The aim of this study is twofold; To analyse and understand how well small-scale farmers seed production system from i.e Ladakh, India have been recognised in the 1966 seed policy bill and compare it with the newly released 2019 seed policy draft as well as examining potential effects if the draft is enacted. This has been done by using a post-structural policy analysis developed by Carol Bacchi and Susan Goodwin called “What is the problem represented to be”. The method has enabled for an in-depth and critical examination of the two policies in relation to the posed research questions. To be able to put the result into context and answer the questions, an analytical framework made frompost-structuralism, power relations and literature review is explained. This study concludes the problem representation to be the same for both policies, being disbelief in farmers seed production system, and that it is of disadvantage for the small-scale farmers in relation to seeds in Ladakh. This, due to its definitions and expressions of farmers and the liberal/neoliberal reasoning. Instead, the reasoning gives advantage to seed dealers and companies by favouriting Intellectual Property Rightsand a free market over farmers seed production systems and knowledges. Furthermore, this revelation resulted in a low representation for the small-scale farmers in Ladakh as they are viewed as inept of providing seeds of good quality to the market. It has also been noted that Ladakh as a remote area does not receive any special attention regarding their unique high-mountainous climate. Conclusively, the policies tend to subject all areas and farmers in India in a homogenous manner which is problematic in terms of rationality and perspectives in the policies. The lack of recognition for smallscale farmers in Ladakh and their seed production system increases the risk of further environmentaldegradation, loss heirloom seeds connected to culture and traditions and an increase of dependency onlow-land India. The author concludes that it is of relevant that small-scale farmers knowledges, not only from Ladakh, regarding seed production are incorporated in the policies. This, to eradicate on its homogeneous and inequality traits as well to minimize threatening scenarios that might result from a liberal agenda.

Principles For Responsible Banking is an initiative launched by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative in 2019. The initiative has been signed by more than 185 banks around the world. The initiative was commenced to established a framework for the banking sector in order to align their sustainability efforts. The purpose of the research is to investigate whether the level of commitment of the major banks operating in Sweden to their sustainability work. Content analysis and semi-structured interviews were performed in order to research the sustainability efforts by the banking sector. The results suggests that the banks are working towards the sustainability goals mapped out by the United Nations and Agenda 2030 but also that the banks already have measures in place to drive their sustainability work forward. The banks can intensify their sustainability work by implementing stronger actions in order to reach greater results and accelerate their efforts.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have become contaminants of increasing concern to society due to the contamination of drinking water and the ecosystem. A better understanding of the sorption and transport of PFASs in soil systems is urgently needed, however there have been few studies dedicated to investigating competitive sorption among PFASs, and there is no available model to model such effects. This study investigated the sorption behaviour of PFASs of different carbon chain lengths and different functional groups to investigate potential competitive sorption effects. A multi-compound sorption model was set up based on Langmuir single sorption isotherms. By modelling the different PFASs both separately and mixed together in bi-solute and multi-solute systems, the possibility of modelling competition effects between different PFASs for sorption sites was investigated. The model could describe the general tendency of longer chained PFASs to outcompete shorter chained PFASs, and that perfluorinated sulfonic acids (PFSAs) outcompete perfluorinated carboxylic aids (PFCAs). However, the model failed to reproduce multi-solute sorption results for PFOS at concentrations near or above the critical micelle concentration (CMC), indicating micelle formation and multilayer sorption, which cannot be described by a Langmuir isotherm-based model. The study showed that it is possible to model competitive effects among some PFASs using this approach, although more advanced