My Research

I have a longstanding interest in understanding our changing relationship with nature, and how that relates to the many challenges facing the 21st century. I work through the lens of environmental governance, sustainable futures and transition/transformation theories, searching for worldviews and pathways that can balance our dependence on ‘ever smarter’ growth and technology with a rediscovery of the unlimited potential of thriving life (human and other), and of connectedness.

I am now exploring notions of progress, future and sustainability, through a critical analysis of the paradigm of growth, of the changing humans-nature relationships, of ideas of nature-based transformations, and of recent debates on happiness and wellbeing (see the ongoing CONEXUS project). I am interested in questioning the paradigm of growth at two levels: 1) exploring the meanings and implications of (re)turning green economy discourses for socio-economic transitions in development agendas, including SDGs, and 2) critically reviewing propositions for "green/eco/low-carbon/smart" in the context of sustainable urbanization discourses. I also continue working on environmental governance with a focus on foresight and theories of transition and change. I have explored these questions through EU-funded applied research projects on sustainable urbanisation in China (URBACHINA), foresight mechanisms (FLAGSHIP), and new economic models (MUVE).

I seek to bring an inter and trans-disciplinaryapproach to my work, with full knowledge of the many challenges and obstacles that this entails. Such challenges have become an object of study in itself, as IChaireda COST Action on interdisciplinarity in urban development research: INTREPID 2015-2019 (http://intrepid-cost.ics.ulisboa.pt/).

Earlier on I researched and published widely in the field of environmental governance, contributing ideas to its theory and mechanisms (assessment, policy processes; knowledge and policy learning), in different contexts (Europe, Latin America and China). My writings helped question the purpose and processes of governance through assessment, focusing on relations between science and politics, and on the role of evidence in policy formation and change.

My background

I am Principal Researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences University of Lisbon, Fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS), and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography and Resource Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

I completed a PhD in Geography (2004) and a Master of Philosophy in Environment and Development (1993) at University of Cambridge Department of Geography, and obtained a Laurea in Political Sciences (International Law) in 1991 by Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Scienze Politiche Economiche e Sociali. 

I coordinate the PhD Programme in Development Studies of the University of Lisbon and chair the Scientific Committee of this same programme. At ICS I am Member of the Commission for Post-Graduate Studies; and substitute Member of the Scientific Council. I have served as co-coordinator of the Research Group in Environment, Territory and Society (now SHIFT) until 2020; as co-convener of the Urban Transitions Hub until 2021; and as Deputy Director of the Management Council of ICS from 2014-2016.

I love trees, catching an early moon-rise, gardening and creating something beautiful from a lump of clay.

Students and Post-docs

I welcome PhD students and post-doctoral collaborations on:

• sustainable futures;
• growth and wellbeing;
• humans and nature relationship and connectedness; 
• nature-based transformations
• sustainable/green/smart urbanisation; Nature-based solutions (NBS)
• green/smart economy and sustainability;
• inter and trans-disciplinarity and ways of knowing for sustainability.

Research projects (last 5 years) include:

• Co-producing NBS and restored ecosystems - transdisciplinary nexus for urban sustainability (CONEXUS) PI for ICS, Ongoing. https://www.conexusnbs.com/about 
• The Pursuit of Excellence. Biotechnologies, enhancement and body capital in Portugal (EXCEL) WP Coordinator, https://www.excelproject.eu Ongoing
• Cultural Heritage leading urban futures (ROCK) Member, https://rockproject.eu/project. Completed
• MISTRA Urban Futures (MUF) Member of the Board of Directors since 2016. https://www.mistraurbanfutures.org/en  Completed.
• Crises in progress: An inquiry into the role of responsibility, justice and happiness in a world of limits and uncertainty. PI, Ongoing.
• Inter and Trans-disciplinarity in Research:the case of urban studies (INTREPID, Trans-Domain COST Action). Chair of Action, http://www.intrepid-cost.eu/Completed.
• Sustainable Urbanisation in China:Historical and Comparative Perspectives, mega-Trends towards 2050 (URBACHINA, FP7); principal investigator for ICS; http://www.urbachina.eu/index.php/en/  Completed.
• Forward Looking Analysis of Grand Societal cHallenges and Innovative Policies (FLAGSHIP, FP7, starting 2013); PI for ICS; http://flagship-project.eu/  Completed.

