University of Gothenburg
The Faculty of Science
  2. The Faculty of Science
  3. Research
  4. Thematic areas
  5. A Healthy Living Planet

A Healthy Living Planet

This thematic area focuses on the most fundamental necessity for a sustainable future: a healthy, living planet. It consolidates existing excellent research environments at the University of Gothenburg to promote cross-fertilisation and is arranged around three scientifically and socially interlinked research pillars: climate change, chemical pollutants, and biodiversity loss. The thematic area is based on an Earth system science approach to promote and develop novel, promising research areas within and between the pillars.

We apply an Earth System Science approach to a healthy planet, based on three key societal challenges: climate change, chemical pollutants, and biodiversity loss. 

These three research areas are too often addressed in isolation. By bringing them together under a single thematic area we will open up for novel pioneering research and impactful outcomes that directly address interlinked global challenges. This thematic area bridges research and education across departments and faculties and works collaboratively to advance research to action. This includes working across boundaries and communicating key findings to appropriate stakeholders to create positive societal changes. 

Infrastructure

Infrastructures of direct relevance to the proposed thematic area include

  • the Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science (SITES),
  • Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS),
  • Aerosols, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure, (ACTRIS),
  • Herbarium GB,
  • Swedish Lifewatch,
  • the Gothenburg University Laboratory for Dendrochronology Research (GULD), and
  • the marine stations at Kristineberg and Tjärnö. 
An Earth system science approach to the “triple planetary crisis”: biodiversity, climate, and pollution
An Earth system science approach to the “triple planetary crisis”: biodiversity, climate, and pollution.
Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water
Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on land

Cooperation 

The three pillars that make up this thematic area (climate, chemicals, and biodiversity) are multifaceted and require long-term trans-disciplinary collaboration, in addition to disciplinary research. Established collaborative networks:

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