models may be needed to model the sorption of long-chained PFASs where micelle formation may occur, which would require further research to derive values for the parameters necessary to perform this type of modelling. / Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) är kolväten där alla (per-) eller vissa (poly-) avväteatomerna bytts ut mot fluoratomer. PFAS är syntetiska kemikalier som började produceras på 1950-talet och kan beså av olika långa kolkedjor och funktionella grupper vilket påverkar deras egenskaper.Den funktionella gruppen är det hydrofila (vattenälskande) ”huvudet” på molekylen vilken kan bestå avolika kemiska grupper, av vilka de två vanligast studerade grupperna är sulfonsyror (PFSA) ochkarboxylsyror (PFCA), men det finns även många andra grupper. PFAS delas också in i långa och kortaföreningar där långa PFAS har en kolkedja som är längre än 6 kol och korta PFAS har 6 kol eller färrei sin kolkedja. Den molekylära strukturen med ett hydrofilt huvud och en hydrofob (vattenhatande)fluorerad kolkedja gör att PFAS ofta används som ytaktiva ämnen. Det finns fler än 4 700 PFAS och deanvänds i många olika produkter så som vatten- och fettavstötande tyger, mattor, rengöringsmedel, plastoch non-stickbeläggningar i t.ex. stekpannor. På grund av PFAS unika egenskaper har de också använtsi brandskum där de bildar en tunn film av vatten mellan skummet och det brinnande bränslet vilketeffektivt släcker branden. Men användningen av PFAS i brandskum har visat sig särskilt problematisktdå det innebär ett direkt utsläpp av stora mängder PFAS i naturen. Kol-fluorbindningen är väldigt stark och organismer klarar inte av att bryta bindningen vilket gör attPFAS inte bryts ned utan ansamlas i naturen. Detta tillsammans med deras vattenlöslighet resulterar imånga fall i stora föroreningsplymer i grundvattnet. Livsmedelsverket har rapporterat att dricksvattnetför mer än 3,6 miljoner människor är påverkat av PFAS föroreningar i Sverige. PFAS misstänks hacancerogena och hormonstörande effekter och flera PFAS föroreningar är nu reglerade inom EU. Menäven om nya utsläpp är reglerade behöver de PFAS som redan finns i naturen åtgärdas. Det finns mångatekniker för att åtgärda PFAS-förorenade områden där man utnyttjar molekylernas förmåga att binda tillfast material (sorption). Hur starkt molekylerna binder till materialet beror på en rad faktorer så somkolkedjans längd, mängden organiskt material i vattnet och/eller materialet PFAS ska binda till,elektrostatiska interaktioner med andra närvarande joner i vattnet samt vattnets pH. I den här studien utnyttjas dessa egenskaper för att se hur effektivt olika PFAS binder till olikamaterial med hjälp av matematiska modeller. Även potentiella konkurrenseffekter undersöks då olikaPFAS binder olika starkt. Om det då finns ett begränsat antal platser för molekylerna att binda till kanen del PFAS konkurreras ut av andra PFAS som binder starkare. Det påverkar hur effektiv enåtgärdsmetod är för att rena vattnet. Studien visade att det till viss del är möjligt att modellera tävlingseffekter mellan olika PFAS, därPFAS med längre kolkedjor konkurrerar ut kortare PFAS, och PFSA är mer konkurrenskraftiga jämförtmed PFCA. Men mer avancerade modeller krävs för modellering av längre PFAS vid högrekoncentrationer då deras förmåga att bilda aggregat/miceller försvårar modelleringen. Fler studierbehövs därför för att öka mängden information som krävs för att använda dessa mer avancerademodeller.

Society is on an unsustainable course, predicted to reach a tipping point where greenhouse gas emissions cause irreversible consequences. The cement industry is estimated to be responsible for 7% of the global CO2 emissions, but remains an essential part of building safe and affordable infrastructure for an urbanising and growing population. It is imperative that the industry urgently transitions to a more sustainable pathway. As a key stakeholder, the construction industry could play a role in this. This paper looks at the sustainability of the cement production process from a systems perspective and how the construction industry can help leverage change, using the FSSD and Meadows’ (1999) leverage points as a framework. An analysis of the cement production method against the misalignments with the FSSD Sustainability Principles was performed, as well as a document content analysis of the WBCSD 2018 roadmap for the cement industry. We also conducted 9 semi-structured interviews with experts in the cement and construction industry. Results showed that while CO2 emissions are the biggest challenge for the industry, change will not happen fast enough while a number of structural barriers prevent this. These barriers, their potential solutions and leverage points within the construction industry are discussed.

