Henrik Josefsson

Short presentation

My research focuses on various environmental law issues, often in the interface to other research field such as ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental economics, and research on nuclear powerproduction.

Focus areas include surface and groundwater law, chemical law, climate and conflict issues, biodiversity offsetting, ecological damages and nuclear law.

I am on leave on a part-time basis from Uppsala University to work with the Environmental Permit Investigation (Dir. 2023:78).

Keywords

• förvaltningsrätt
• kemikalier
• hållbarhet
• hållbar utveckling
• miljömål
• vattenhantering
• handelsrätt
• grundvatten
• nuclear energy policy (kärnkraft)
• fastighetsrätt

Biography

2023-2024 Committee Secretary, Swedish Government: The investigation on simplified and shortened permit processes under the Environmental Code (Dir. 2023:78)

2023 Part of an expert panel assessing the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (Costal Waters) in Denmark for the Danish Government.

2022-2023 Committee Secretary, Swedish Government: The investigation on water issues regarding planning planning and construction (Dir 2021:06).

2022 Associate Professor (Docent) Environmental Law

2022 Senior Lecture Commercial Law

2015 Doctor of Laws, Environmental Law, Uppsala University

2008 Master of Arts with a Major in Jurisprudence, Luleå University of Technology

2007 Master of Science with a Major in Biology, Umeå University

Research

Current research:

2024 -  A 3S approach applied to floating nuclear reactors. Founded by The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority 

2023 - Addressing Complexity Despite Conflicting interests: the interrelation between stakeholder collaborative processes and court proceedings in hydropower permit reviews (ACDC hydro). Founded by Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.

2022 - ANItA – Academic-industrial Nuclear technology Initiative to Achieve a sustainable energy future. Founded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Industry partners and Uppsala University.

2022 - Climate Transitions in Contested Forests: Justice and Governance in Digital Times. Founded by Formas.

Previous research:

2022 - 2025 Realizing a non-toxic circular economy. Founded by Formas.

2020 - Aquifers in the Anthropocene. Founded by Circus (Uppsala University)

2020 - 2022 Will European Water Legislation Result in Better Water Quality? Analysis of Current Indicators and Measures to Reduce Chemical Pollution. Founded by Formas.

2018 - 2021 Ethics in Biodiversity Offsetting – Legal Responsibility and Social Equity. Founded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

2017 - 2020 Legal Compensation for Losses of Biodiversity – a Net Loss?. Founded by the Swedish Research Council.

2016 Ramvattendirektivets grundläggande åtgärder. En rättslig belysning av art. 11 i ramvattendirektivet och Sveriges genomförande. Founded by the Swedish Agency of Marine and Water Management.

2010 - 2015 Sustainable Water Management. Founded by Ragnar Söderbergs Stiftelse and Torsten Söderbergs Stiftelse.

Opponent and Examiner of Doctoral and Licentiate Theses

Second opponent, doctoral (PhD) thesis in law, Lene Sandberg, Fanget i faresone? Om plikten til å skredsikre eksisterende bebyggelse, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Law (2026)

Opponent, Doctoral (PhD) thesis in Jurisprudence, Caroline Gardelli, Legal protection of biodiversity: ethical perspectives and conflicts of norms, Luleå University of Technology, Department of Social Sciences, Technology and Arts (2023).

Member of the Examination Committee, Doctoral (PhD) thesis in Law, Harsh Vardhan Bhati, Powering Preservation: Balancing Heritage Conservation and Energy Transition in World Heritage Cities, Uppsala University, Faculty of Law (2025).

Member of the Examination Committee, Doctoral (PhD) thesis in Law, PhD candidate Suvi-Tuuli Puharinen, Normative Environmental Quality as a Regulatory Strategy in EU Environmental Law, University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Joensuu (2024).

Member of the Examination Committee, Licentiate thesis in Sustainability Science, Niak Koh, Unravelling the social and ecological implications of policy instruments for biodiversity governance, Stockholm University, Stockholm Resilience Centre (2020).

I have also been pre-examiner for doctoral (PhD) thesis in Jurisprudence and Environmental law.