The Handbook on the Geopolitics of Sustainability released today by Edward Elgar Publishing in collaboration with Mistra Geopolitics, brings together more than 60 leading researchers from diverse academic disciplines around the world. The authors examine the complex and evolving intersection between geopolitics and sustainability. The result is a timely exploration of how sustainability challenges reshape geopolitics and how geopolitics, in turn, shape the prospects for just and effective sustainability transformations.

“The geopolitics of sustainability has emerged as one of the defining issues of our time. Climate disruption, energy transitions, critical minerals, food security, and emerging technologies are reshaping global power relations, security and national interests,” said Björn-Ola Linnér, Director of Mistra Geopolitics and Professor at the Department of Thematic Studies – Environmental Change at Linköping University.

Contributing authors analyse topics such as climate change, energy transitions, demographic shifts, digital governance and planetary equity, through the tandem lens of sustainability and geopolitics. They identify critical risks as well as opportunities for positive change. The authors also present approaches, methodologies, and tools for navigating uncertainty and advancing integrated perspectives, including from systems thinking, risk science, AI-based modelling, critical security studies, and scenario analysis.

“While the geopolitical landscape presents profound challenges for sustainability, it also creates new opportunities. This handbook highlights not only the risks we face, but also concrete avenues for engaging with emerging possibilities,” said Dr Therese Bennich, Programme Manager for Mistra Geopolitics and Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

Addressing the geopolitics of sustainability requires moving beyond disciplinary silos and embracing integrative approaches that can navigate deep uncertainty, systemic risks, and long-term transformation dynamics. The Handbook on the Geopolitics of Sustainability – consisting of 32 chapters from more than 60 authors globally – emerged from the recognition that knowledge from geopolitics and sustainability needs to be integrated more effectively.

“Without such integration, sustainability analysis risks overlooking how geopolitical dynamics can obstruct or facilitate progress on global sustainability pursuits, while geopolitical thinking may fail to grasp the profound implications of environmental change for global governance,” said Dr Henrik Carlsen, Co-Director of Mistra Geopolitics and Senior Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

The book, edited by Professor Björn-Ola Linnér, Dr Therese Bennich and Dr Henrik Carlsen, invites readers to advance a deeper understanding of how sustainability and geopolitics can be integrated to shape new research, practices, and policies for navigating the complexities of our time.