Publications

I have published extensively, both in terms of policy documents (including for the European Commission, OECD, World Bank), and in academic journals (including Environment and Planning A, Futures, Ecological Economics, Environmental Management, Environmental Impact Assessment, China Review) and contributing chapters to peer reviewed publications (Edward Elgar, Policy Press, Earthscan, Routledge).
See:
https://lisboa.academia.edu/OliviaBina 
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Olivia_Bina/  

Selected publications (my favourites)

Fokdal, J., Bina, O., Chiles, P., Ojamäe, L. and Paadam, K. (Eds.) (2021) Enabling the City. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary encounters in research and practice, Routledge, New York and Abingdon. Open access

Woiwode, C., Schäpke, N., Bina, O., et al.(2021) Inner Transformations to Sustainability as Deep Leverage Points: Fostering new Avenues through Dialogue and Reflection, Sustainability Science, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00882-y

Fazey, I., Schäpke, N., Caniglia, ..., Bina, O., et al. (2020) Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth: Visions of future systems and how to get there, Energy Research & Social Science, 70, 101724, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101724.

Bina, O. and Pereira, L. (2020) Transforming the role of universities: from being part of the problem to becoming part of the solution, Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 62, 16-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.2020.1764286 

Pereira, L. and Bina, O. (2020) The IPBES Conceptual Framework: enhancing the space for plurality of knowledge systems and paradigms. In Non-Human Nature in World Politics: Theory and Practice (Eds, Pereira, J. C. and Saramago, A.) Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp. 311-335.

Bina, Olivia, Inch, Andy, & Pereira, Lavínia. (2020). Beyond techno-utopia and its discontents: on the role of utopianism and speculative fiction in shaping alternatives to the smart city imaginary. Futures, 102475. doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2019.102475

Bina, O., Mateus, S., Pereira, L. and Caffa, A. (2017) The future imagined: exploring fiction as a means of reflecting on today’s Grand Societal Challenges and tomorrow’s options, Futures, doi: 10.1016/j.futures.2016.05.009.

Bina, O. and Ricci, A. (2016) Exploring participatory scenario and storyline building for sustainable urbanisation – the case of China in 2050, Foresight, 18 (5)

Bina, O. (2013) The green economy and sustainable development: an uneasy balance between the imperatives of crisis management and persisting contradictions, Environment and Planning C-Government and Policy 31 1023-1047. Winner of the 2013 Bennett Prize

Bina, O. and Vaz, S. (2011) Humans, environment and economies: from vicious relationships to virtuous responsibility, Ecological Economics, Doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.09.029.

Past Research and Activities

I joined ICS from the Department of Geography and Resource Management of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where I was Assistant Professor, teaching courses in sustainable development, world energy and strategic environmental assessment (SEA), and coordinator of the ‘Global Change and Sustainable Development' concentration area. Prior to that, I was Research Fellow at the Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon (2006-08), completing an inquiry into the current sustainable development discourse in China, and the major environmental governance challenges that need to be addressed. During 2007-09 I was Lead Scientist of the European funded project (Asia Pro-ECO): ‘Policy Instruments for Chinese Sustainable Future: Environmental Policy Integration and Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Energy and Transport Sectors', where I participated as a member of Stockholm Environment Institute's (SEI) team. Between 2004 and 2005 I was Research Fellow of the Land-use planning Group, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL) contributing to an FP6 multi-disciplinary research project on the impacts that changing European agriculture policies might have on the sustainability and biodiversity of mountain areas (http://www.bioscene.co.uk/).

Before returning to academia, I worked as Senior Consultant for Environmental Resources Management, London (1997-2000) where I focused on policy analysis, institutional capacity building and environmental integration mechanisms, specialising in the development of strategic environmental assessment methods and their application to infrastructure programmes and multi-sectoral development plans at regional level. I also worked as Policy Officer for Environment and Development, at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the United Kingdom (1993-1997), co-ordinating work on the integration of biodiversity into transport and regional development policies at the European level. Since 1993 I have advised several governments (EU member states, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica, China) and international organisations (European Commission, European Environment Agency, World Bank, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) on environmental governance processes and mechanisms.