SEI is an independent international research institute that has been engaged in environment and development issues at local, national, regional and global policy levels for more than 25 years.
SEI was formally established in 1989 by the Swedish Government and celebrated its 25th anniversary in October 2014. SEI’s goal is to bring about change for sustainable development by bridging science and policy. They do this by providing integrated analysis that supports decision-makers. The institute has built a reputation for rigorous and objective scientific analysis in the field of environment and development.
SEI's work
SEI believes that scientific insights can guide us through change and should inform decisionmaking and public policy. SEI also believes that local knowledge and values are crucial in building sustainable lives. SEI’s approach is often highly collaborative, and stakeholder involvement has always been at the heart of SEI’s work. SEI’s projects help to build capacity and strengthen institutions to equip SEI’s partners for the long-term.
SEI’s researchers are gathered into four thematic teams that tackle overarching issues like climate change, energy systems, vulnerability and governance, as well as specific problems such as water resources and air pollution. SEI’s work on energy scenarios, sustainability modelling and vulnerability assessments has gained particular recognition.
SEI is an innovator, and has consistently shown the vision to confront issues before they enter the mainstream: SEI’s pioneering work on renewable energy and sustainable sanitation has its roots in the early days of the Institute.
Who SEI works with
SEI engage with their four core audiences in the North and South: academia, public policy decision makers, media and NGOs. SEI has a trusted position as a convener of dialogues that bridge different constituencies -- North and South, business and research, policy and research -- through events such as the Nobel Dialogues at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).
SEI also reach out to a broader spectrum of change makers by engaging with the business sector and presenting insights that are relevant for companies - for example, in May 2012 SEI co-hosted a conference for 300 business leaders with the Stockholm School of Economics.
SEI publishes widely in peer-reviewed journals and hosts Climate and Development journal, the leading international peer-reviewed journal on the links between climate and development
What makes SEI different
SEI combine the qualities of:
- a non-profit and non-partisan research institute
- an honest broker in handling complex environmental, developmental and social issues
- a research institute committed to rigorous and objective scientific analysis to support improved policymaking
- an agent for change that promotes transitions to a more sustainable world.