Summary & Highlights Misum Forum 2025
Keynote address
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In his keynote “Beyond Technocracy: The Political Economy of Sustainability,” Professor Tim Besley explored why climate action lags despite global awareness. He argued that expert-driven approaches fall short, emphasizing that effective policy must engage politics by aligning incentives, legitimacy, and institutions. Besley cited weak political will, fragmented governance, and limited state capacity as key barriers and urged integrating environmental responsibility into the social contract. He called for stronger international coordination and grassroots engagement to rebuild trust and make sustainability a core democratic goal. |
Watch the full video recording of Professor Besley's keynote address.
Academic address |
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In his address “The Role of Evidence in Foreign Aid,” Professor Dean Karlan stressed that cost-effectiveness must remain central as aid budgets face fiscal and political pressures. He outlined four levels where evidence should guide aid—strategy, design, implementation, and evaluation—and offered four mantras: recognize trade-offs, demand rigorous evidence, distinguish using from generating evidence, and foster local partnerships. Despite data and institutional challenges, Karlan argued that collaboration and evidence-driven learning are vital for smarter spending and stronger global partnerships. |
Watch the full video recording of Professor Karlan's academic address.
Academic address |
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In his address “Decarbonization in an era of representative crisis: On the de-democratization of climate change politics” Professor Daniel Nyberg argued that the energy transition is faltering politically as renewables grow alongside—rather than replace—fossil fuels. He linked this to declining trust and the rise of “audience democracy,” where citizens observe but rarely participate. In this vacuum, fossil-fuel corporations act as “surrogate representatives,” shaping policy and opinion while undermining democratic engagement. Nyberg concluded that genuine decarbonization depends on reclaiming democracy and restoring citizens’ voice in climate governance. |
Watch the full video recording of Professor Nyberg's academic address.
Conversation with Prof. Tore Ellingsen, Prof. Tim Besley and Prof. Dean Karlan
Professors Tore Ellingsen, Tim Besley, and Dean Karlan discussed how economic insecurity and declining trust hinder global cooperation on sustainability and aid. They noted that slow growth and inequality weaken support for long-term policies, while populism and misinformation further erode consensus. Despite progress in private-sector greening, they argued that markets need state coordination and that fair transitions must restore dignity, not just income. Reflecting on U.S. retreat from multilateralism, the panel emphasized the need to rebuild trust, renew political narratives, and foster inclusive transitions to revive collective action on climate and development.
Panel speakers
The panel brought together leaders from government, industry, international organizations, and academia to discuss "The impact of geopolitical shifts on sustainability". The speakers included Vanessa Butani (Volvo Cars), Ulrika Modéer (Red Cross), Johanna Lissinger Peitz (Ministry of Climate and Enterprise), and Daniel Nyberg (University of Queensland), with Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson moderating the discussion. The conversation focused on how climate action intersects with geopolitics and institutional responsibility in an increasingly unstable world.
