Knowledge for Sustainable Development 2027 - Our shared future: Conflict and Sustainability

Conflict and sustainability

As the world faces accelerating climate impacts, geopolitical instability, and growing pressure on resources, tensions are increasing over how best to adapt to and protect our societies.

Both sustainability and preparedness are essential for responding to future crises, but they operate in different ways. Sustainable development is a long-term strategy aimed at creating a thriving, equitable, and stable world without compromising the needs of future generations. Preparedness, by contrast, focuses on short-term responses that minimise loss, support recovery, and strengthen our ability to cope with imminent crises.

At times, investments in rapid response may place strain on commitments to sustainable development. Likewise, long-term sustainability measures can appear to conflict with urgent security needs. Yet there are also important synergies: both sustainability and preparedness seek to build more resilient societies.

What is the relationship between conflict, preparedness and sustainability? Are we forced to choose, or can society be made both resilient in the short term and regenerative in the long-term?  What is the role of knowledge-production at universities in the changes that we are currently going through? Our Shared Future: Conflict and Sustainability, invites us to explore these intersections in an open, forward-looking, and critical fashion.

About the conference

This is a one day conference organised by the Lund University Research Board in collaboration with the Sustainability Forum at Lund University.The conference is aimed at researchers associated with Lund University, as well as other researchers, stakeholders, and students who wish to join the discussions and learn more about the topic. The day will include inspirational speakers as well as opportunities for researchers or internal organisations to give suggestions of presentations, workshops or other activities.

The conference takes place the 9th of February 2027 at Medicon Village (Scheelevägen 1) in Lund. 

Call for abstracts

We invite abstract contributions in the form of paper presentations, panels and other events in various explorative formats. The main author must be a researcher at Lund University, but we encourage collaborations with other universities. Lund University will not cover for any travel or accommodation to take part in the conference. For more information visit the conference website.

Deadline for abstract submission is 22nd of October at 12:00.

Link to conference website

Knowledge for Sustainable Development 2027 - Our shared future: Conflict and Sustainability | Sustainability Forum