John Holmberg

Full Professor at Physical Resource Theory

John Holmberg is a professor of physical resource theory and he also holds Sweden's first UNESCO chair in education for sustainable development. His background is in physics and in his doctoral dissertation he developed principles for a sustainable future, which received international dissemination through the Natural Step Foundation. His current research focuses on sustainability transitions and he is one of the founders of Chalmers Initiative for Innovation and Sustainability Transitions.

He founded the world's first master's programme in Industrial Ecology and has also founded the Challenge Lab, which won the GUPES Green Gown Award in 2016. He has also devoted much time to more overall university development, for example, in the role of Vice President of Chalmers 2007-2016.

He has been active as an advisor and expert at the international level, for example, to the United Nations headquarters in New York in the preparation of Agenda 2030, with its 17 sustainable development goals; to UNESCO in Paris in the expert group for the decade of education for sustainable development; to UN-environment in Nairobi in its steering group for the Global University Partnership for Environment and Sustainable Development; to the EU in the Expert Group on Eco-efficiency; to the Swedish government in the Swedish Environmental Technology Council (Swentec) and in the Swedish delegation at the High Level Political Forum for Agenda 2030. He has also been an adviser to various management groups in business and the public sector in sustainability transitions and is frequently invited to give presentations in the field.

He has received several awards, for example, for the best teacher in Sweden in the field of environment and sustainable development.

Source: chalmers.se
Image of John Holmberg

Showing 86 publications

2024

Multi-level learning for systemic transformation: Experiences from an expedition in North Mid Sweden

Stephen Gary Williams, Johan Holmén, John Holmberg
Environmental Science and Policy. Vol. 156
Journal article
2022

Sustainability-oriented labs in transitions: An empirically grounded typology

Gavin McCrory, Johan Holmén, Niko Alexander Schäpke et al
Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Vol. 43, p. 99-117
Journal article
2022

Higher Education Leadership: Cruise or Expedition?

John Holmberg, Johan Holmén
NORRAG: Network for international policies and cooperation in education and training (7), p. 110-113
Journal article
2022

Comparing sustainability transition labs across process, effects and impacts: Insights from Canada and Sweden

Johan Holmén, Stephen Williams, John Holmberg
Energy Research and Social Science. Vol. 89
Journal article
2021

Student-led sustainability transformations: employing realist evaluation to open the black box of learning in a Challenge Lab curriculum

Johan Holmén, Tom Adawi, John Holmberg
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. Vol. 22 (8), p. 1-24
Journal article
2021

Learning to Frame Complex Sustainability Challenges in Place: Explorations Into a Transdisciplinary “Challenge Lab” Curriculum

Gavin McCrory, Johan Holmén, John Holmberg et al
Frontiers in Sustainability. Vol. 2
Journal article
2021

Symmetrical leadership and participation for cross-learning

Kerstin Hemström, John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Transdisciplinary Knowledge Co-production: a guid for susianable cities, p. 101-103
Book chapter
2021

A space for learners to lead and leaders to learn: Challenge Lab

John Holmberg, Johan Holmén
Transdisciplinary Knowledge Co-production: A Guide for Sustainable Cities, p. 79-81
Book chapter
2020

Medskapande i backcastingexpeditioner — Ale i 360 grader

John Holmberg, Julia Widbom
Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift. Vol. 97 (4), p. 691-701
Journal article
2020

Sustainability-oriented labs in real-world contexts: An exploratory review

Gavin McCrory, Niko Alexander Schäpke, Johan Holmén et al
Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol. 277, p. 1-18
Review article
2020

Högre utbildning och hållbar omställning – En reflektion över studenternas roll

John Holmberg
Hogre Utbildning. Vol. 10 (1), p. 90-97
Journal article
2020

Ledarskap för hållbar omställning i högre utbildning

John Holmberg
Hogre Utbildning. Vol. 10 (1), p. 98-107
Journal article
2019

Backcasting into the future

John Holmberg
Anatomy of a 21st-century sustainability project, p. 180-183
Book chapter
2019

Oseglade vatten? — då behövs expeditioner!

John Holmberg
Innovation och Stadsutveckling, p. 65-76
Book chapter
2018

Learning while creating value for sustainability transitions: The case of Challenge Lab at Chalmers University of Technology

Johan Larsson, John Holmberg
Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol. 172, p. 4411-4420
Journal article
2018

Omställning för hälsa och hållbarhet

John Holmberg
Socialmedicinsk Tidskrift (6), p. 649-658
Journal article
2018

Governing sustainability transitions: contrasting experimental arenas through the lens of Agenda 2030

Gavin McCrory, Niko Alexander Schäpke, Johan Larsson et al
Other conference contribution
2018

A Sustainability Lighthouse—Supporting Transition Leadership and Conversations on Desirable Futures

