Environment and Climate
Climate change
Symposia as video on demand
Global changes through time
Current research covering aspects of natural changes that are reflected in the Earth evolution will be presented at the symposium. Five young scientists who have been rewarded research funding from KVA/Wallenberg foundation for their excellent research will present their view on natural global changes through time.
The scientific basis of climate change
The Academy has formulated a statement concerned with the scientific basis of climate change. It has not been an objective to deal with areas outside the natural sciences. However, it is clear that changes in climate require a response from society that involves a wide range of other disciplines, with development and application of new technologies.
Planet Earth has experienced repeated changes of its climate throughout time. Periods warmer than today as well as much colder, during glacial episodes, have alternated. In our time, rapid population growth with increased demand for natural resources and energy, has made society increasingly vulnerable to environmental changes, both natural and those caused by man; human activity is clearly affecting the radiation balance of the Earth.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group 1 (The Physical Science Basis) has given a broad, systematic summary of the scientific literature on climate change and has concluded that the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases has led to an increase in the surface temperature of the Earth. As noted by the Panel, quantification of the influence on the global climate is complex and many regional effects remain uncertain.
The full statement is available to the right.
Mistra Council for Environmental Evaluation (MCEE)
Mistra, The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences have established an independent council for evaluation of environmental research. The aim is to improve basis for decisions in environmental issues. What is the scientific basis for conslusions?
The Environmental Committee
The Academy, through its Environmental Committee, monitors and interprets scientific developments in areas of global environmental concern. The Environmental Committee is actively committed to addressing issues relating to human impact on global environmental sustainability including, e.g.; climate change, biodiversity loss, natural resource use and management, changes in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Read more about the Environmental Committee
Swedish Secretariat for Environmental Earth System Sciences (SSEESS)
SSEESS strives to enhance Swedish involvement in international trans-disciplinary research efforts in Global Environmental Change, and will also provide a central, science-based, and independent source of information for Swedish policy and decision makers.
Read more about SSEESS
Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics
The institute started its work at the Academy in 1977. Since 1991 it has been working in the border area between ecology and economics. Its research programme includes proprietorship and other legal institutions for handling natural resources, the buffer capacity of ecological-economic systems, and the economic value of ecological systems. Since 2006, the institute is engaged in Stockholm Resilience Centre, a joint initiative between the Beijer Institute, Stockholm Environment Institute and Stockholms University.
Ambio and IGBP
The Academy’s environmental journal Ambio is an important forum for international scientific discussion of the environment. Ambio publishes scientific articles/reports that reflect current international research into the multifarious factors that affect the human environment. Ambio is published in English and Chinese.
The Academy is also involved in IGBP, The International Geosphere Biosphere Programme.