The global demographic context of contemporary society is characterized by an increasing percentage of elderly people. In fact, currently in Portugal 22% of its total population is over 65 years of age with an average retirement age of approximately 64 years of age. As a result, it is considered one of the countries in the world with the highest proportion of elderly people, which are consequently labelled as a socially vulnerable group. This prevalent situation presents a current social problem described by the lack of inclusion and sense of meaning among the elders and retired in civil society, shaping the embedded negative attitudes and stereotypes attached to these societal groups as invalid and dependent. In this way, the continuous growth of the elderly population requires the introduction of social organizations, such as the Portuguese social organization The Grandmas Came to Work, centered in the elderly and retiree’s inclusion in society and on their well-being. The main focus of this social organization is to promote ageing as a continuation of development and learning through creative methods and activities, as well as to fill the gap between generations by offering the elderly and retired a place where they can learn from each other, discuss and meet. Hence, this study aims to understand the social and economic sustainability of this particular organization to support the inclusion and well-being of the elderly. This will be done by analyzing the viability of using artistic methods and activities in the context of elderly and retiree's social inclusion. This issue is relevant in the context of Portugal given its predominance of an elderly population and the lack of this group's social inclusion. In fact, it is predicted that by 2050 Portugal will be the country in the European Union with the highest percentage of elderly people (32%) and lowest percentage of working population. This complex issue was studied by using qualitative methods for the data collection, namely through the conduction of semi-structured interviews done to one of the organization’s founders and to its participants. This data provided an updated version of the situation of the elderly and retired population living in Portugal, especially of their possible social inclusion by participating in this specific type of social organizations. The results confirmed the role of such organizations for contributing to the social inclusion of the elderly and retired and for their increased sense of meaning, affecting positively both theirs and society’s perception of the continuous value and contribution of this group. Nevertheless, as what happens in many social and non-social organizations, some limitations were found in the project’s management and respective suggestions were made to face those limitations.

Human evolution has been linked to climate change multiple times in the literature. One of the more well-known theories is the ‘savannah’ theory, which states that walking upright became an advantageous character when climate in Africa changed causing drier environments, changing woodlands to savannahs. Human ancestors could cross open fields more easily when walking upright, therefore it was thought that climate change could be a driving factor in the change to bipedal locomotion. Five hominin species were the basis of the study presented here, showing that change towards bipedal locomotion was a mosaic process with gradual change. A review of the relevant literature shows that the timing of change in fossils to bipedal locomotion and climate change do not coincide in the interval 6-3 Ma, therefore suggesting that climate change did not drive human evolution in this case. Changes towards open landscapes with C4 grass dominance peaked at the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary (2.6 Ma), while the first hominin species already walked completely bipedally before 3.5 Ma.

