Habitability in a connected, unequal, changing world

This research paper from the Stockholm Environment Institute proposes a systemic, relational framework for understanding habitability in the face of intensifying global climate change, emphasizing the need to integrate socio-cultural dimensions, spatial inequalities, and the influence of external factors.

• The authors define habitability as an emergent property arising from the relations between people and a specific place, shaped by interactions with both material and immaterial properties.
• To move beyond a purely environmental focus, the authors propose four necessary axes for analyzing habitability: a systemic approach incorporating ecological, economic, and political processes; a focus on socio-cultural dimensions; an intersectionally differentiated view to address social inequalities; and a spatially relational perspective to account for connections to distant places.
• The paper outlines principles for an equitable research agenda on habitability, advocating for methodological pluralism, the inclusion of local perspectives, the integration of objective measures with subjective assessments, and an examination of the role of powerful actors and ethical questions regarding who defines a place's future.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2024). Habitability in a connected, unequal, changing world. https://www.sei.org/publications/habitability-connected-unequal-changing-world/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Habitability in a connected, unequal, changing world. 2024. https://www.sei.org/publications/habitability-connected-unequal-changing-world/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Habitability in a connected, unequal, changing world |date=6 December 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/habitability-connected-unequal-changing-world/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2024habitability, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Habitability in a connected, unequal, changing world}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/habitability-connected-unequal-changing-world/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }