Linus Hasselström

Linus Hasselström is a researcher at the Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering (SEED), KTH. He has a PhD in Planning and Decision Analysis with specialization in Environmental Strategic Analysis (2016). His research is centered around environmental economics, environmental policy, bioeconomy, circular economy, and valuation of ecosystem services and natural capital.

Background

I have an MSc in economics from Stockholm University (2008). I did my PhD as an industrial doctoral student from employment at Enveco (nowadays Anthesis) between 2012-2016. My current research is primarily oriented towards policy instruments development to support bioeconomy and circular economy, as well as market-based mechanisms for offsetting negative environmental impacts and for stimulating innovation and sustainable business development. My main ambition is to provide systematic approaches to environmental policy. All policy instruments have their pros and cons, and policy needs to navigate a complex system involving e.g. legal and practical hurdles, leakage, rebound effects, distributional effects and cost effectiveness. It is important to find a policy mix that does not push problems elsewhere. As a consultant and later researcher I have been involved in a variety of thematic areas such as climate policy, air pollution, marine eutrophication, spatial planning, hazardous substances, littering, sustainable finance, tourism and recreation, plastics recycling, radioactive waste, biodiversity offsetting, etc., working for or together with municipalities, government, NGOs and large and small businesses in Sweden and elsewhere.

On-going projects

Rebound effects from transport policy. This project addresses possible rebound effects from policies such as green subsidies, taxation and technology support to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. A risk is for example that instruments to stimulate fuel efficiency leads to more kilometers of transport instead. 2 years, funded by Vinnova and lead by IVL.

Marine bioeconomy for circular nitrogen and phosphorus flows in Sweden: Alternatives, hurdles and policy tools. Marine biomass sequesters N and P, and when being removed from the sea, it helps reducing eutrophication. Biomass such as seaweed, reed and blue mussels is increasingly used for a variety of biobased products, however these markets are in many cases not yet mature. We explore this industry from an economic, social and environmental perspective to find hurdles and barriers and assess the potential for future growth which enables the recirculation of N and P. 3 years, funded by Formas and lead by KTH.

AlgaeGlue. We investigate the possibilities, life cycle impacts and economic potential of making seaweed-based adhesive for industrial application in particle boards. KTH has lead. 3 years, funded by Formas and lead by KTH.

Municomp.When urban areas develop, this puts pressure on green areas. A new tool that is being developed in Swedish municipalities is to offset this impact with re-creatingnatural capitalelsewhere through land-management and other measures. We study implementation in municipalities and the preferences of citizens towards these measures. 3 years, funded by the Swedish EPA and lead by Högskolan i Kristianstad.

ECOCOA. There are few examples of biodiversity offsetting and environmental compensation in coastal areas. We are developing guidance for how such compensation could be developed, by structuring damage assessment and the effects of compensatory measures using a natural capital/ecosystem services framework. This helps illuminating damages and selecting among projects to compensate damage. 3 years, funded by the Swedish EPA and lead by SLU.

WaterPlan.Society needs trade-offs in how far-reaching water protection measures should be and which sources should be prioritized. We develop economic models for enabling scientifically grounded decision-support. 3 years, funded by Formas and lead by Chalmers Technical University.

Deposit return schemes for plastics. We investigate how extended deposit return schemes could or could not contribute to solving technical and behavioral barriers that today prevent plastics from being recycled. 3 years, funded by Formas and lead by KTH.

Previous projects

2016-2018: Aqua-Agri-Kelp. Sustainable large-scale cultivation of seaweeds in Sweden for climate change mitigation and food production. Financed by Mistra. Researcher.

2018: Ekodesigndirektivet som styrmedel för minskade utsläpp av mikroplaster [The Ecodesign Directive as policy instrument for reduced microplastics emissions]. For Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Project leader.

2018: Dow Jones Sustainability Index reporting – Impact Measurement and Valuation. Valuing externalities. For a client in the insurance sector. Consultant.

2018: Metodutveckling ekosystemtjänster vid förbättrad konnektivitet [ecosystem services valuation in relation to connectivity of water bodies]. For Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Project leader.

2018: Kartläggning av rekreationsvärden i svenska vatten [recreational values in Swedish waters]. For Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Project leader.

2018: Förberedande av värderingsstudie – värdet av att uppnå god ekologisk status i Östersjön och Västerhavet [Benefits of reaching environmental objectives for the Baltic Sea]. For Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Project leader.

2018-2020: Risk-based prioritization of water protection in sustainable spatial planning (WaterPlan). Financed by Formas. Researcher.

2018: Granskning av samhällsekonomisk analys, värdet av kulturmiljöer [socioeconomic assessment of cultural heritage]. For Swedish National Heritage Board. Project leader.

2018: Möjliga styrmedel för ökad materialåtervinning av plast [Policy instruments for increased recycling of plastics]. For Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Project leader.

2018: Konsekvensanalys av plast på fossil jungfrulig råvara [Cost-benefit analysis of taxation of fossil material for plastics production]. For Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Project leader.

2018: NutriTrade.: Nutrient Offsetting for the Baltic Sea. For John Nurminen Foundation/Interreg. Researcher.

2017: Kartläggning av Blekingekustens ekosystemtjänster [Mapping of coastal ecosystem services in Blekinge]. For County Administrative Board, Blekinge. Project leader.

2017: Samhällsekonomisk analys av vattenskyddsområde i Busarveområdet, Gotland [Socioeconomic impact assessment of water protection area in Busarve, Gotland]. For Region Gotland, subcontracted by Sweco. Project leader/Consultant.

2015-2016: Framtagande av relevant och användaranpassad samhällsekonomisk modell för miljöåtgärder för kraft och liv i vatten (FRAM-KLIV) [Cost-benefit analysis tool for environmental measures for power and life in water], funded by Energiforsk AB, the Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management; Researcher.

2015-2016: Cost-benefit analysis of management alternatives for 10 invasive alien species in Sweden, funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Project leader/Consultant

2013-2015: Integrating Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity into Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (ESBESIA), funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Researcher.

2015: Guide för värdering av ekosystemtjänster [Guide for valuing ecosystem services]. For the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Project leader/Consultant.

2015: Analys av nyttan av minskat matsvinn [assessment of benefits of reduced food waste]. For the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Project leader/Consultant.

2015: Socio-economic impact assessment of ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network); funded by University of Helsinki, Finland. Consultant.

2014-2015: Zoner i jordbrukslandskapet. En utvärdering av styrmedel. [Zones and strips in the agricultural landscape. An assessment of policy instruments]. For the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Consultant.

2010-2015: IMAGE – Integrated management of agriculture, fishery, environment and economy. For the Danish Strategic Research Council. Researcher.

2014-2015: How is the rule of reason in Ch. 2 7 § in the Swedish Environmental Code applied? Funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Consultant.

2014-2015: MARECOS (Marine ecosystem services in Nordic marine waters and the Baltic Sea – possibilities for valuation); funded by Nordic Council of Ministers; subcontractor to Dep. of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Denmark. Researcher.

2014-2015: Assessing disproportional cost in relation to the Water Framework Directive. For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Consultant.

2014: Key conditions for increased and cost-effective ecological compensation in the Nordic Countries. For the Nordic Council of Ministers. Subcontracted by Enetjärn Natur. Consultant.

2013-2014: Utvecklingsarbete rörande social konsekvensanalys, index för samlad hållbarhetsbedömning av åtgärder/åtgärdsprogram/havsplan och operationalisering av ekosystemtjänstansatsen. [Developing social impact assessment, index for holistic sustainability assessment of measures and operationalization of the ecosystem service approach to management]. For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Project leader/Consultant.

2014: Developing a piloting model on payments for coastal wetland ecosystem services in Mui ca Mau national park [Vietnam] in the context of climate change contributing to poverty reduction in local community. For SIDA, subcontracted by EnviroEconomics Sweden. Consultant.

2013-2014: Värderingsstudie baserad på värdeöverföring, för arbetet med ramdirektivet för vatten [Valuation study based on benefit transfer, for use in connection to the Water Framework Directive]. For Vattenmyndigheten. Project leader/Consultant.

2011-2014: Arctic Games – Interactive development and application of a transdisciplinary framework for sustainable governance options of Arctic natural resources. For Mistra. Researcher.

2013: Workshop on OSPAR Economic and social analysis coordination. For the OSPAR Convention, Subcontracted by Eftec, UK to organize workshop.  Consultant.

2013: Vindkraftens kumulativa effekter [Cumulative impacts from wind power]. For WWF, subcontracted by Enetjärn Natur AB. Consultant.

2013: Samhällsekonomisk analys kopplad till förekomsten av björn, varg, järv och lo i Sverige. [Socioeconomic analysis concerning the presence of bear, wolf, wolverine and lynx in Sweden]. For Länsstyrelsen, Uppsala Län (Vargkommittén). Project leader/Consultant.

