Environmental Systems Analysis Tools

A sustainable development will depend on planning and development of technical systems with low impact on climate and environment. The development of a systematic methodology for creating an enduring balance between people, infrastructure and resource use requires planning and decision making processes where technical, environmental, economic and social issues are considered together in a systematic way. In order to achieve this, system analytical methods and tools are developed that link social science, natural science and real world systems in holistic approaches. Within this research, spatial and environmental systems analysis tools within e.g. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), biodiversity and ecological assessment, green procurement, participatory GIS, green procurement and environmental information management are developed to meet the urgent questions posed by policy and planning of today.

Ongoing research projects

ISSUE - Integrating Sustainability Strategies in Urban Environments

SPEAK - Sustainable Planning and Environmental Assessment Knowledge

Södertörnsmodellen

Integrated sustainability assessment of forest bioenergy options

MAP-Stump: A decision support system for forest biomass harvesting

Fostering participation and dialogue using strategic environmental assessment

Earlier research projects and activities

Improving the environmental performance in the construction sector

Shaping a sustainability strategy for the Arctic

Antarctica Futures

Konflikthantering i skog (Conflict handling in multiple-use forest)

Environmental criteria in procurement

PROBE - Prediction Tools for Biodiversity in Environmental Impact Assessment

KTH Geographic Information Network

Selected publications

2018	Balfors, B., Antonson, H., Faith-Ell, C., Finnveden, G., Gunnarsson-Östling, U., Hörnberg, C., Isaksson, K., Lundberg, K., Pädam, S., Söderqvist, T., Wärnbäck, A., 2018. Strategisk miljöbedömning för hållbar samhällsplanering - Slutrapport från forskningsprogrammet SPEAK. Rapport 6810, Naturvårdsverket, 92 pp.
2017	Pang, X., Nordström, E.-M., Böttcher, H., Trubins, R., Mörtberg, U., 2017. Trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services under different forest management scenarios – the LEcA tool . Ecosystem Services 28: 67-79.
2017	Pang, X. 2017. Trade-off analysis of forest ecosystem services – A modelling approach . PhD thesis, TRITA-SEED-PHD 2017:02. Dept. of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm.
2017	Goldenberg, R., Kalantari, Z., Cvetkovic, V., Mörtberg, U., Deal, B., Destouni, G., 2017. Distinction, quantification and mapping of potential and realized supply-demand of flow-dependent ecosystem services . Science of the Total Environment 593-594: 599-609.
2017	Pang, X., Mörtberg, U., Sallnäs, O., Trubins, R., Nordström, E.-M. and Böttcher, H. 2017. Habitat network assessment of forest bioenergy options using the landscape simulator LandSim – A case study of Kronoberg, southern Sweden . Ecological Modelling 345: 99-112.
2017	Olsson, B., Hannrup, B., Jönsson, M., Larsolle, A., Nordström, M., Mörtberg, U., Rudolphi, J. and Strömgren, M. 2017. A decision support model for individual tree stump harvest options based on criteria for economic return and environmental protection . Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 32: 246-259.
2017	Larsolle, A., Hannrup, B., Jönsson, M., Mörtberg, U., Nordström, M., Olsson, B., Rudolphi, J. and Strömgren, M. 2017. Modellbaserat beslutsstöd för stubbskörd [Model based decision support for stump harvest, in Swedish] . Report 094, Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
2016	Balfors, B., Azcarate, J., Mörtberg, U., Karlson, M. and Odelius Gordon, S. 2016. Impacts of urban development on biodiversity and ecosystem services . Chapter 8 in: Geneletti, D. (ed.). Handbook on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Impact Assessment. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp 167-194.
2016	Mazzeo Rinaldi, F. 2016. From local development policies to strategic planning – Assessing continuity in institutional coalitions . Evaluation and Program Planning 56: 76-87.
2015	Azcarate, J. 2015. Beyond impacts: Contextualizing strategic environmental assessment to foster the inclusion of multiple values in strategic planning . TRITA-LWR PHD 2015:02, doctoral thesis in Planning and Decision Analysis, KTH Architecture and the Built Environment, Stockholm.
2014	Pang, X., Mörtberg, U. & Brown, N. 2014. Energy models from a strategic environmental assessment perspective – what is missing concerning renewables? Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 33: 353-362.
2014	Uttam, K. 2014. Seeking sustainability in the construction sector: opportunities within impact assessment and sustainable public procurement . TRITA-LWR PHD 2014:03, doctoral thesis in Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH Architecture and the Built Environment, Stockholm.
2013	Azcarate, J., Balfors, B., Bring, A. & Destouni, G. 2013. Strategic environmental assessment and monitoring: Arctic key gaps and bridging pathways . Environmental Research Letters 8: 044033.
