Environmental Communication Day 2026

The interplay between emotions, knowledge, and conflicts

Welcome to the Environmental Communication Day 2026—a practice-oriented forum where participants’ experiences, insights, and challenges play a central role. This year, we are focusing on the interplay between emotions, knowledge, and conflicts in the design of environmental communication.

News

Students arrange a dialogue forum for democracy

In a student led initiative for democracy, Uppsala University, Mistra Environmental Communication and the Environmental Communication and Management programme at SLU invited five local youth political organizations to a dialogue forum to answer student’s burning questions for the upcoming September elections. Present at the dialogue forum were Ung Vänster (UV), Centerpartiets ungdomsförbund (CUF), Moderata ungdomsförbundet (MUF), Grön Ungdom (GU) and Liberala Ungdomsförbundet (LUF). The parties discussed public transport prices, the gap between recent graduates and the job market, the new law for international students limiting the allowed work time outside of university to 15 hours/week for students with residence permits, as well as local food production and food security.
Portrait photo of a smiling Sara.

Sara found a new direction in academia – now her research lives in the forest

Growing up in Storuman, a small town in the north of Sweden, a path to academia was far from a given. Today, Sara Holmgren’s research takes her from Kenya’s bustling cities to the forests of Hälsingland within the space of just a few weeks. Through her co-creative research, she challenges established ways of thinking and works to create change in practice.

New perspectives on environmental communication arise when researchers and practitioners come together – welcome to the Environmental Communication Day

When facts alone are not enough and emotions play a significant role, the challenges facing environmental communicators grow. That is why Environmental Communication Day invites participants to reflect, share experiences, and gain new perspectives—drawn from both research and practice. In this article, you’ll hear from researcher Maria Johansson and practitioner Nina Steiner, who share their perspectives on this year’s theme and explain why this forum is needed.

Annual events

The Environmental Communication Day is aimed at those who in one way or another use communication for sustainability in their practice in the public and private sectors, NGOs, other organisations and civil society.

Mistra Environmental Communication Programme Meeting include some innovative activities to share and summarise insights from the work to date.

Commentary

Read about our collaborators’ latest thoughts.​

"Beyond Almedalen’s political jousting"

I didn’t see everything in Almedalen*, but I saw a great deal. Amongst the medieval cobblestone streets and banners, I felt the infamous historical words running through my body: ‘Give the people bread and entertainment’. I went to the Almedalen Week because I care about the future of landscapes, the silenced forests, the increasingly empty seas, the rich topsoil and the freely flowing fresh water. It quickly became clear that in Almedalen, a united ‘we’ is transformed into a ‘you’ and an ‘I’, and that we, with red, green or blue banners, are to battle each other like in a medieval joust.
Max Whitman, researcher

"The politics of disagreement – a conference space to make sense of turbulent times? "

This year’s Environmental Communication Conference invited participants to join forces in examining the role of communication in political struggles and conflict around environmental governance and sustainability work. 
Leah Sprain, Associate Professor and Anke Fischer, professor

"Relational soil literacies"

What is the value of soils? Sanna Barrineau reflects on a conversation about the value of soil hosted by Vetenskap och Allmänhet and Färgfabriken.
Sanna Barrineau, researcher in focus area Transformation
Photo of Raymond.

"Is ‘trust’ the missing ingredient in the forest debate?"

I didn’t really know what to expect from the conference – if you live your entire professional life in a natural science context, research on disagreement becomes a bit abstract. But I quickly understood how timely this is, and how much I could relate and directly translate to my job to work for the forest policy goals to be achieved!
Raymond Wide, Project Manager at The Swedish Forest Agency

"How can guided visits at museums and in nature create space for feelings and reflection about the environment?"

Global environmental changes are all around us, and they awaken emotions. We explore how environmental communication about history, art and nature can encourage conversations about difficult emotions and hopes for change.
Maria Johansson och Hanna Bergeå, researchers
A woman who stands against a railing looks out over a city view.

"A Cry Out of Emotions at Singapore Art Week: Exploring Collective Environmental Concerns"

What feelings do we suppress about the ongoing climate crisis? And when are we allowed to express them? These are some questions explored among artists during Singapore art week – a two weeks’ event celebrating and displaying art all over the city.
Carin Graminius, researcher