Participation in the Nordic Environmental Social Science conference, 9-11 June 2026

Last week, RETOOL partners participated in the Nordic Environmental Social Science (NESS) conference, June 9–11, 2026, in Uppsala, Sweden. The conference offered a space to dive deep into the intersection of climate action and democratic governance. Hosted by Uppsala University, the event brought together researchers to discuss the pressing socio-political challenges of our time. A highlight was a dedicated workshop by our partners exploring the theme "On shaky ground? EU climate neutrality and democracy in turbulent times", a topic that resonated given the current political landscape across Europe and beyond. The conference provided a valuable platform to present and debate ongoing work from our project, including the study "The Politics of Implementation of EU Environmental Policy" which draws on 25 years of interview data, offering a wealth of longitudinal insight. The discussions emphasized the complex dynamics of policy implementation, public participation,and the resilience of democratic processes under the pressure of escalating climate targets.