Climate Transitions in Contested Forests: Justice and Governance in Digital Times

The problem of climate change calls for action to deal with GHG emissions and to enhance the resilience of people to cope with the impacts of climate change.

Literature and politics on climate change has focused on bottlenecks at the international level and on policy instruments at the national level. Few examine how local politics and tensions steer policy and the role of institutions and mechanisms on the ground. This action oriented proposal addresses concrete questions on forest governance, transitions and digitalization.

We seek to effect change starting at the local level by identifying mechanisms that promote synergies between groups in negotiations on climate transitions in contested forests.

We do so in 3 cases: a sustainable mining initiative; a windpark that has exacerbated existing forest conflicts and third, where local inhabitants have called for a voice in decision-making on forests and transitions.

We examine local forest and climate politics in relation to policies and laws; analyze intersecting dimensions of power in everyday, digitalized forest negotiations and untangle contrasting timelines for forest transitions.

Based on the knowledge produced, we will identify practical governance interventions that can facilitate sustainable and just co-management of forests between the state, indigenous groups and local communities.

We will also discuss what digital tools have the greatest potential for Swedish land use in terms of sustainability and justice.