2009-2012: Monitoring Baltic nutrients in relation to cyanobacterial blooms: what should we aim for? For Stockholm University. Researcher.

2012: Assessment of social costs associated with mosquitos, funded by the county administrative board of Gävleborg, Sweden. Consultant.

2009-2012: Probaps - Protection of the Baltic Sea: Benefits, costs and policy instruments. For theFinnish Advisory Board for Sectoral Research. Researcher.

2012: Bedömningar vid framtagande av havsplaner – samhällsekonomiska bedömningar som en del av en hållbarhetsbedömning. [Marine spatial planning – socioeconomic analysis as part of a sustainability assessment]. For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Consultant.

2008-2012: Plus&Minus – Economic assessment for the environment. For the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Researcher, Work package leader – coordination of empirical studies.

2012: BalticSTERN – subproject: Oil spills management . Analysis of policy instruments for managing oil spill risk in the Baltic Sea. For the BalticSTERN secretariat. Project leader.

2011-2012: Reduced salmon stocking in Swedish rivers – what are the consequences? For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management/the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Project leader.

2012: Using Markets to Supply Ecosystem Services: How to make it happen. For FORES. Consultant.

2011: Oil spills in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea: Preliminary analysis to support Sweden’s Initial Assessment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Consultant, Work package leader – economic analysis.

2011: Analysis of the maritime sector – from drivers to impact on ecosystem services. For the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Consultant.

2010: Study of costs and benefits of environmental-improving actions in the Baltic Sea for the Helcom Initial Holistic Assessment. For HELCOM / the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Consultant.

2009: Standard monetary values for environmental change and ecosystem services to be used in cost-benefit analysis. For the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Consultant.

2009: Economic impact analysis of suggested measures in the national plan for all radioactive waste. For the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority.  Consultant.

2008: Cost-benefit analysis of the implementation of the Inspire Directive in Sweden. For the National Land Survey of Sweden. Consultant.

2008: Economic Marine Information. Funder: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Consultant.

2008: Extended economic analysis of water protection measures in archipelago areas. For Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland. Consultant.

2007: Contaminants and new tools from an economic perspective, sub-project within the project New contaminants - new tools (Swe. Nya gifter - nya verktyg). For the Environment and Health Administration, the City of Stockholm. Consultant.

Journal articles

Franzén, F., Strand, Å., Stadmark, J., Ingmansson, I., Thomas, J-B.E., Söderqvist, T., Sinha, R., Gröndahl, F., Hasselström, L. 2024. Governance hurdles for expansion of low trophic mariculture production in Sweden. Ambio. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-024-02033-4

Malmaeus, M., Hasselström, L., Mellin, A., Nyblom, Å., Åkerman, J. 2023. Addressing rebound effects in transport policy–Insights from exploring five case studies. Transport Policy 131, 45-55.

Hasselström, L., Thomas, J.-B.E. 2022. A critical review of the life cycle climate impact in seaweed value chains to support carbon accounting and blue carbon financing. Cleaner Environmental Systems: 100093.

Lu, Z., Hasselström., L., Finnveden, G., Johansson, N. 2022. Cost-benefit analysis of two possible deposit-refund systems for reuse and recycling of plastic packaging in Sweden. Cleaner Waste Systems 3: 100048.

Thomas, J-B.E., Sinha, R., Strand, Å., Söderqvist, T., Stadmark, J., Franzén, F., Ingmansson, I., Gröndahl, F., Hasselström, L. 2021. Marine biomass for a circular blue-green bioeconomy? A life cycle perspective on closing nitrogen and phosphorus land-marine loops. Journal of Industrial Ecology 2021: 13177.

Hasselström, L., Gröndahl, F. 2021. Payments for nutrient uptake in the blue bioeconomy – when to be careful and when to go for it. Marine Pollution Bulletin 167: 112321.

Söderqvist, T., Cole, S., Franzén, F., Hasselström, L., Beery, T.H., Bengtsson, F., Björn, H., Kjeller, E., Lindblom, E., Mellin, A., Wiberg, J., Jönsson, I. 2021. Metrics for environmental compensation: A comparative analysis of Swedish municipalities. Journal of Environmental Management 299: 113622.

Cole, S., Moksnes, P-O., Söderqvist, T., Wikström, S., Sundbland, G., Hasselström, L., Bergström, U., Kraufvelin, P., Bergström, L. 2021. Environmental compensation for biodiversity and ecosystem services: A flexible framework that addresses human wellbeing. Ecosystem Services 50: 101319.

