For the third year in a row, the Agenda 2030 Award will be presented at Lund University. The award was established by the interdisciplinary Agenda 2030 Graduate School in cooperation with the textile service company Elis Sweden to recognise innovative research that contributes to sustainable development. The steering board of the graduate school has named Christie Nicoson as the 2024 winner. In addition to the award, she will receive a grant of SEK 25 000. 

"Scholarship on sustainable development can be many things. It can stay close to established policy and existing institutions, or it can seek fresh ideas and go to other places for new and better understandings than the one’s currently on offer. We can be proud to have Christie with us to lead the way in that latter approach," says Markus Gunneflo, coordinator of the graduate school.

The nominated papers were of high quality, and in addition to the winner Christie, PhD students Phil Flores and Alezini Loxa received honorary mentions. All three are part of the Agenda 2030 Research School and this is the first time anyone from the school has won the award.

New and better understandings

Christie Nicoson's research focuses on climate change, gender and peace, and how these are interconnected and influence each other. Phil Flores graduated last autumn with a thesis on electric scooters as green innovations, and Alezini Loxa graduated in autumn 2023 with a thesis on EU migration policy from a sustainability perspective.

The motivation for this year's winner, Christie Nicoson, reads: "Christie Nicoson receives the Agenda 2030 Award for her project on a feminist ethics of care for the climate transformation. This is a project that deals with the impact of climate change in the specific context of Puerto Rico. What is especially impressive is how it travels from high-level theoretical concepts to micro-level original fieldwork empirics and back again. This provides a framework for appreciating climate change in the social, cultural and political contexts of especially affected communities as opposed to merely a biophysical and external threat with aggregate harms to humanity in general. What is more, through Nicoson’s work, new ideas are shaped and other voices are heard about what a sustainable future might look like."

Ulrika Viderum is Head of Sustainability at Elis, the company that funds the scholarship. Commenting on this year's winners, she said:
"Christie's research is incredibly important and inspiring. The 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development have an overall plan where people live without hunger, with more equality and equity, without poverty and with better living conditions, in a world where nature is not damaged. Christie's work, which includes climate change, gender perspectives and peace, helps to broaden the perspective of how the world is connected, how it impacts locally and spreads new ideas and knowledge. At Elis, we want to encourage research and innovation and contribute to the circular economy. With our circular business model and high sustainability goals, we can contribute with both inspiration and expertise," says Ulrika Viderum.

The Agenda 2030 Award was presented at a ceremony in Lund's Stadshallen on 10 April, where Christie, Phil and Alezini talked about their research. 
Read an interview with Christie Nicoson about her research on climate change, gender and peace
Read an interview with Phil Flores and his research on so-called green innovations – Fun, eco-friendly or functional – why travellers want to try new, green modes of transport
Read an interview with Alezini Loxa and her research about migration in EU - The rights of migrants are closely linked to their economic contribution to the EU market