The biosphere integrity boundary of the Planetary Boundaries Framework seeks to highlight biodiversity loss and its effect on humanity's 'safe operating space'. Biodiversity plays a critical role in sustaining ecosystem function and by extension, the ecosystem services on which human wellbeing depends. As currently conceptualized, biodiversity and the provisioning and regulating ecosystem services with which it is associated, is not adequately captured in the boundary. Literature searches for data-synthesis were carried out to identify and assess the balance of evidence for the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services. The change in global ecosystem service trends over time were assessed along with the interactions between ecosystem services. Twelve provisioning and 9 regulating ecosystem services associated with biodiversity were identified in the literature. Biocontrol and carbon sequestration were the most studied services. The Fischer exact test showed that there was a significant difference between the extent to which provisioning versus regulating ecosystem services are studied. Mann-Whitney U tests showed non-significant relationships between provisioning services and regulating services for trend and effect size data. All provisioning services showed increasing trends over time. The results for regulating services were mixed. Of the 115 ecosystem service interactions assessed, 66 were trade-offs and 49 were synergies. Crop yield and climate-related ESS (carbon sequestration and carbon storage) represented almost one-third of these interactions (n = 22) while crop yield and erosion control represented over a quarter (n = 19). These interactions alone accounted for 36% of the total interactions. This paper provides an initial database which could be refined and expanded. It also demonstrates a comprehensive approach to assessing biodiversity ecosystem service relationships, providing a tangible approach to assessing a safe operating space for humanity. Further, it provides a platform for future research on biodiversity-ecosystem services human well-being links, which will provide better insights to policymakers, managers and practitioners. / <p>The presentation was done via Zoom during Covid 19 when Stockholm University was closed. </p>

When stormwater flows from hard surfaces in urban areas it contributes with pollutants to nearby watercourses. Also runoff from rural areas dominated by agriculture and forestry can contribute with nutrients and pollutants to watercourses. How maximum concentrations and annual loads of pollutants are transported yearly to lakes and seas is crucial information for an adequate management of our natural waters. Several metals, like lead, copper, cadmium and zinc are harmful to humans, animals and plants. Estimates of concentrations and transports of metals is today often based upon manually collected samples, flow proportional samples or modeling in programs calculated from standards. All of these methods contains a lot of uncertainties. The yearly transports in watercourses is calculated through linear interpolation between samples. Uncertainties in the calculated yearly transports tend to increase with lower sampling frequencies, since changes in metal concentration is often overlooked. This study is based on samples from Hågaån, a stream located in the proximity of Uppsala, Sweden. The stream has influences from both stormwater and runoff from agricultural lands. The purpose of the study was to investigate in what ways turbidity can be used as an indirect measurement of metals. The relationship between turbidity and different metals were analyzed through linear regression. The results shows that a high frequency measurements with a turbidity sensor can be used in several different ways depending on the strenght in the relationship between turbidity and metal. If the obtained relationship is strong, as is the case for lead, a turbidity sensor could be used as an indirect measurement in the watercourse. In those cases when the relationship does not have the same credibility, a turbidity sensor could instead be used to model the metal concentrations between samples. It might be possible to apply a relationship between turbidity and metals also for stormwater for some metals, but further studies are inquired. Since the quality and flow of stormwater are highly variant, high frequency measurements with a turbidity sensor could provide a more complete picture of how the concentrations of pollutants vary over time. The relationship between turbidity and metals is dependant of the metal content in particles, optical properties but also the concentration of dissolved metals, which vary between watercourses and over time. It is therefore necessary to measure turbidity and metal concentrations in the watercourse of interest under different hydrological conditions. The more complex the relatinship is, the more measurements are required. This limit the usage of sensors to monitor metals. / Dagvatten som rinner av från hårdgjorda ytor i bebyggda områden bidrar med föroreningar till närliggande vattendrag. Även naturlig avrinning från icke-hårdgjorda ytor, som odlingsmark och skogsmark, kan bidra med näringsämnen och föroreningar  till vattendrag. Hur höga halter som förekommer, samt vilka mängder av föroreningar som årligen transporteras ut i sjöar och hav är viktigt att veta för att kunna följa upp Sveriges miljömål Giftfri miljö och vattenförvaltningens krav på god status. Många metaller som exempelvis bly, koppar, kadmium och zink är skadliga för människor, djur och växter. Uppskattningar av totalhalter och metalltransporter görs idag ofta baserade på relativt glest uttagna stickprover, flödesproportionell provtagning eller modelleringar i dataprogram beräknade från schablonhalter.  