Berit Balfors

Biographic Data

ID	6019015
NAME	Berit Balfors
GIVEN NAMES	Berit
FAMILY NAME	Balfors
SIGNATURE	BALFORS B
AFFILIATIONS	KTH Royal Institute of Technology
ORCID	0000-0003-0214-3921
VERIFIED	Yes
TOTAL WORKS	18
TOTAL CITATIONS	55
WORKS AS AUTHOR	18
WORKS AS EDITOR	0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR	2006
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR	2025
H-INDEX	5

Projectification mediates between experimental and bureaucratic institutional logics in urban sustainability planning
Open AccessAlexander Hellquist, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEPlanning Practice and Research2025
This paper investigates how planners involved in collaborative sustainability innovation in major Swedish municipalities negotiate a bureaucratic and an experimental institutional logic. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, we argue that preferred ways of combining the logics among planners are influenced by project management practices. Projectification thus appears to mediate between the two logics, ‘taming’ to some extent the experimental logi…
GIS-based multicriteria land suitability assessment for nature-based solutions for the enhancement of carbon sequestration in Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Open AccessAndrea Zaniboni, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2025References: 79
A GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is presented to evaluate the suitability of land for the implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) to enhance carbon sequestration in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Excessive carbon emissions into the atmosphere have caused rapid and profound climate change that needs to be mitigated. The use of NbS has emerged as an effective strategy to sequester atmospheric carbon and improve environmental resili…
Geodesign to advance boundary work in urban planning
Open AccessBlal Adem Esmail, Cyrus Carl Anderson et al.ARTICLEAMBIO2025References: 59
Geodesign supports collaborative urban planning by managing ‘boundaries’ between diverse knowledge holders. However, there is a paucity of empirical evidence of its contribution to ‘boundary work’. This paper aims to evaluate how a geodesign process facilitates knowledge co-production through boundary work and to assess the scientific credibility, political saliency, and procedural legitimacy of its outputs in urban planning. We propose a replica…
Exploring local spatial planning as practices of process design in the Stockholm region, Sweden
Open AccessJohan Högström, Peter Brokking et al.ARTICLEEuropean Planning Studies2024
The quest for sustainable urban development requires innovative planning approaches more apt to cater for transformative action. Based on a case study approach, this study aims to explore the potential for local planning to develop practical approaches able to accelerate the transition towards sustainable urban development. To guide spatial development towards sustainability, the analysis of the results shows that local planners need to envision …
Balancing wind power deployment and sustainability objectives in Swedish planning and permitting
Open AccessVincent Wretling, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnergy Sustainability and Society2022
SEA screening practice and the inclusion of environmental objectives in Swedish energy and climate planning
Open AccessVincent Wretling, Christina Hörnberg et al.ARTICLEImpact Assessment and Project…2021
In municipal energy planning, climate change is a key concern. Additionally, a multitude of environmental impacts and associated objectives also need to be addressed. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) should increase environmental consideration in planning, including that of national environmental objectives. This paper investigates the SEA screening practice and its effect on the execution of SEA as well as the inclusion of national envir…
Moving from vision to action- integrating ecosystem services in the Swedish local planning context
Open AccessSara Khoshkar, Monica Hammer et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2020References: 43
The role of small-scale planning projects in urban development
Open AccessJohan Högström, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2019Cited by: 2References: 22
Strategic environmental assessment in Swedish municipal planning. Trends and challenges
Open AccessBerit Balfors, J Wallström et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2018Cited by: 4References: 12
Institutional development for stakeholder participation in local water management—An analysis of two Swedish catchments
Open AccessFrida Franzén, Monica Hammer et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2015Cited by: 6References: 28
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) promotes a change of European water governance towards increased stakeholder participation and water management according to river basins. To implement the WFD, new institutional arrangements are needed. In Sweden, water councils have been established on the local level to meet the requirements of the WFD of a broad stakeholder involvement in water management. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the kn…
Road ecology in environmental impact assessment
Open AccessMårten Karlson, Ulla Mörtberg et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2014Cited by: 8References: 81
Strategic environmental assessment and monitoring
Open AccessJuan Azcárate, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Research Letters2013
The Arctic region undergoes rapid and unprecedented environmental change. Environmental assessment and monitoring is needed to understand and decide how to mitigate and/or adapt tothe changes and their impacts on society and ecosystems. This letter analyzes the application of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and the monitoring, based on environmental observations, that should be part of SEA, elucidates main gaps in both, and proposes an o…
EIA and green procurement
Open AccessKedar Uttam, Charlotta Faith-Ell et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2012Cited by: 1References: 30
Governance of Water Resources in the Phase of Change
Open AccessMonica Hammer, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEAMBIO2011Cited by: 9References: 30
SEA monitoring in Swedish regional transport infrastructure plans — Improvement opportunities identified in practical experience
Open AccessKristina Lundberg, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2010Cited by: 2References: 9
Comparing GIS-based habitat models for applications in EIA and SEA
Open AccessMikael Gontier, Ulla Mörtberg et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2010Cited by: 6References: 44
Linking environmental impact assessment, environmental management systems and green procurement in construction projects
Annika Varnäs, Charlotta Faith-Ell et al.ARTICLEImpact Assessment and Project…2009
Construction projects often involve significant environmental impacts (EIs). Although EI assessments are required for these projects, the commitments made in the EI statements are rarely followed up. As a consequence, the emphasis on and the awareness of these issues in the contractor's organisation are often insufficient. Drawing on a case study of the City Tunnel Project in Malmo, Sweden, this paper illustrates how the EIs identified in the EIA…
Biodiversity in environmental assessment—current practice and tools for prediction
Open AccessMikael Gontier, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2006Cited by: 17References: 35