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson
Sustainability. Vol. 10 (11)
Journal article
2018

Guiding Systemic Change: A cross-case analysis of ‘transition labs’ in Canada and Sweden

Johan Larsson, Stephen Williams, John Holmberg
Other conference contribution
2017

A principles-based framework for sustainability transitions

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson
The International Sustainability Transitions Conference (IST 2017) at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden
Paper in proceeding
2017

An approach to sustainable product development relevant to small and medium-sized enterprises

John Holmberg, Ulrika Lundqvist, Karl Henrik Robèrt
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives, p. 158-170
Book chapter
2017

Challenge Lab – Learning by Engaging in Society’s Sustainability Transitions

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson
10th International Conference on Researching Work and Learning, 6-8 December 2017 Rhodes University, Grahamstown South Africa
Paper in proceeding
2017

Challenge Lab - Students guiding sustainability transitions in society

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson
Den 6:e utvecklingskonferensen för Sveriges ingenjörsutbildningar
Other conference contribution
2016

Reflections on evaluating Challenge Lab by applying a proposed scheme for Sustainability Transition Experiments

David Andersson, John Holmberg, Johan Larsson et al
IST 2016 Book of Conference Papers
Paper in proceeding
2016

Backcasting from sustainability principles – a case from a regional climate policy process in West Sweden

Johan Larsson, John Holmberg
IST 2016 Book of Conference Papers
Paper in proceeding
2016

Students guiding societal transitions - examples from Challenge Lab at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson, David Andersson
8th Conference on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) in Bruges, Belgium
Paper in proceeding
2016

Learning Outcomes in Challenge Based Master’s Theses for Sustainable Development

Kamilla Kohn Rådberg, Ulrika Lundqvist, Johan Malmqvist et al
Other conference contribution
2016

Dealing with the multidimensionality of sustainability through the use of multiple perspectives – a theoretical framework

Johanna Lönngren, Magdalena Svanström, Åke Ingerman et al
European Journal of Engineering Education. Vol. 41 (3), p. 342-352
Journal article
2015

Challenge Lab: A transformative and integrative approach for sustainability transitions

John Holmberg, Johan Larsson, David Andersson
The International Sustainability Transitions Conference (IST 2015) at the University of Sussex (UK)
Paper in proceeding
2015

Learning Outcomes in Challenge Based Master’s Theses for Sustainable Development at Chalmers University of Technology

Kamilla Kohn Rådberg, Ulrika Lundqvist, Johan Malmqvist et al
Proceedings from Ingenjörsutbildningarnas Utvecklingskonferens 2015, Uppsala, Sweden
Other conference contribution
2015

Förändringar för mer hållbara konsumtionsmönster

Jörgen Larsson, Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg et al
Hållbara konsumtionsmönster – analyser av maten, flyget och den totala konsumtionens klimatpåverkan idag och 2050. Jörgen Larsson (red.), p. 44-52
Book chapter
2015

Nu krävs kraftfulla åtgärder mot nötkött och flygresor

David Andersson, Christian Azar, Anders Biel et al
Dagens Nyheter. Vol. 2015-02-27
Magazine article
2015

Explaining the Variation in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Between Households: Socioeconomic, Motivational, and Physical Factors

Jonas Nässén, David Andersson, Jörgen Larsson et al
Journal of Industrial Ecology. Vol. 19 (3), p. 480-489
Journal article
2015

LRF och Svenskt flyg svarar inte om klimatmålen

David Andersson, Fredrik Hedenus, Anders Biel et al
Dagens Nyheter
Magazine article
2014

Backcasting - What is a sustainable future and how do we reach it?

Sverker Alänge, John Holmberg
Chapter 5 in Alänge, Sverker & Lundqvist, Mats eds. (2014) Sustainable Business Development: Frameworks for Idea Evaluation and Cases of Realized Ideas, Chalmers University Press, Gothenburg, p. 63-69
Book chapter
2014

Transformative learning and leadership for a sustainable future: Challenge Lab at Chalmers University of Technology

John Holmberg
Intergenerational learning and transformative leadership for sustainable futures. Wageningen Academic Publishers., p. 91-102
Book chapter
2014

Transformative learning and leadership for a sustainable future

John Holmberg
Corcoran, P. B. and B. P. Hollingshead (Eds.). Intergenerational Learning and Transformative Leadership for Sustainable Futures. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2014., p. 431-
Book chapter
2014

Greenhouse gas emissions and subjective well-being: An analysis of Swedish households

David Andersson, Jonas Nässén, Jörgen Larsson et al
Ecological Economics. Vol. 102, p. 75-82
Journal article
2013

Mistra Urban Futures: a living laboratory for urban transformations

Merritt Polk, Jaan-Henrik Kain, John Holmberg
Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities: The Role of Living Laboratories, p. 173-193
Book chapter
2013

