Mattias Näsmans’ research investigates how historical actors and processes have either created obstacles or facilitated the transition of society and the economy towards sustainability.
Mattias’s research uses history as a lens to answer questions about the ongoing green transition.
Can the transition be steered, and if so, can it be accelerated? How are different actors affected by—and how do they influence—the direction of the transition?
Mattias’s research has primarily focused on the environmental adaptation and green transition of the automotive industry. Within the research program "A Promised Land?", Mattias explores the history of the European battery industry to understand the obstacles and challenges that have hindered its development. Of particular interest is how corporate strategies and technological development interact with politics at various levels, with Mattias currently studying the now-bankrupt company Northvolt.
In his doctoral dissertation, Mattias examined the prolonged process toward modern exhaust emissions control, at the intersection of politics, economics, technology, and environmental science. The research addresses questions about the lines of conflict that have arisen—and continue to arise—between legislators and the automotive industry in efforts to produce more environmentally friendly cars.
Mattias is affiliated with the Centre for Regional Science (Cerum) at Umeå University and the Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics (Cere) at Umeå University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Mattias holds a Master’s degree in Economic History and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Umeå University.