Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Bjorn-Ola Linner
CIRES Visiting Fellow
2012-2013

Sabbatical
Ph.D., TK

Project: Science, politics and the Green Revolution

Bjorn-Ola Linner is a professor in water and environmental studies at the Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, Linköping University, in TK. He research focuses on international policy-making on climate change, food security, and sustainable development.

While at the CIRES Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, Linner is unraveling and contextualizing the lessons of the Green Revolution for how we think about innovation policy—in agriculture and beyond. The world is seeking to provide massive quantities of energy by mid-century while at the same time dramatically reducing the carbon intensity of the global economy. “To have any chance of succeeding will require a sustained and intensive commitment to energy innovation,” Linner said. “We believe that the notable successes in sustained improvements in agricultural productivity gains over the past half-century offer fruitful lessons for energy policy innovation.” Linner and his colleagues’ analysis has direct relevance to policies for agriculture, which seek to produce enough food for more than 9 billion people by 2050, while at the same time reducing the environmental footprint of those practices.

While studying all things Green, Linner will also be enjoying the white stuff. “I look forward to a glistening, crystalline cloud of snow as my skis swipe down the slopes of Eldora,” he says.

Sponsor: Roger Pielke Jr.