Experiences from an International Training Programme on ESD in Higher Education at Chalmers University of Technology

Ulrika Lundqvist, John Holmberg
Konferensproceedings Engineering Education for Sustainable Development 2013 (EESD13), Cambridge 22-25 September 2013, p. 254-261
Paper in proceeding
2013

On the potential trade-offs between energy supply and end-use technologies for residential heating

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Energy Policy. Vol. 59, p. 470-480
Journal article
2012

Low-carbon transitions and the good life

John Holmberg, Jörgen Larsson, Jonas Nässén et al
Report
2012

Concrete vs. wood in buildings - An energy system approach

Jonas Nässén, Fredrik Hedenus, Sten Karlsson et al
Building and Environment. Vol. 51, p. 361-369
Journal article
2012

The university and transformation towards sustainability: The strategy used at Chalmers University of Technology

John Holmberg, Ulrika Lundqvist, Magdalena Svanström et al
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. Vol. 13 (3), p. 219-231
Journal article
2011

Klimatomställningen och det goda livet

John Holmberg, Jörgen Larsson, Jonas Nässén et al
Report
2011

Price and income induced rebound effects of improved energy efficiency in Swedish households – with comments on materials efficiency

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
International Economics of Resource Efficiency: Eco-Innovation Policies for a Green Economy, p. 235-252
Book chapter
2010

Well-being the path out of the consumption-climate dilemma?

John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Ekström K., Glans K., (eds): Beyond the Consumption Bubble. Vol. 9780203835869, p. 221-235
Book chapter
2009

The effect of work hours on energy use: A micro-analysis of time and income effects

Jonas Nässén, Jörgen Larsson, John Holmberg
ECEEE proceedings: summer study 2009 (Panel 8), p. 1801-1809
Paper in proceeding
2009

Quantifying the rebound effects of energy efficiency improvements and energy conserving behaviour in Sweden

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Energy Efficiency. Vol. 2 (3), p. 221-231
Journal article
2008

Stagnating energy efficiency in the Swedish building sector--Economic and organisational explanations

Jonas Nässén, Frances Sprei, John Holmberg
Energy Policy. Vol. 36 (10), p. 3814-3822
Journal article
2008

To address the quality of engineering education for sustainable development – experiences from Chalmers university of technology

Magdalena Svanström, Ulrika Lundqvist, Marie Arehag et al
Proceedings to Engineering Education in Sustainable Development 2008
Other conference contribution
2008

Better performance or lower fuel consumption. Technological development in the Swedish new-car fleet 1975-2002.

Frances Sprei, Sten Karlsson, John Holmberg
Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. Vol. 13 (2), p. 75-85
Journal article
2008

Embedding sustainability in higher education through interaction with lecturers: Case studies from three European technical universities

John Holmberg, Magdalena Svanström, Dirk-Jan Peet et al
European Journal of Engineering Education. Vol. 33 (3), p. 271-282
Journal article
2007

Strategies and Practices for Sustainability: Experiences from Firm Level

Sverker Alänge, John Holmberg, Ulrika Lundqvist
10th International QMOD Conference at Campus Helsingborg, Lund University, June 18-20, 2007, Lund
Paper in proceeding
2007

10 miljarder lyckliga planetskötare

John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Konsumera mera –dyrköpt lycka, Formas Fokuserar, p. 135-147
Book chapter
2007

Direct and indirect energy use and carbon emissions in the production phase of buildings: An input–output analysis

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg, Anders Wadeskog et al
Energy. Vol. 32 (9), p. 1593-1602
Journal article
2007

Direct and indirect energy use and carbon emissions in the production phase of buildings: An input-output analysis

J. Nassen, John Holmberg, A. Wadeskog et al
Energy. Vol. 32 (9), p. 1593-1602
Journal article
2006

Strategic planning towards sustainability - An approach applied on a company level

Ulrika Lundqvist, Sverker Alänge, John Holmberg
Report
2006

Samband mellan energieffektivisering och övergripande mål

John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Report
2006

Quantifying the Rebound Effects of Energy Efficiency and Energy Conserving Behaviour in Sweden

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study. Vol. 2006 (Panel 7, Paper 16)
Paper in proceeding
2006

Experiences from Energy Efficiency Policies in Sweden During the Last 30 Years - Looking at the Building Sector

Frances Sprei, Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Proceeding for 2006 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings
Paper in proceeding
2005

Energy efficiency - a forgotten goal in the Swedish building sector?

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Energy Policy. Vol. 33, p. 1037-1051
Journal article
2005

The societal metabolism.

Sten Karlsson, John Holmberg
H. Brattebö (ed), Introduction to industrial ecology, MIT Press
Book chapter
2005

Energianvändning i bebyggelsen – vad är det som styr?