Alla dessa metoder innehåller stora osäkerheter. Årstransporter i vattendrag beräknas genom linjär interpolering mellan uttagna stickprover. Osäkerheterna i de beräknade årstransporterna ökar vid lägre provtagningsfrekvens, eftersom det är lätt att förändringar i metallhalten förbises. Denna studie baseras på mätningar från Hågaån utanför Uppsala, ett vattendrag som är påverkat av  både dagvatten och avrinning från jordbruksmark. Syftet med studien var att undersöka på vilka sätt turbiditet kan användas för indirekt mätning av metaller. Samband mellan turbiditet och metaller undersöktes genom linjär regression. Resultatet från mätningarna i Hågaån visade att högfrekventa mätningar med en turbiditetssensor kan användas på flera sätt beroende på styrkan i sambandet mellan turbiditet och metall. Om sambandet som erhålls är starkt, vilket är fallet för bly, skulle en turbiditetssensor kunna användas som en indirekt mätning i vattendrag. I de fall då sambandet inte är lika starkt, kan en turbiditetssensor istället användas för att fylla i data mellan stickproverna vid transportberäkningar. Detta minskar behovet av tät provtagning vilket kan ge en kostnadsbesparing. Samband mellan turbiditet och metaller borde kunna upprättas och appliceras även på dagvatten för vissa metaller, men vidare studier med längre mätserier krävs. Eftersom dagvattnets kvalitet och flöde är så varierande skulle en turbiditetssensor kunna ge en bättre bild av hur föroreningshalterna varierar över tid för metaller som är bundna till partiklar. Det finns överlag stora utmaningar kopplade till att mäta i dagvatten och en sensor kan i vissa fall utgöra ett bra komplement till andra metoder. Sambandet mellan turbiditet och metallhalt beror av partiklarnas metallinnehåll, optiska egenskaper och även halten lösta metaller, vilket varierar mellan vattendrag och även över tid. Det är därför nödvändigt med mätningar av turbiditet och metallhalter i varje enskilt vattendrag och under olika hydrologiska förhållanden. Ju mer komplext sambandet är desto fler mätningar behövs. Det begränsar användningen av sensorer för att övervaka metaller.

During the year of 2015 and the large migration wave that hit Europe, many unaccompanied young refugees came to Sweden. For this particular group, the challenge is to become integrated to the labour market in order to receive a permanent residency permit in Sweden after they graduate their upper secondary education. Over the past few years, it has become more evident that the state is not able to handle the integration process alone, and that it is time to shed light on contemporary initiatives deriving from other actors, such as civil society organisations. The question is whether these initiatives have been successful in bringing about change, and in what ways. The purpose of this thesis was therefore to analyse the civil society organisation Right To Play that uses sports as a tool for labour market integration, through the theory of Institutional Entrepreneurship by identifying its rationales, resources, and relations that are used to prompt institutional change. Through three semi-structured interviews and one observation, together with secondary data, a narrative analysis of their stories was conducted. The results showed that the organisation manage to mix a set of strong rationales of sports, labour market integration, and youth agency, to transform the youth from being passive receivers of integration to become active agents and important human resources within the organisation, and to connect the youth with other actors in the society through external relations. The study also concluded that the elements of rationales, resources, and relations, that are used to investigate the power of an organisation to prompt institutional change, also helps the organisation to become resilient in times of crises.

With changes in climate and increasing resource scarcity in the future, transition towards a more sustainable and resilient agriculture system that promotes maintenance of a range of ecosystem services is important. Meanwhile, significant global greenhouse gas reduction targets require all sectors including agriculture to take radical actions immediately. Carbon farming is a promising approach which can contribute to mitigating climate change, increase soil accumulation and fertility, enhance ecosystem services and increase productivity within a range of farming systems. Currently, Sweden does not have any formal carbon farming projects. As the implementation of carbon farming is likely to be location, technology and circumstance specific, a case study was undertaken in Sweden in order to cast light on the envisaged synergies and trade-offs associated with carbon farming by assessing the opportunities and barriers to farmer’s sustainable livelihoods. Eleven pilot farmers from south and central Sweden participated in the case study. Data were collected through online survey. Findings suggest that opportunities and barriers to enhance the carbon sink potential of farmlands are closely linked to people’s livelihoods as well as their broader context and; Swedish farmers are interested in incorporating carbon farming practices within their existing farming systems. Further, opportunities and barriers were found in relation to different assets, external shocks and the policy environment. Moreover, carbon farming has the potential to promote sustainable rural livelihoods in Sweden by reducing farmer’s vulnerability context and enhancing farmer’s assets and livelihood strategies.