Biodiversity in environmental assessment—current practice and tools for prediction
Open AccessMikael Gontier, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2006Cited by: 17References: 35
Linking environmental impact assessment, environmental management systems and green procurement in construction projects
Annika Varnäs, Charlotta Faith-Ell et al.ARTICLEImpact Assessment and Project…2009
Construction projects often involve significant environmental impacts (EIs). Although EI assessments are required for these projects, the commitments made in the EI statements are rarely followed up. As a consequence, the emphasis on and the awareness of these issues in the contractor's organisation are often insufficient. Drawing on a case study of the City Tunnel Project in Malmo, Sweden, this paper illustrates how the EIs identified in the EIA…
SEA monitoring in Swedish regional transport infrastructure plans — Improvement opportunities identified in practical experience
Open AccessKristina Lundberg, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2010Cited by: 2References: 9
Comparing GIS-based habitat models for applications in EIA and SEA
Open AccessMikael Gontier, Ulla Mörtberg et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2010Cited by: 6References: 44
Governance of Water Resources in the Phase of Change
Open AccessMonica Hammer, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEAMBIO2011Cited by: 9References: 30
EIA and green procurement
Open AccessKedar Uttam, Charlotta Faith-Ell et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2012Cited by: 1References: 30
Strategic environmental assessment and monitoring
Open AccessJuan Azcárate, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Research Letters2013
The Arctic region undergoes rapid and unprecedented environmental change. Environmental assessment and monitoring is needed to understand and decide how to mitigate and/or adapt tothe changes and their impacts on society and ecosystems. This letter analyzes the application of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and the monitoring, based on environmental observations, that should be part of SEA, elucidates main gaps in both, and proposes an o…
Road ecology in environmental impact assessment
Open AccessMårten Karlson, Ulla Mörtberg et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2014Cited by: 8References: 81
Institutional development for stakeholder participation in local water management—An analysis of two Swedish catchments
Open AccessFrida Franzén, Monica Hammer et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2015Cited by: 6References: 28
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) promotes a change of European water governance towards increased stakeholder participation and water management according to river basins. To implement the WFD, new institutional arrangements are needed. In Sweden, water councils have been established on the local level to meet the requirements of the WFD of a broad stakeholder involvement in water management. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the kn…
Strategic environmental assessment in Swedish municipal planning. Trends and challenges
Open AccessBerit Balfors, J Wallström et al.ARTICLEEnvironmental Impact Assessment…2018Cited by: 4References: 12
The role of small-scale planning projects in urban development
Open AccessJohan Högström, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2019Cited by: 2References: 22
Moving from vision to action- integrating ecosystem services in the Swedish local planning context
Open AccessSara Khoshkar, Monica Hammer et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2020References: 43
SEA screening practice and the inclusion of environmental objectives in Swedish energy and climate planning
Open AccessVincent Wretling, Christina Hörnberg et al.ARTICLEImpact Assessment and Project…2021
In municipal energy planning, climate change is a key concern. Additionally, a multitude of environmental impacts and associated objectives also need to be addressed. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) should increase environmental consideration in planning, including that of national environmental objectives. This paper investigates the SEA screening practice and its effect on the execution of SEA as well as the inclusion of national envir…
Balancing wind power deployment and sustainability objectives in Swedish planning and permitting
Open AccessVincent Wretling, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEEnergy Sustainability and Society2022
Exploring local spatial planning as practices of process design in the Stockholm region, Sweden
Open AccessJohan Högström, Peter Brokking et al.ARTICLEEuropean Planning Studies2024
The quest for sustainable urban development requires innovative planning approaches more apt to cater for transformative action. Based on a case study approach, this study aims to explore the potential for local planning to develop practical approaches able to accelerate the transition towards sustainable urban development. To guide spatial development towards sustainability, the analysis of the results shows that local planners need to envision …
Projectification mediates between experimental and bureaucratic institutional logics in urban sustainability planning
Open AccessAlexander Hellquist, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLEPlanning Practice and Research2025
This paper investigates how planners involved in collaborative sustainability innovation in major Swedish municipalities negotiate a bureaucratic and an experimental institutional logic. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, we argue that preferred ways of combining the logics among planners are influenced by project management practices. Projectification thus appears to mediate between the two logics, ‘taming’ to some extent the experimental logi…
GIS-based multicriteria land suitability assessment for nature-based solutions for the enhancement of carbon sequestration in Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Open AccessAndrea Zaniboni, Berit Balfors et al.ARTICLELand Use Policy2025References: 79
A GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is presented to evaluate the suitability of land for the implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) to enhance carbon sequestration in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Excessive carbon emissions into the atmosphere have caused rapid and profound climate change that needs to be mitigated. The use of NbS has emerged as an effective strategy to sequester atmospheric carbon and improve environmental resili…
Geodesign to advance boundary work in urban planning
Open AccessBlal Adem Esmail, Cyrus Carl Anderson et al.ARTICLEAMBIO2025References: 59
Geodesign supports collaborative urban planning by managing ‘boundaries’ between diverse knowledge holders. However, there is a paucity of empirical evidence of its contribution to ‘boundary work’. This paper aims to evaluate how a geodesign process facilitates knowledge co-production through boundary work and to assess the scientific credibility, political saliency, and procedural legitimacy of its outputs in urban planning. We propose a replica…