John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Energi och Bebyggelse – teknik och politik, Forskningsrådet för miljö, areella näringar och samhällsbyggande, p. 112-118
Book chapter
2004

Perfomance Targets - Clean, Clever and Competetive

Dan Strömberg, R Kemp, John Holmberg et al
Report
2004

Future Redistribution of Cadmium to Arable Swedish Soils A Substance Stock Analysis

Sten Karlsson, Fredrik Fredrikson, John Holmberg
Journal of Industrial Ecology. Vol. 8 (4), p. 41-57
Journal article
2004

Barriers to energy efficient new-construction

Jonas Nässén, John Holmberg
Energy & Society: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference, 3rd-6th May 2004, Lisbon, p. 69-73
Other conference contribution
2004

Energy Sector Background Study - POPA CTDA

Anders Ahlbäck, Dan Strömberg, Jonas Nässen et al
Report
2004

From Here to Sustainability – Is the Lisbon/Göteborg agenda delivering?

Bo Samuelsson, Christian Azar, John Holmberg et al
Report
2004

Energieffektivitet i bebyggelsen

John Holmberg, Jonas Nässén
Blücher G., Graninger G. (red.), Krävs energi i samhällsplaneringen?, Stiftelsen Vadstena Forum för samhällsbyggande, p. 195-202
Book chapter
2001

Materials for the Global Environment: Waste Mining in the 21st Century.

Robert U. Ayres, John Holmberg, Björn A. Andersson
MRS Bulletin. Vol. 26 (6), p. 477-480
Journal article
2000

Backcasting from non-overlapping sustainability principles — a framework for strategic planning

John Holmberg, Karl-Henrik Robèrt
International Journal of Sustainable Development, World Ecology. Vol. 7, p. 291-308
Journal article
1998

Materials constraints in a global energy scenario based on thin-film solar cells

Björn A. Andersson, Christian Azar, John Holmberg et al
Energy. Vol. 23, p. 407-411
Journal article
1998

Backcasting — a natural step when operationalising sustainable development.

John Holmberg
Greener Management International Greener Management International. — the Journal of Corporate Environmental Strategy and Practice (23), p. 30-51
Journal article
1997

Constant Quota versus Constant Effort Harvesting.

Christian Azar, Kristian Lindgren, John Holmberg
Environmental and Resource Economics. Vol. 7, p. 193-196
Journal article
1997

Man and material flows

Sten Karlsson, Christian Azar, Göran Berndes et al
Report
1996

Socio-ecological Indicators for Sustainability.

Christian Azar, John Holmberg, Kristian Lindgren
Ecological Economics. Vol. 18, p. 89-112
Journal article
1995

Defining the Generational Environmental Debt.

Christian Azar, John Holmberg
Ecological Economics. Vol. 14, p. 7-19
Journal article
1995

Stability Analysis of Harvesting in a Predator-Prey Model.

Christian Azar, John Holmberg, Kristian Lindgren
Journal of Theoretical Biology. Vol. 174, p. 13-19
Journal article
1994

Materials Flows: On the metabolism of the industrial society in a sustainability perspective

Sten Karlsson, Christian Azar, Karl-Erik Eriksson et al
Report
1994

An environmental tax-shift with indirect desirable effects

Tomas Kåberger, John Holmberg, Stefan Wirsenius
International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology. Vol. 1, p. 250-258
Journal article
1992

Resursteoretiska principer för en bärkraftig utveckling

John Holmberg
Licentiate thesis
1992

On designing socio-ecological indicators

John Holmberg, Sten Karlsson
Svedin U, B Hägerhäll Aniansson (eds). Society and the Environment: A Swedish Research Perspective. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992, p. 89-106
Book chapter

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Showing 6 research projects

2023–2026

Interaction platform for research on system transformation

Anna Bergek Environmental Systems Analysis
Hans Hellsmark Environmental Systems Analysis
John Holmberg Physical Resource Theory
Björn Sandén Environmental Systems Analysis
Johan Holmén Physical Resource Theory 2
VINNOVA

2020–

Navigating sustainable regional energy system transitions

John Holmberg Physical Resource Theory
Johan Holmén Physical Resource Theory 2
Chalmers

2019–

Model comparison and cross‐case analysis of “transition labs”

John Holmberg Physical Resource Theory
Johan Holmén Physical Resource Theory 2
Chalmers

2014–2019

Challenge Lab

John Holmberg Physical Resource Theory
David Andersson Entrepreneurship and Strategy
Andreas I Hanning Physical Resource Theory
Linnéa Johansson Physical Resource Theory
Johan Larsson Physical Resource Theory
The Chalmers University Foundation

7 publications exist
2013–2017

Well-being in sustainable cities: Exploring new paths toward low-carbon futures

John Holmberg Physical Resource Theory
Formas

There might be more projects where John Holmberg participates, but you have to be logged in as a Chalmers employee to see them.