niche were acknowledged. Overall, the findings suggest that it would be beneficial for the Swedish sheep sector to grow if agroecological, sustainable farming is the ultimate goal. Whether this growth can and will be achieved, however, is questionable.

Improved global healthcare rises the production and consumption of human pharmaceuticals. Insufficient wastewater treatment systems and unregulated downstream impacts causes pharmaceutical contamination of surface waters with trace residues in countries covering all continents. Earlier studies of aquatic systems have shown that pharmaceutical exposure influences fish physiology and causes behavioural responses at both individual and ecosystem level. Here, I evaluated how social status in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) influenced behaviour after exposure to an anxiolytic drug (the benzodiazepine, oxazepam). For this project, the fish were exposed to one of three oxazepam treatments: one low, environmentally relevant dose, one high, human therapeutic relevant dose, and one control dose without oxazepam. I expected decreased aggressive behaviour and mitigated relations between dominant and subordinate individuals. Contrary to the prediction and to earlier documentation of fish behavioural responses to oxazepam exposure, neither of the treatments in this project resulted in altered social hierarchies. Moreover, there were no significant differences in brown trout aggression between the treatment groups. The interspecies variations and the relatively unexplored effects of pharmaceutical exposure on social behaviour motivates further studies, preferability over longer time periods with environmentally realistic contexts. This information should be used to improve pharmaceutical regulations and legislation for ecological risk assessments. ; Sjukvården förbättras globalt vilket innebär en ökad produktion och konsumtion av läkemedel. I dagsläget är reningsverkens filtrering av avloppsvatten otillräckliga och spår av läkemedel har hittats i vattendrag över hela världen. Studier av akvatiska miljöer som kontaminerats av läkemedel har påvisat beteendeförändringar hos fiskar och andra vattenlevande organismer med konsekvenser på både individ- och ekosystemnivå. Under det här projektet utvärderade jag hur öringens (Salmo ...

Participatory processes are becoming widely established in areas such as policy and planning. They promise to achieve more inclusive, sustainable, and democratic outcomes. However, this is often only an ideal that is not achieved in reality due to dynamic power relations that shape planning practice in various forms. Moreover, planning contexts differ between countries, producing different power dynamics that affect participatory processes. Planners have an essential role in identifying and facilitating different power relations, so their role is often linked to guiding participatory planning processes towards more balanced outcomes. Yet, the issue of power is insufficiently addressed and analyzed in the planning literature of the Global North and the Global South. To contribute to the discussion on power in participatory planning in the Global South and beyond, this study investigated how planners understand and experience power in Latin America. Therefore, interviews with planners from Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia were conducted. Their practice stories were analyzed by drawing on the framework of the three dimensions of power. After being introduced to the three dimensions of power, they could relate to the second and third dimensions of power to varying degrees through their practical experience. The planners' practice stories illustrate how power can be exercised differently in the three dimensions and in the interplay of these dimensions in participatory planning processes. The practice stories make less visible power exercises in the second and third dimensions in planning practice more visible. Thus, they provide practical examples for planners that can promote reflection and understanding of how power works in practice. Furthermore, the findings point to the importance of looking beyond the formal, invited spaces of participatory planning processes and considering exercises of power that take place outside of planning processes. Therefore, the value of this work is that it provides valuable insights ...

The Swedish government has set the goal of taking a pioneer role and targeting a transition towards 100% renewable energy use until 2040. To reach this goal, the focus in energy production is shifting towards solar, hydro as well as wind power. Since 2010, wind power in Sweden is a fast-growing industry, promoted as one solution to reach climate goals and ensure more sustainability. Nevertheless, wind power is also criticised and the cause of several land-use conflicts all over Sweden. When it comes to the northern Swedish counties, wind power plants are overlapping with traditional Sámi herding districts. Especially here critical questions regarding a misrecognition of indigenous rights as well as the meaning and implications of justice in the current transition are raised. This Master thesis addresses the current development of wind farming on Sámi lands in northern Sweden within the energy transition and sheds light on wind-power related conflicts. Therefore, the analytical frameworks environmental justice (EJ) and frame theory (FA) are used, to identify and explain tensions and map possible leverage points. The thesis combines an empirically grounded approach to explore how actors actively involved in wind farming make meaning of environmental justice, and a theory-driven approach to identify leverage points and map injustices. For this reason, in total two methods are used to collect the empirical data material: semi-structured interviews (subjected to FA) as well as a literature review (subjected to the EJ framework). The results of the frame analysis show that within the actors actively involved in wind farming four different frames can be uncovered, which lead to differing problem definitions as well as suggested solutions. The identified frames cover due to their agenda-setting character not all injustices that were derived from literature review. Furthermore, within the frames several normative dilemmas and tensions were observed, that raise the necessity to reflect on existing frames as well as on the ...

