Using a linking indicator – a biophysical outcome that is meaningful or directly relevant to the public’s wellbeing can help to relate issues in the nature to a broader set of human concerns.
The importance of ecosystem services is often well known within natural scientists. However, communicating the value of this importance so that it resonates with the public or policy-makers can be challenging. Dr James Boyd visited CERE on 19 September 2019 to talk about how to relate nature to a broader set of human concerns. He is working on connecting knowledge between natural and social sciences through linking indicators. Linking indicators are biophysical outcomes that are directly relevant to social welfare. For instance, excess nitrogen in soils can affect the entire ecosystem in a multitude of ways. But by focusing on particular pieces of the ecosystem, such as an artic fox, the issues affecting human wellbeing become more obvious. In this example, the fox becomes a linking indicator, the biophysical outcome that is meaningful to the public and can embody the issues within an entire ecosystem.
Ten years have passed since Professors Bengt Kriström and Runar Brännlund started a Centre bridging Umeå University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences to study the economics of environmental and natural resource management. A number of activities are planned to celebrate during the fall and winter.
November 28th, 2019: The official 10 year celebration Morning: open lectures by mainly young researchers. 13.30 and 16.30, talks by invited speakers. The session will be initiated by Professor Sofia Lundberg, Chairman of the Board of CERE, and Professor Bengt Kriström, SLU, one of the founders of CERE.
Program
10.00-12.00 Meet the young scientists of CERE
Balcony of the Library, Umeå University
Nudging and electricity conservation Stina Kalén
Sweden taking care of UK´s waste, isn’t that just rubbish? Sef Meens-Eriksson
Power to the people! Mattias Vesterberg
The effects of wind on the electricity market Xiao Hu
13.30-16.00
Lärarhuset, Ljusgården
CERE från 0 till 10 - har vi gjort skillnad? (CERE from 0 to 10 - did we make a difference?)
Introduction Professor Sofia Lundberg, USBE. Sofia is the Dean of Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Umeå University and chairman of the CERE board. Sofia’s research is mainly on issues regarding procurement. Lately, her research has been focused on green public procurement.
The zeitgeist - eller all vår början bliver svår (The zeitgeist – or all our beginnings will be difficult) Professor emeritus Jan-Erik Hällgren, SLU. Jan-Erik was the Forest Faculty Dean when CERE was founded. Together with Göran Sandberg, the then Chancellor of Umeå University, Jan-Erik played a significant part when it came to facilitating the formation of CERE
Hur vi byggde CERE: från 0-10 (How we built CERE: from 0-10) Professor Bengt Kriström, CERE and SLU. Bengt is a Professor in Natural Resource Economics at SLU and is one of the founders of CERE and its Research Director for the initial 9 years. Bengt has been and is, one of Sweden’s most influential and renowned environmental and resource economists. Apart from the research, he has been involved in numeral, important parliamentary investigations regarding environmental and natural resources. One example is the Environmental fee investigation that led to a taxation on sulfur and Sweden becoming the first country with a carbon tax.
CERE och framtida utmaningar (CERE and future challenges) Professor Peter Högberg, SLU. Peter is a Professor of Forest Soils. Peter was the Forest Faculty Dean during the period 2013-2015. In 2015 Peter took over as Chancellor at SLU, a position he held until 2018.
CERE’s bidrag till MILJÖN (CERE’s contribution to the ENVIRONMENT) Associate Professor Eva Samakovlis, Head of Analysis, Skatteverket. Eva has a PhD in Economics from Umeå University and is the former Head of the Environmental Economics unit at the National Institute of Economic Research. Eva became Associate Professor at Umeå University in 2007. Her research has foremost been focused on environmental policy instruments.
Break for fika
Skogen, transporterna och klimatet - hur ska politiken utformas? (The Forest, Transports and Climate - How Should the Policy's be Drawn?)
Skogens bidrag till hållbar utveckling - det krävs en helhetssyn (The forests contribution to sustainable development - a holistic view is necessary) Mårten Larsson, Swedish Forest Industries. Mårten is part of the CERE advisory board. His main area is on issues surrounding bioeconomy, forest value added and the role of the forest in the climate.
Cap locally, trade globally Dr. Jurate Jaraite, Vilnius university and CERE. Jurate was the first international recruit at CERE. She came to CERE in 2010 with a new PhD from the University College in Dublin. Jurate is since this summer emplyed as senior researcher at Vilnius University, Lituania, but still affiliated to CERE. Her research is mainly focused on policy instruments within energy and climate.
Hållbara transporter i forskning och politik (Sustainable transports in research and policy) Ulf Perbo, Industry Director of roads, The Swedish Confederation of Transport Enterprises. Ulf is the former CEO of Bilsweden and former State Secretary at the Department of Housing. Ulf studied Economics at Umeå University and has been involved in issues regarding transport and the transport sectors climate impact for an extensive period.
Transportsektorns klimatmål och politiken för att ta oss dit (The climate goal of the Transport Sector and the policy to get there) Associate Professor Svante Mandell, Head of the Environmental Economics unit at the National Institute of Economic Research. Svante has a background as a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology, where he was foremost focused on welfare economics, issues regarding transport infrastructure, financial policy including climate policy.
The information will continuously be updated. December 9-13, 2019: researchers Rolf Färe and Shawna Grosskopf (Oregon State)visits and gives a couple of lectures on shadow pricing the environment as part of the course "Production and the environment" at the Environmental economics master program.
December 12th, 2019: researcher Lammertjan Dam (Groningen U.) holds a seminari. Lammertjan is a long time friend of CERE and been in Umeå as a post doc in the fall of 2010 and visited on a number of occasions since. He will be present during the week.
September 18th, 2019 (2.45-4.00 pm) James Boyd visited CERE and had a sit down with high-school students at Minerva School in Umeå to talk about valuing ecosystem services.
September 19th, 2019 (1.15 pm)James Boyd held a seminar at the SLU library. Title: The Future of Ecosystem Services Analysis: Barriers, Progress, and Priorities. In cooperation with ECOS
October 4th,2019 the new Honorary Doctor at SLU (nominated by the Department of Forest Economics and CERE), Professor Jason Shogren held a lecture in connection with the award ceremony in Uppsala.
October 7th, 2019 (2pm): Deputy Research Director Francisco X. Aguilar met up with Minerva students on campus.
Using a linking indicator – a biophysical outcome that is meaningful or directly relevant to the public’s wellbeing can help to relate issues in the nature to a broader set of human concerns. 
Program
October 4th, 2019 the new Honorary Doctor at SLU (nominated by the Department of Forest Economics and CERE), Professor Jason Shogren held a lecture in connection with the award ceremony in Uppsala.