Julia Steinberger

Julia Steinberger is a Full Professor of Societal Issues Related to the Impact of Climate Change at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Université de Lausanne (University of Lausanne), appointed since August 2020. She holds a dual appointment as a Full Professor of Social Ecology and Ecological Economics at the University of Leeds, UK.

Education and Career: Julia earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Brown University and a PhD from MIT (2004). Her career includes postdoctoral research at universities of Lausanne and Zurich, followed by roles at the Institute of Social Ecology in Vienna and the University of Leeds. She is a Lead Author for IPCC Working Group 3 and leads the Leverhulme Trust-funded project 'Living Well Within Limits.'

Research Focus: Her work bridges ecological economics and industrial ecology, examining societal performance through lenses of energy use, emissions, and human well-being. Key themes include decarbonization pathways, equity in resource distribution, and systemic barriers to sustainability transitions in sectors like automotive industries.

Publications and Impact: Over 55 peer-reviewed articles on sustainability and climate change, with recent work addressing decarbonized provisioning systems, energy equity, and degrowth strategies. Her research emphasizes translating planetary health principles into actionable policies and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, policy, and activism.

Grants and Leadership: Principal Investigator for major projects such as 'Living Well Within Limits,' focusing on democratizing provisioning systems. She advocates for academic institutions to facilitate climate activism and equitable policy design.