A food system includes many processes and actors that interact at different levels to maintain human` access to food. As the need for the food increases due to population growth, the activities associated with obtaining the food led to pressure on the environment. Climate change, nitrogen and phosphorus flows, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, and extinction of species are directly related to the agri-food system. Therefore, transforming food production in line with the principles of the SDGs is a major challenge for all of humanity. Aquaponics (AP) is an innovative method of food production that offers sustainability solutions and therefore may be an option for the agri-food transformation. The aim of this thesis was to understand the opportunities and barriers for AP development in Sweden and how AP may penetrate the mainstream market. A qualitative study was conducted with representatives of the Swedish agri-food system where the data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed throw the theoretical lens of the multi-level perspective (MLP) and the concept of protective space. Results showed that there are possibilities as well as blocking mechanisms for the development of AP in Sweden concerning conventional fish and vegetable production. To leave the innovation space and integrate into the market, it is necessary to transform the regime by stretching the legislation and changing the norms and routine for the AP integrated system. Since the AP product fits the norms of the market and the consumers food culture, its further distribution depends on enlightenment and marketing strategies.

The European Commission adopted the European (EU) Forest Strategy in 2021, where forests and forest management practises such as closer-to-nature forestry (CNF) are identified as a key in solving the two crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. This interview study analyses the attitudes of different forest stakeholders towards CNF and their preferred regulation method of it. Seven stakeholders participated in the interviews, representing three stakeholder groups: forest owners, environmental organisations, and industry organisations. Two environmental organisations and one of the forest owners' organisations had their own definition of CNF, which entailed mainly natural regeneration and an avoidance of clear cuts. Their perceived purpose of CNF was the same as that of the EU Forest Strategy, as a forest management method aiming to promote climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and timber production. Those who did not have a definition, two of the forest owner's organisations and two industrial organisations, explained that the definitions of CNF varied depending on the purpose of using it. The three organisations that had a definition of CNF, were also in favour of an EU regulation of CNF. The four organisations that were opposed, argued that the conditions across Europe vary too much to have a common regulation. Instead, they preferred market solutions and other ways of reaching the same goals. The results might depend on a larger inclination of believing in legislation if you have a clear definition of it, but also on the attitudes towards legislation varying in general between stakeholder types. During the finalisation of this study, the European Forest Institute released a report with seven principles of CNF, which calls for further research.

Heritage cereals, a group of cereals that have not been subjected to modern crop breeding, have been getting attention due to their generally high genetic diversity, traits like high drought and disease tolerance as well as high nutritional values. Knowledge about how consumers relate to heritage cereals in Sweden is limited, and therefore this thesis aims to, firstly, explore acceptance, awareness and preferences among a specific consumer group; students in the agriculture program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and, secondly, quality perception in relation to heritage cereals among consumers, bakers and retailers, in a Swedish context. The thesis used a mixed-method approach, and is based on quantitative data from a survey to capture perspectives from the student consumer group and semi-structured interviews with bakers and retailers to gain additional perspectives about food quality. The findings from this study suggests that the awareness of heritage cereals is high among the specific consumer group. Bread and pasta make up the most preferred food products, and supermarkets were the most preferred shopping location. Gender had some influence on differences within the group, while high similarities were found between the different educational backgrounds. Results from the survey indicate that taste and Swedish food production are two very important food quality aspects for heritage cereals. Additionally, quality aspects like health, environmental impact, organic and local production were also found to be important to consumers, bakers and retailers. Consuming heritage cereals can also be seen as a tool to support sustainable food systems and different political discourses, avoiding risks associated with industrial farming and express belonging to certain cultural identities. These were also important dimensions of heritage cereal food quality. ; Kulturspannmål, en grupp av spannmål som inte genomgått modern växtförädling, har under de senaste åren fått allt mer uppmärksamhet på grund av ...