SUSTAINABLE OCEANS

The Geopolitics of Sustainable oceans

The geopolitics of sustainable oceans has been identified as one of the central research themes of the Mistra Geopolitics programme. This research theme will examine how geopolitical dynamics shape the prospects for legitimate and effective governance of the seas. It will pay particular attention to the political dynamics of the Arctic region, and among the Small Island Developing States in the Pacific Ocean.

Oceans, including coastal and marine resources, are essential to human security worldwide. Oceans are undergoing far-reaching change as more than half of all maritime boundaries have not yet been settled, and the governance of the deep-sea, which constitutes 95% of the global oceans, is currently undergoing transformative renegotiation, influenced by changing commercial, geostrategic and energy interests.

Political boundaries and disputes in the Exclusive Economic Zones and the Deep Seas will also be explored, especially in relation to commercial, geostrategic and energy interests. Tensions and new forms of collaboration between states, civil society organizations and private sector companies will be mapped. The research will showcase how societal transformations towards sustainable and secure oceans may be envisaged in the future.

01.

a). How can marine cooperation contribute to sustainable governance of a blue economy, and what geopolitical dynamics pose the greatest threats?
b). How are economic and social gains valuated in relation to environmental protection, equity and power?

02.

How will geopolitical changes create opportunities for small island states to cope with climate change / spur transformation towards sustainable development?

03.

What are the geopolitical impacts of states and stakeholders views on Arctic governance?

01.

a). How can marine cooperation contribute to sustainable governance of a blue economy, and what geopolitical dynamics pose the greatest threats?
b). How are economic and social gains valuated in relation to environmental protection, equity and power?

02.

How will geopolitical changes create opportunities for small island states to cope with climate change / spur transformation towards sustainable development?

03.

What are the geopolitical impacts of states and stakeholders views on Arctic governance?

HIGHLIGHTS

Selections from our recent work on sustainable oceans

High Seas Treaty: searching for common grounds
2023
High Seas Treaty: searching for common grounds
Q&A: Why and how G20 leaders should support the UN High Seas Treaty
Comments & Insights
Q&A: Why and how G20 leaders should support the UN High Seas Treaty
The arctic is hot: addressing the social and environmental implications
2023
The arctic is hot: addressing the social and environmental implications
Image
UN 2030 Agenda
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

PUBLICATIONS

Our work on sustainable oceans to date

01.

a). How can marine cooperation contribute to sustainable governance of a blue economy, and what geopolitical dynamics pose the greatest threats? b). How are economic and social gains valuated in relation to environmental protection, equity and power?

Aerial,View,From,A,Drone,Of,An,Offshore,Jack,Up
2021
Conflicting narratives of deep sea mining
NGOs involvement in long-term effects of ecological and institutional change on regional fisheries
2020
NGOs involvement in long-term effects of ecological and institutional change on regional fisheries

02.

How will geopolitical changes create opportunities for small island states to cope with climate change / spur transformation towards sustainable development?

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03.

What are the geopolitical impacts of states and stakeholders views on Arctic governance?

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TEAM

Meet the team working on the 'Sustainable Oceans' theme

SIPRI

Karen Meijer
SEI

Karina Barquet
Linköping University

Anders Hansson
SEI

Elin Leander
Linköping University

Victoria Wibeck
Linköping University

Professor Björn-Ola Linnér
University of Fiji

Priyatma Singh
Stockholm University

Lisa Dellmuth
PhD student

Malaika Mikaelsson
SIPRI

Emilie Broek
Massey University

Franco Vaccarino
Stockholm University

Nicholas Olczak
SIPRI

Karen Meijer

Karen Meijer is a Senior Researcher in SIPRI’s climate change and risk programme. Her research focus on the role and effectiveness of national and international actors when addressing climate-related security risks. She leads the Mistra Geopolitics Work Package 2 on Sustainable Oceans, and contributes to Project 4.4: How can humanitarian aid be improved in a changing climate?

