Advancing Sustainable Solutions

The circular economy is promoted by government and industry as an approach to reduce resource consumption while maintaining a high standard of living. In this episode, we explore circular business models that leverage strategies of closing, narrowing or slowing resource loops. This episode is the first of three episodes part of our mini-series on the circular economy. We invite PhD Candidate Katherine Whalen to join us to discuss her research on circular business models as well as her participation as a coach in C:/BOOT, an international coaching programme for circular entrepreneurs.

Our economic systems are shaken as a result of COVID-19 and the global impact the virus will have on individuals, organisations, and economies. Prior to the global pandemic, we recorded this episode to discuss ongoing research at Lund University about our economic systems to support the Sustainable Development Goals. In this episode, we collaborate with the Lund University Agenda 2030 Graduate School. Coordinator Kristina Jönsson and PhD Student Juan Ocampo join us to highlight the activities and research of the Graduate School to support Agenda 2030. We discuss complementary currencies as a community-tool to incorporate social and environmental values into our economic systems. We also highlight the need for financial inclusion to ensure all communities have access to basic needs. In light of the global pandemic, these discussions are more important now than ever before. As such, we share this episode with you to inspire discussion about the values of our current and future economic systems. In these difficult times, we are sending love and solidarity to our entire podcast community!

What do sheep have to do with intellectual property rights for sustainability? In this episode, we explore the ‘tragedy of the commons’, which often justifies the introduction of property rights to support conservation and reduced environmental impact. However, when it comes to ‘innovations of the mind’, do property rights help or hinder the transition towards more sustainable economies? We sit down with IIIEE researchers Nancy Bocken and Roberto Hernandez to discuss the sustainability implications of closed, semi-open, and open intellectual property models. A fully closed model prevents the diffusion of sustainable solutions while a fully open model disincentivises innovation. So, what can be done to encourage innovation as well as advance sustainable solutions? Find out in our new episode on intellectual property rights for sustainability!

Policies are needed to ensure a circular economy. In the final episode of our mini-series on the circular economy, we explore the role of policy and the need for research to ensure policies like the European Green Deal promote a circular economy for sustainability. We discuss the trade-offs of slowing resource loops and energy efficiency, for example, knowing when to exchange your LED lightbulb for a more energy efficient bulb? We talk to our colleague Carl Dalhammar who explains the policy field of the circular economy today and why policies should regulate the design of our products. Then, we sit down with Jessika Luth Richter, who shares her research on policies for a circular economy. We discuss policies for narrowing, slowing and closing resource loops and answer the question when longer product lifetimes are more or less desirable.

A tree is so much more than just a tree! Trees provide habitat to support biodiversity, remove carbon dioxide and particulate matter from our air, cool our cities during summers, and inspire enjoyment by all. A tree planted deliberately to provide any of these services is considered a nature-based solution. In this episode, we present the concept of nature-based solutions as an approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage stormwater in our cities. We meet Associate Professor Kes McCormick and PhD Researcher Björn Wickenberg, who share their research on nature-based solutions. Kes introduces us to a new online course called ‘Urban Nature’ and Björn shares with us his perspective as a previous urban planner in how to invite nature into our cities.