SEI secures over SEK 240 million in external grants in 2022
From collaborative projects on carbon neutrality to developing and using data-driven sustainability tools such as Trase, an transparency initiative led by Global Canopy and SEI, SEI’s science-based and evaluative impact strategy is a forerunner for the connections between sustainability research and policy. The newly funded projects in the 2022 application round include the following.
MEFadapt focuses on improving understanding of the transboundary impacts of climate change by considering the implications of climate vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies on global mineral, energy and food systems. The project recognizes the cascading negative effects of the interaction between climate and non-climate hazards and seeks to contribute to addressing the distributive and potentially inequitable impacts of climate resilience strategies. Its planned outcome is the creation of governance frameworks to manage transboundary climate risks in fair, legitimate and effective ways and to inform effective adaptation governance in Sweden, the EU and beyond. It also seeks to increase societal focus and action on transboundary climate risks through strategic stakeholder engagement. The project utilizes existing databases and a mix of innovative research methods, including database visualization and modelling, scenario analysis, network analysis and interactive policy simulation.
A related project funded by FORMAS is “Investigating procedural and distributive justice in decentralized adaptation finance”. The project aims to improve procedural fairness for current climate adaptation financing models after new commitments in 2021 Glasgow Climate Pact to scale up the financing of global climate funds. It analyzes the top-down centralized nature of adaptation finance decisions that occur by accrediting national entities to directly manage global funds. Given concerns about elite capture at the national and subnational levels and administrative barriers to access to adaptation funds, less than 10% of the funds reach targeted vulnerable communities. This centralized financing approach to adaptation is set against new decentralized models of financial delivery that devolve financial control to national and sub-national levels and allow sub-grants to locally organized entities. The project’s unique contribution lies in analyzing the potential to scale up new decentralized financing models to support more locally led and equitable adaptation financing.
Two projects that emphasize multi-geographical and multi-scalar methods for environmental management received over SEK 110 million in funding. A project aims to support the national and local authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing and monitoring environmental strategies while supporting two coal municipalities in developing sustainable transition plans. A related multi-site project in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine focuses on supporting green transitions by conducting local assessments and jointly developing roadmaps for applications of the EU Green Deal Framework.
SEI also received funding for the InnovaCuba program, which aims to promote innovation for climate adaptation through entrepreneurship. The program is the result of previous baseline assessments of coastal vulnerability in Cuba and collaborations between SEI, SIDA and Cuba’s Institute of Geophysics and Astronomy. The program contains action plans to improve climate resilience and promote entrepreneurship through support for emerging micro, small and medium-sized enterprises working for increased climate resilience. It emphasizes building capacity for entrepreneurship around the circular use of resources to improve water and sanitation services and value creation by harnessing Cuba’s biological resources.
A network of 38 actors, including SEI, also received funding for Co-Creating Better Blue research program led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg. The program is part of Mistra’s initiative “A sustainable blue economy” which aims to improve cross-sector collaborations for the currently fragmented marine management landscape in Sweden. While emphasizing a co-creative approach, the program considers how marine services such as shipping, aquaculture and tourism can coexist in a sustainable manner. It uses living laboratories in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic and North Seas to test marine innovations and propose practical approaches to improve ocean sustainability.
In order to strengthen research collaborations and reduce filtered perspectives, the collaboration between SEI and Stockholm University has led to both institutions securing start-up funding of over SEK 100,000 for two research projects. The power of art, storytelling and climate policy is led by Therese Bennich and will analyze how different audiences perceive photos, text and illustrations and the possibilities for changing climate policy. The second project, which focuses on assessing the effectiveness of stakeholder collaborations to address climate change, is led by Mairon G. Bastos Lima. The planned results of these seed-funded projects are to strengthen the multidisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration between SEI and Stockholm University and create opportunities for joint research grant proposals until the end of 2023.
The Swedish International Agriculture Network Initiative (SIANI) hosted at SEI is a Swedish-based global, open and inclusive network platform that supports and promotes multi-sector dialogue and action around sustainable food systems. SEI has received SEK 57 million to manage SIANI’s fourth phase (SIANI 4) 2021-2027. The SIANI secretariat based at SEI in collaboration with the network Forest Climate and Livelihood (Focali) and the Swedish University of Agriculture will work for a sustainable and rights-based food system during the new program phase. The program emphasizes an inclusive approach that includes smallholders, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and marginalized groups.
The environmental threats to our common human prosperity become more serious with each passing day. More than ever, innovation and knowledge application in sustainability science and policy are needed to inform about sustainable consumption, protection of ecosystems, sustainable business practices and resource management. We are grateful to all our financiers for believing in the SEI model and we hope that our continued collaborations will contribute to reaching the common vision of a sustainable world.