News and events 2026
What happens when human rights are put into practice?
September 2026
What happens when global goals for social sustainability and human rights are put into practice locally? In her doctoral research, Emelie Lantz has studied partnerships between Malmö City and civil society organisations.
Her research shows how human rights and social sustainability can become treated as the same thing in practice, causing residents’ rights and voices to recede into the background. An emphasis on measurable goals can also take attention away from residents’ needs and opportunities to influence decisions.
Emelie Lantz defended her doctoral thesis in Human Rights at the Faculty of History at Lund University.
Mahesh Menon on the concept of sustainable development
September 2026
Congratulations to Mahesh Menon, who can now call himself a doctor at Lund University’s Faculty of Law. Mahesh successfully defended his doctoral thesis, The Distributional Life of Sustainable Development: Environmentalism and Economic Growth in the Supreme Court of India.
In his thesis, Mahesh Menon examines how the concept of sustainable development has been applied in the environmental jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of India. Drawing on an analysis of almost one hundred court judgements, he explores how the costs of environmental protection and the benefits of economic development have been distributed in a society marked by social and economic inequalities.
Read more about Mahesh Menon's research in the Lund University Research Portal
Georgios Tsiakiris studies lighting and wellbeing in urban forests
June 2026
Georgios Tsiakiris has successfully defended his PhD in environmental psychology at Lund University.
His research investigates how different lighting conditions – including daylight, electric lighting and head torches – affect people’s experiences of urban forests after dark. Based on field studies in Sweden and Norway, the work explores questions of safety, accessibility and wellbeing in outdoor environments.
The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about how urban green spaces can remain accessible during darker months while minimising the impact of lighting on wildlife.
Read more about Georgios Tsiakiris's research
Juan Antonio Samper explores conflict and resistance in the Andinoamazonia
June 2026
Juan Antonio Samper has defended his doctoral thesis at Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS).
His research focuses on how armed conflict, extractivism and resistance shape the Andinoamazonia region in Colombia during the country’s current peacebuilding process. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, he examines how relationships between people and place are continuously reconfigured in everyday life.
The study sheds light on how ongoing conflict and expanding resource extraction influence both territorial dynamics and the conditions for alternative, place-based ways of life.
Read more about Juan's research on LinkedIn
New insights into lymphoma from Angelica Johansson’s research
June 2026
Angelica Johansson has successfully defended her PhD at the Department of Immunotechnology at Lund University.
Her research provides new insights into mycosis fungoides, a rare type of lymphoma, identifying biological factors that may help explain differences in disease progression. She also investigated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, where she found associations between the tumour immune environment and patient survival.
In addition, her work explores patient-reported outcomes, showing that many people living with mycosis fungoides report strong psychological resilience and a relatively high quality of life despite chronic illness.
Read more about Angelica's research
Carlo Nicoli Aldini awarded PhD in sociology of law
May 2026
On 22 May, Carlo Nicoli Aldini successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the Department of Sociology of Law at Lund University.
His research examines the long-standing conflict surrounding the steel plant in Taranto, Italy, focusing on how legal strategies have been used by both state institutions and local communities in struggles over pollution, public health, industrial interests and justice.
The dissertation highlights the dual role of law in environmental conflicts – both as a tool of governance and as a means of resistance.
Read more about Carlo's thesis
Panel discussion on disinformation
May 2026
Disinformation is increasingly described as one of the major challenges facing societies today. Developments in AI and social media have made it easier to produce, spread and amplify misleading information.
On 13 May, the Agenda 2030 Graduate School and Centre for preparedness and resilience, LUPREP, hosted a panel discussion on disinformation at Lund University. Researchers from different fields – Jesper Falkheimer, Elzbieta Drazkiewicz, David Gisselsson Nord and Jessica Abbott – shared perspectives on topics such as public trust, Covid-19 and the spread of disinformation.
The panel was moderated by Ylva van Meeningen and followed by a discussion with PhD students led by Johan Bergström.
Agenda 2030 Award ceremony: Healthy diets for a healthy planet
April 2026
The Agenda 2030 Award was presented to Anna Stubbendorff after her PhD defence at Lund University’s Faculty of Medicine. Her research highlights the strong links between human health and planetary health, showing that sustainable diets can support both.
The award was celebrated with a lunch‑time ceremony in Lund, inspired by the EAT‑Lancet dietary framework central to her research. The event was hosted by the graduate school's coordinator Markus Gunneflo, with Erik Lindroth from Duni Group, the award sponsor, also taking part. Honorary mentions were awarded to Zhiyong Wu and Niklas Warlin for their contributions to sustainability research at the Faculty of Engineering (LTH).
Sustainability at a crossroads
April 2026
During the final day of Sustainability Week in Lund, a shortened but well‑attended event, "Sustainability at a crossroads", took place in the Lund Botanical Garden. The event was organised by PhD students Iury Salustiano Trojaborg and Juan Antonio Samper from the Agenda 2030 Graduate School. The programme included a capoeira performance and a space for emotional engagement with sustainability issues.
Writing retreat for doctoral students
April 2026
Doctoral students from the Agenda 2030 Graduate School gathered for a one‑day writing retreat focused on individual writing tasks. The day was structured into focused writing sessions interspersed with short breaks and outdoor activities.
The retreat offered a change of environment and an opportunity for concentrated work at Naturum Skrylle outside Lund.
PhD defence: Sustainability in healthcare
March 2026
Agenda 2030 Graduate School PhD student Linn Hemberg successfully defended her thesis on the environmental impact of healthcare at the Faculty of Medicine.
Her work explores how life cycle assessment can be used to better understand emissions from intensive and perioperative care. The defence took place at the Museum of Medical History in Helsingborg and included an in‑depth discussion on sustainability challenges in healthcare.
New PhD Graduate in the Agenda 2030 Graduate School
March 2026
Dr Juanita Francis successfully defended her PhD thesis at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University.
Her research examines protein assembly processes, spanning materials such as silk and plant seeds, and was assessed by an international examination committee.
Agenda 2030 Graduate School Kick‑off 2026
March 2026
The Agenda 2030 Graduate School marked the start of 2026 with a kick‑off retreat focused on reflection, dialogue and planning ahead.
The programme combined joint discussions on sustainability in a complex global context with the Farewell Falsterbo soundwalk, exploring future flood scenarios and questions of responsibility and societal choices. The meeting laid the foundation for collaboration and activities during the year.
New research on climate‑friendly and nutritious diets
February 2026
New research by Anna Stubbendorff shows that environmentally sustainable diets can be nutritionally adequate. In a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health, she examined the health effects of the EAT‑Lancet diet.
The results indicate that lower consumption of animal‑source foods does not necessarily increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies, contributing important evidence to the discussion on sustainable food systems.
PhD defence: Environmentally sustainable diets and human health
January 2026
Doctoral candidate Anna Stubbendorff successfully defended her PhD thesis at the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University.
Her thesis examines the links between sustainable diets, nutritional adequacy and long‑term health outcomes, and the defence included discussions on dietary guidelines, sustainability and public health with an international examination committee.