2013	Bergsten, A. & Zetterberg, A. 2013. To model the landscape as a network: A practitioner's perspective. Landscape and Urban Planning 119: 35-43.
2012	Arts, J. & Faith-Ell C. 2012. New governance approaches for sustainable project delivery. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 48: 3239-3250.
2012	Uttam K., Faith-Ell C. & Balfors B. 2012. EIA and green procurement: Opportunities for strengthening their coordination. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 33: 73-79.
2011	Lundberg, K. 2011. A systems thinking approach to environmental follow-up in a Swedish central public authority: Hindrances and possibilities for learning from experience. Environmental Management 48: 123-133.
2011	Zetterberg, A. 2011. Connecting the dots: Network analysis, landscape ecology, and practical application. TRITA-LWR PHD 1062. Doctoral Thesis in Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH Architecture and the Built Environment, Stockholm.
2010	Gontier, M., Mörtberg, U. & Balfors, B. 2010. Comparing GIS-based habitat models for applications in EIA and SEA . Environmental Impact Assessment Review 30: 8-18.
2010	Zetterberg, A., Mörtberg, U. & Balfors, B. 2010. Making graph theory operational for landscape ecological assessments, planning, and design . Landscape and Urban Planning 95: 181-191.
2010	Lundberg, K., Balfors, B., Folkeson, L., Nilsson, M. 2010. SEA monitoring in Swedish regional transport infrastructure plans - Improvement opportunities identified in practical experience. Environmental Impact Assessment Revew 30: 400-406.
2010	Mizgajski, A., Breuste, J., Albert, C., Gruehn, D., Kozová, M., Miklós, L. and Mörtberg, U. 2010. Implementation of landscape ecological knowledge - achievements and challenges . The Problems of Landscape Ecology XXVIII: 9-13.
2009		Lundberg, K. 2009. Monitoring as an instrument for improving environmental performance in public authorities - experience from Swedish Infrastucture Management. TRITA-LWR PHD 1048. Doctoral Thesis in Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH Architecture and the Built Environment, Stockholm.
2009	Lundberg, K., Balfors, B., Folkeson, L. 2009. Framework for environmental performance measurement in a Swedish public sector organization. Journal of Cleaner Production 17: 1017-1024.
2009	Nilsson, M., Wiklund, H., Finnveden G., Jonsson J.K., Lundberg K., Tyskeng S., Wallgren O. 2009. Analytical framework and tool kit for SEA follow-up. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 29: 186-199.
2008	Gontier, M. 2008. Spatial prediction tools for biodiversity in environmental assessment. TRITA-LWR PHD 1041. Doctoral Thesis in Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH Architecture and the Built Environment, Stockholm.
2007	Gontier, M. 2007. Scale issues in the assessment of ecological impacts using a GIS-based habitat model - A case study for the Stockholm region. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 27: 440-459.
2007	Mörtberg, U. 2007. GIS-based habitat models in spatial planning. In: Brainerd, S.M., Seiler A. & Kastdalen, L. (eds.) 2007 Habitat modelling - A tool for managing landscapes? Report from a workshop held in Sunnersta, Sweden, 14-17 February 2006. NINA Report 195, pp 22-26.
2007	Mörtberg, U.M., Balfors, B. & Knol, W.C. 2007. Landscape ecological assessment: a tool for integrating biodiversity issues in strategic environmental assessment and planning . Journal of Environmental Management 82: 457-470.
2006	Faith-Ell, C., Balfors, B., Folkeson, L. 2006. The application of environmental requirements in Swedish road maintenance contracts. Journal of Cleaner Production 14: 163-171.
2006	Gontier, M. 2006. Integrating landscape ecology in environmental impact assessment using GIS and ecological modelling. In: Tress, B., Tress, G., Fry, G., Opdam, P. (eds.) 2006. From landscape research to landscape planning: Aspects of integration, education and application. Springer, pp 345-354.
2006	Gontier, M., Balfors, B. & Mörtberg, U. 2006. Biodiversity in environmental assessment – current practice and tools for prediction . Environmental Impact Assessment Review 26: 268-286.
2006	Lundberg, K., Balfors, B., Folkeson, L. 2006. Identification of environmental aspects in an EMS context: a methodological framework for the Swedish National Rail Administration. Journal of Cleaner Production 15: 385-394.
2005	Mörtberg, U. & Karlström, A. 2005. Predicting forest grouse distribution taking account of spatial autocorrelation . Journal for Nature Conservation 13: 147-159.
2002	Balfors, B., Schmidtbauer, J. 2002. Swedish Guidelines for Strategic Environmental Assessment for EU Structural Funds. European Environment 12: 35-48.
2002	Koku, J.E. 2002. Environment, livelihood and natural recource management in the Lower Volta Basin of Ghana. TRITA-LWR PHD 1003, Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.
2001	Koku, J. E. 2001. Socio-cultural factors and land degradation in the South Tongu District of Ghana: Some implications for resource protection and environmental health in the Lower Volta Catchment. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 44: 309-330.