Hasselström, L., Thomas, J-B., Nordström, J., Cervin, G., Nylund, G.M., Pavia, H., Gröndahl, F. 2020. Socioeconomic prospects of a seaweed bioeconomy in Sweden. Scientific Reports 10:1610.

Hasselström, L., Visch, W., Gröndahl, F., Nylund, G.M., Pavia, H., 2018. The impact of seaweed cultivation on ecosystem services – a case study from the west coast of Sweden. Marine Pollution Bulletin 133: 53-64.

Hansen, K., Malmaeus, M., Hasselström, L., Lindblom, E., Norén, K., Olshammar, M., Söderqvist, T., Soutukorva, Å., 2018. Integrating ecosystem services in Swedish environmental assessments: an empirical analysis. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2018.1445178.

Hasselström, L., Håkansson, C., Noring, M., Soutukorva, Å., Khaleeva, Y., 2017. Costs and benefits associated with marine oil spill prevention in northern Norway. Polar Journal, DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2154896X.2017.1310491.

Scharin, H., Ericsdotter, S., Elliott, M., Turner, R.K., Niiranen, S., Blenckner, T., Hyytiäinen, K., Ahlvik, L., Ahtiainen, H., Artell, J., Hasselström, L., Söderqvist, T., Rockström, J., 2016. Processes for the sustainable stewardship of marine environments. Ecological Economics 128: 55-67.

Cole, S., Kinell, G., Söderqvist, T., Håkansson, C., Hasselström, L., Izmalkov, S., Mikkelsen, E., Noring, M., Sandberg, A., Sjöberg, E., Soutukorva, Å., Franzén, F., Khaleeva, Y., 2016: Arctic games: an analytical framework for identifying options for sustainable natural resource governance, The Polar Journal, DOI: 10.1080/2154896X.2016.1171001.

Noring, M., Gren, Å., Hasselström, L., Håkansson, C., Soutukorva, Å., 2016. Valuation of oil spill risk reduction in the Arctic. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy. DOI: 10.1080/21606544.2016.1155499.

Czajkowski, M., Ahtiainen, H., Artell, J., Budzinski, W., Hasler, B., Hasselström, L., Meyerhoff, J., Nomann, T., Semeniene, D., Söderqvist, T., Tuhkanen, H., Lankia, T., Vanags, A., Zandersen, M., Zylicz, T., Hanley, N., 2015. Valuing the commons: An international study on the recreational benefits of the Baltic Sea. Journal of Environmental Management 156: 209-217.

Ahtiainen, H., Artell, J., Czajkowski, M., Hasler, B., Hasselström, L., Huhtala, A., Meyerhoff, J., Smart, J., Söderqvist, T., Alemu, M.H., Angeli, D., Dahlbo, K., Fleming-Lehtinen, V., Hyytiäinen, K., Karlõševa, A., Khaleeva, Y., Maar, M., Martinsen, L., Nõmmann, T., Pakalniete, K., Oskolokaite, I., Semeniene, D., 2014. Benefits of meeting nutrient reduction targets for the Baltic Sea – a contingent valuation study in the nine coastal states. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy 3(3): 278-305.

Ahtiainen, H., Artell, J., Elmgren, R., Hasselström, L., Håkansson, C. Baltic Sea nutrient reductions – what should we aim for? Journal of Environmental Management 06/2014.

Hasselström, L., Håkansson, C., 2014. Detailed vs. fuzzy information in non-market valuation studies – the role of familiarity. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 57 (1): 123-143.

Ahtiainen, H., Artell, J., Czajkowski, M., Hasler, B., Hasselström, L., Hyytiäinen, K., Meyerhoff, J., Smart, J., Söderqvist, T., Zimmer, K., Khaleeva, J., Rastrigina, O., Tuhkanen, H., 2013. Public preferences regarding use and condition of the Baltic Sea – An international comparison informing marine policy. Marine Policy 42: 20-30.

Östberg, K., Håkansson, C., Hasselström, L., Bostedt, G., 2013. Benefit transfer for environmental improvements in coastal areas: general vs. specific models. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics 61 (2013) 239–258.

Östberg, K., Hasselström, L., Håkansson, C. 2012. Non-market valuation of the coastal environment – uniting political aims, ecological and economic knowledge. Journal of Environmental Management 110: 166-178.