Deadline: 29-Jan-21
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research (MISTRA) is inviting research groups, jointly with civil society organizations, the public sector and other stakeholders, to submit proposals for Societal Transformations for Climate Action research programme.
The purpose of this call is to facilitate societal transformation for climate action through research and innovation. In line with Mistra’s statutes, the research programme shall be of strategic environmental importance.
The current research programme should focus on strategic environmental issues crucial for the urgent societal transformation towards a fossil-free economy, with an emphasis on civil society, equality and digitalisation for climate action. The programme should be clearly connected to the Paris Agreement, the Green Deal and more broadly to sustainable development.
Relevance and anticipated impacts of the research programme must be described in the programme proposal and should be presented visually in a one-page appendix using impact logic.
The emphasis of the programme should be on Swedish societal transformations for climate change, but a broader EU level and/or international perspective should also be included.
Focus
The current research programme should focus on strategic environmental issues crucial for the urgent societal transformation towards a fossil-free economy, with an emphasis on civil society, equality and digitalisation for climate action. The programme should be clearly connected to the Paris Agreement, the Green Deal and more broadly to sustainable development. The proposed research programme should address the below three focus areas more elaborated in the background report. Interlinkages, interactions and conflicts between different goals are foreseen to be addressed in the programme, as well as potential solutions and their consequences.
Relevance and anticipated impacts of the research programme must be described in the programme proposal and should be presented visually in a one-page appendix using impact logic.
The emphasis of the programme should be on Swedish societal transformations for climate change, but a broader EU level and/or international perspective should also be included.
- Civil society
- When addressing this focus area, it is necessary to clearly show under which circumstances and in which situations civil society can contribute to climate change mitigation with an objective of equality and social justice. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand how digitalisation constructs and influences agents of civil society and their impact on climate change.
- Finally, there is a clear case of demonstrating under which conditions an empowered civil society (institutionalized or not) may take on more shared responsibility for climate change mitigation and societal sustainability with respect to its counterparts in government and commercial sectors of society. Potential drawbacks and goal conflicts need to be considered. Experiences and learnings also from civil society organisations which are not focusing on climate or other environmental aspects are foreseen to be useful.
- Equality
- The potentially strong tensions between measures to combat climate change and equality need to be investigated and addressed. These tensions may be negative in several ways as inequalities within groups managing a shared resource, may lead to loss of trust, less cooperation, and the unsustainable use of the resources. Concerted climate action that is just and equitable can compensate for unproportionate negative impact on certain regions or citizens.
- This is crucial in order to avoid negative consequences, including a dramatic increase in patterns of inequality. There is also the positive side of the relation between climate mitigation and equality that is important to address. Investigating how working for equality and a just transition can support (or counteract) climate change mitigation, and to further explore the connection of inequality and climate change mitigation is key.
- Digitalisation
- Digitalisation brings both opportunities and risks for climate change mitigation, and these must be placed within a broader context in order to ensure sustainable future societies. Digitalisation can alter the way people live, work and play, and this may be a good starting point for looking into how new digital tools can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- As we face the crisis of climate change, the question is: what part can digitalisation play in its mitigation and, more widely, in shaping the sustainability of future societies? Risks for rebound effects need to be considered, in order to avoid that digitalisation leads to other negative effects, both on the climate and on other societal targets.
Programme planning must cover four years, but with an eight-year perspective. It is vitally important to involve stakeholders and partners right from the planning stage and further on, throughout the research process. Civil society has a key role to take on the challenges we aim to tackle and is expected to have an important role in the proposed programme. Interdisciplinary collaboration is expected in the programme.
The programme should be designed so that its’ purpose can be fulfilled with a minimum of climate/environmental impact, e.g. through using virtual meetings and other solutions to avoid unnecessary travel. Mistra will require that the programme establish meeting policies and guidelines that enable this.
Mistra is non-discriminating and promotes equality in opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness.
Expected features of the programme during its implementation include sharing of experiences and, where relevant, collaboration with other Mistra programmes.
- Expected programme budget: A total of SEK 40 million over four years.
- Mistra’s financial contribution: A maximum of SEK 40 million.
- Length of research proposal: Maximum of 40 pages + appendices (CV and certificate from programme host).
Eligibility Criteria
- The call addresses research groups in all academic disciplines working at Swedish higher education institutions and research institutes, as well as stakeholders such as civil society organisations, public sector and businesses.
- Researchers and organisations active outside Sweden may participate, but the principal applicant and planned programme host must be a Swedish institution.
- Only legal entities can apply for funding.
- The host institution and other organisations taking part are expected to be coordinated in a consortium and to submit a joint proposal.
Application process
- The application must be written in English, except for a summary in Swedish. It must consist of the following parts and appendices and comply with page limits specified. If the proposal exceeds any of the page limits it will not be processed. No appendices other than those listed below may be attached.
- The main part of the proposal (a maximum of 40 pages) must include the following parts:
Summary in English and Swedish
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- Vision, aims and expected impacts (impact logic in appendix I)
- Scientific value, including state-of-the-art
- Benefits to society
- Management and organisation
- Skills and networks
- Description of work packages, including deliverables
- Communication
- Budget (use the budget template)
For more information, visit https://www.mistra.org/en/research/societal-transformations-for-climate-action/