Welcome to this annual environmental communication conference, hosted by the Mistra Environmental Communication research programme! This year’s conference has the theme “the politics of disagreement” and offers a platform for all researchers and societal actors to share and discuss research, develop collaboration and networks, and foster engagement.

Ecosystem restoration projects financed through the sale of carbon credits can support equitable rural development if they are designed through a collaborative process approach known as ‘co-creation’, a new study shows. By applying six co-creation principles, such projects can address ethical concerns about carbon credits and support ecosystem restoration that is environmentally and socially just and equitable for local communities.

The European Union (EU) promotes carbon farming as a key part of the roadmap to climate neutrality. However, a recent study shows that deep down, EU policies are reluctant to embrace the profound transformations required for the climate crisis. By identifying dominant narratives buried within these policies, which at a surface level appear to strive for sustainable transformations, the study reveals that the EU policies reinforce the status quo. 

We are happy to announce that Sanna Barrineau has successfully defended her thesis: “Thinking with Soils” – Care-full and relational perspectives on carbon farming futures and deep transformations. She has conducted her research within Mistra Environmental Communication Focus area 5 – Transformation. Sanna is the recipient of the Dean Graduate Research Award for Outstanding Thesis at the University of the Sunshine Coast for her PhD thesis.  Sanna explains what her research is about, her perspectives on environmental communication and what she hopes her research can lead to.