40. Nearing the end?

It's been 9 months in Australia and just 3 months to go before I return "home" to Sweden. As a visiting researcher at Melbourne University I have been asked to give a talk, which I have entitled "Reflections on Sustainability: From Australia to Sweden and back again". My abstract for this talk reads "I grew up in Melbourne, Australia but have spent the last 10 years living in Sweden and working at Lund University (first as a doctoral candidate and today as an Assistant Professor). A fantastic opportunity came up for me to return to Melbourne University for 12 months (from July 2012 until June 2013). In this talk and discussion I will present my thoughts and activities on sustainability from my experiences in Australia and Sweden/Europe and back again. I have a background in political science and environmental science, and I engage in a combination of research, education, communication and innovation activities. Broadly speaking I work in the fields of sustainability and governance. Specifically, I concentrate on how to accelerate the implementation of renewable energy (focusing on bioenergy and biofuels) and energy efficiency, catalyze sustainable urban transformation, and promote education for sustainability." I plan to talk on 3 main points. First, there is much to learn from Sweden about sustainability transitions and climate action. Second, the world is watching Australia both in terms of climate policy (and the impending change of government) and climate impacts on weather patterns. Third, the role of the university in sustainability transitions is changing markedly as the science and understanding of global warming expands and spreads.