Employee info

Håkon Stokland
Position:    Senior Research Scientist

  Telephone: +47 988 37 099
  E-mail: hakon.stokland@nina.no
 Department:  NINA terrestrisk naturmangfold

Key qualifications
I am a researcher at the Department of Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA). I hold a PhD in interdisciplinary studies of culture and a master’s degree in history. I have also studied biology, chemistry and mathematics over three years as part of my bachelor’s degree in history, and have formerly worked as a marine biologist assistant.

My research focus is on biodiversity governance and the role of management tools and knowledge in biodiversity-related politics. Topics of investigation include forest governance, restoration, climate budgets for ecosystems, nature mapping methodologies, environmental impact assessments, and wolf management. In a broader sense, my research addresses sustainability, biodiversity loss, climate-biodiversity interactions, integrative and informed governance, and transformative change. My research approaches draw on science and technology studies, environmental history and governmentality studies among others. I am involved in much interdisciplinary research and engaged in finding new ways to collaborate across natural and social sciences and humanities in IPBES and beyond.

I am a selected Lead Author for The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Transformative Change Assessment (2022-2025).

I am also a selected Fellow for The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Assessment of the Sustainable Use of Wild Species (2018-2022).

I am main organizer of the Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSH Network) related to IPBES. The Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSH Network) | Onet (ipbes.net)

Research interests
  • Biodiversity governance and the role of knowledge
  • Forest governance, restoration, climate budgets for ecosystems, nature mapping methodologies, environmental impact assessments, wolf management
  • Transformative change, sustainability, biodiversity loss, climate-biodiversity interactions, integrative and informed governance,
  • Science and technology studies
  • Interdisciplinary research in IPBES and beyond

Selected current projects
  • Integrating governance on biodiversity and climate - The role of knowledge in transformative governance (KNOWGOV), NFR/NINA, 2022.
  • Realizing landscape restoration: Enabling transformative change of land-use (RESCAPE), NFR-Arealer under press, 2021-2025.
  • Enhancing the contributions of the social sciences and humanities to IPBES – Establishing the IPBES SSH Community of Practice (SSH Network), NFR and the Ministry of Climate and Environment, 2020-2022.
  • Enabling transformative change in the case of environmental impact assessments (TRANS-EIA), NFR/NINA, 2020-2023.
  • Real-world ecosystem management: Identifying knowledge gaps and overcoming societal barriers (ECOREAL), NFR-MILJØFORSK, 2019-2022. 

Awards and commissions of trust
  • Lead Author for The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Transformative Change Assessment (2022-2025)
  • Main organizer of the Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSH Network) related to IPBES
  • Head of NINA Thematic Group on Sustainability and Transformative Change
  • Selected Fellow for The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Assessment of the Sustainable Use of Wild Species (2018-2021)
  • Awarded IASNR (International Association for Society and Natural Resources) Student Paper Competition Prize for best PhD paper, USA (2015)
  • Awarded PhD fellowship. Faculty of Humanities, the Department of Interdisciplinary studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway (2009)
  • Awarded HIFO’s (The Norwegian Historical Association) ‘Free Word scholarship 2008’ for best master thesis in history (2008)
  • Awarded NLI’s (The Norwegian Institute of Local History) ‘Master’s degree scholarship 2007’ for best master thesis (2007)

Publications:

Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

NINA is an independent foundation for nature research and research on the interaction between human society, natural resources and biodiversity.
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