- Nature futures framework
- Planetary boundaries
- Science-policy interface
Axel Eriksson studies the intersection of environment and society by developing tools and methodologies for engaging diverse audiences in social-ecological scenarios and models.
Axel E. Eriksson researches scenarios towards a society in harmony with nature. As part of his doctoral research project at the University of Lisbon, he explores indicators for biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people and how to use such indicators in scenarios and models of society and nature. He is particularly interested in bridging geographical scales and value perspectives on nature using the Nature Futures Framework. He uses the FRIDA World-Earth model to engage with diverse actors using these indicators, including through study circles and other participatory engagements.
He also studies planetary boundaries over time, including as a contributing author to the 2025 and 2026 Planetary Health Check reports. In particular, he studies how FRIDA can be used to estimate the status of the nine planetary boundaries. Building on previous work in this direction as part of his MSc degree project, he is interested in exploring the role that FRIDA can play in providing a quick and clear indication of the state of the global environment using the statuses of the planetary boundaries as indicators.
Beyond academia, Eriksson has been involved in local, national and international decision-making, primarily on environmental issues. He is one of 14 members of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change, a European Climate Pact Ambassador and the Youth Delegate to COP of the European Economic and Social Committee. During 2024-2025, he provided capacity building for over 500 young people from over 75 countries to represent their national governments in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as Training Manager of the Climate Youth Negotiator Programme. Other past roles include UN Youth Delegate of Sweden to the UN climate and biodiversity conventions (2022-2023), and Steering Committee member, European co-coordinator, and Policy Fellow of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (2022-2025).
Awards and achievements
- European Climate Pact Ambassador (2026)
- Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador (2025)
- Best Engineering Project in INPG ENSE3 Innovation Challenge (2024)
- C.J. Hultqvist scholarship fund (2024)
- Wallenberg Physics Prize team competition, 4th place with team Södra Latin (2020)
Supervisor
Key publications
Caesar, L., Sakschwewski, B., Andersen, L. S., Bai, Y., Bala, G., Bednarsek, N., Beringer, T., Beusen, A., Billing, M., Bodirsky, B. L., Botsyun, S., Braun, J., Breitburg, D., Dahlmann, H., DeClerck, F., Dennis, D. P., Diamond, M. L., Donges, J. F., Dou, X., Dupont, S., Ehrenfeucht, S., Eriksson, A. E., … Rockström, J. (2026). Planetary Health Check 2026: A Scientific Assessment of the State of the Planet (N. H. Kitzmann, B. Sakschewski, L. Caesar, & J. Rockström, Eds; p. 120 pages, 27 MB). Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. https://doi.org/10.48485/PIK.2026.25
Eriksson, A. (2025). Assessing Planetary Boundary Transgressions and Their Causes - Using the FRIDA system dynamics model. MSc thesis. Lund University. http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9186505
Rouyer, M., Aminian Biquet, J., Dela Paz, I. C. P., Eriksson, A., Gietzelt, J. M., Kostianaia, E., Mukhin, P., Russell, S., Sánchez, M. E., Singh, D., Soriano, D. F. C., Stotra Bhashyam, S., & Weins, N. (2026). Youth networks as bridging actors in environmental governance: Roles, achievements and barriers. People and Nature, 8(5), 1021–1032. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70302
Sakschewski, B., Caesar, L., Andersen, L., Bechthold, M., Bergfeld, L., Beusen, A., Billing, M., Bodirsky, B. L., Botsyun, S., Dennis, D. P., Donges, J., Dou, X., Eriksson, A., Fetzer, I., Gerten, D., Häyhä, T., Hebden, S., Heckmann, T., Heilemann, A., … Rockström, J. (2025). Planetary Health Check 2025: A Scientific Assessment of the State of the Planet (N. H. Kitzmann, L. Caesar, B. Sakschewski, & J. Rockström, Eds; p. 144 pages, 22 MB). Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). https://doi.org/10.48485/PIK.2025.017
Wells, C. D., Blanz, B., Ramme, L., Breier, J., Callegari, B., Muralidhar, A., Rajah, J. K., Lindqvist, A. N., Eriksson, A. E., Schoenberg, W. A., Köberle, A. C., Wang-Erlandsson, L., Mauritzen, C., Grimeland, M. B., & Smith, C. (2026). The representation of climate impacts in the FRIDAv2.1 Integrated Assessment Model. Geoscientific Model Development, 19(3), 1229–1260. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-1229-2026
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