SEI

Karina Barquet

Karina Barquet is a Senior Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute. Karina is part of the Sustainable Oceans theme within Mistra Geopolitics, where she’s leading the geopolitics of the blue economy project. Her research at SEI focuses on the political dimensions of coastal governance, including disaster risk reduction, water security, and critical infrastructures in coastal planning.

Telephone:+46703885690

Linköping University

Anders Hansson

Anders Hansson is an Associate Professor at Linköping University. In Mistra Geopolitics he’s performing research on deep sea mining within the research theme Sustainable Oceans.

Telephone:+4613282930

SEI

Elin Leander

Elin works as a Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute in the Water, Coasts and Ocean Team. Elin contributes to the Mistra Geopolitics research theme sustainable oceans, and previously worked as the Project Manager for the programme.

Telephone:+46702128499

Linköping University

Victoria Wibeck

Victoria Wibeck is a professor at Linköping University. The overarching aim of her research is to analyze challenges and opportunities involved, as science-based knowledge on environment, climate and new and emerging technologies move from the scientific arena to recontextualization, such as in political decisions, implementation of environmental objectives at different societal levels, media, and citizens’ everyday decisions. Victoria is leading Work Package 5; Foresight – Sweden in a changing, geopolitical landscape.

Telephone:+4611363285

Linköping University

Professor Björn-Ola Linnér

Björn-Ola Linnér is the Deputy Programme Director of Mistra Geopolitics and Professor at the Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research at Linköping University. He analyses how the political processes and actors affect conditions for social changes towards sustainable development in different parts of the world. He has a long experience in research dialogues with various societal actors, such as the climate convention’s secretariat, governments, businesses and environmental organizations.

University of Fiji

Priyatma Singh

Priyatma is a Lecturer at the University of Fiji. She is currently pursuing PhD studies in Environmental Science from Linköping University. Her research interests include ocean governance, social ecology, coastal resilience and climate change adaptation. She is also engaged in an international project that focuses on potential goal conflicts between the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This project is in collaboration with SEI.

Telephone:+679 6640600

Stockholm University

Lisa Dellmuth

Lisa Dellmuth is a Professor of International Relations at Stockholm University. Lisa is leading the Research School of Mistra Geopolitics. Her research focuses on legitimacy and redistribution in global governance, and global climate change solutions. She leads the 5-year research program GlocalClim (Glocalizing Climate Governance: The role of Integrated Governance for a Just and Legitimate Adaptation to Climate Risks) funded by the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (Formas).

Telephone:+46 8 161 076

PhD student

Malaika Mikaelsson

Malaika is a PhD student at Linköping University. Her research focuses on how geopolitical changes might create opportunities or threats to the capacity of Pacific Small Island Developing States to cope with climate change, and how these changes spur transformation towards sustainable development. Drawing on Indigenous research methods and knowledge, her research will further look at how stakeholders in these countries make sense of environmental and political changes, and how these changes influence their efforts to achieve the SDGs.

SIPRI

Emilie Broek

Emilie Broek is a Research Assistant with SIPRI’s Climate Change and Risk Programme. Her research focuses on international organizations and their responses to climate-related security risks. She is a part of Work Package 2 on Sustainable Oceans, working specifically on Project 2.3: Geopolitical Impacts on State and Stakeholder Views on Arctic Governance.

Massey University

Franco Vaccarino

Franco Vaccarino is a transnational Italian who grew up in South Africa and is now living in Aotearoa New Zealand. He lectures in the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University’s Manawatū campus. He has been involved in climate-related research projects in Fiji. In Mistra Geopolitics, he works on the Small-Island States: ‘Geopolitics of Marginality’ project.

Stockholm University

Nicholas Olczak

Nicholas Olczak is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Economic History and International Relations at Stockholm University. He is also an associate fellow of the Asia Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI). His research interests include East Asian international relations, global governance and international cooperation on climate change, and constructivist theory.

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