Henrik Selin

About

Henrik Selin is a Professor of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He has previously served as Associate Dean for Studies in the Pardee School from 2020 to 2024 and as Associate Director at the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability. He earned all his academic degrees, including his BA, MA, and PhD, in Europe, studying at Lund University in Sweden, Newcastle University in England, and Linköping University in Sweden. His scholarly and teaching interests focus on environment and sustainable development, with a strong emphasis on crossing disciplinary boundaries in both research and teaching. This interdisciplinary approach was developed during his graduate work at the Department of Thematic Studies – Environmental Change at Linköping University, which integrates social and natural sciences in the study of environmental issues and policymaking. Selin is the author of several books including "Mercury Stories: Understanding Sustainability through a Volatile Element," "European Union Environmental Governance," and "Global Governance of Hazardous Chemicals: Challenges of Multilevel Management." He has also edited volumes such as "Changing Climates in North American Politics: Institutions, Policymaking and Multilevel Governance" and "Transatlantic Environment and Energy Politics: Comparative and International Perspectives." In addition to his books, he has authored and co-authored more than fifty…

Research topics

• Political Science
• Business
• Natural resource economics
• Economics
• Computer Science
• Environmental resource management
• Environmental science
• Environmental planning
• Engineering
• Ecology

Selected publications

• Linking science and policy to support the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

  AMBIO · 2018-01-31 · 156 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The Minamata Convention on Mercury, with its objective to protect human health and the environment from the dangers of mercury (Hg), entered into force in 2017. The Convention outlines a life-cycle approach to the production, use, emissions, releases, handling, and disposal of Hg. As it moves into the implementation phase, scientific work and information are critically needed to support decision-making and management. This paper synthesizes existing knowledge and examines three areas in which re…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Critical Time for Mercury Science to Inform Global Policy

  Environmental Science & Technology · 2018-08-01 · 130 citations

  articleOpen access

  Mercury is a global pollutant released into the biosphere by varied human activities including coal combustion, mining, artisanal gold mining, cement production, and chemical production. Once released to air, land and water, the addition of carbon atoms to mercury by bacteria results in the production of methylmercury, the toxic form that bioaccumulates in aquatic and terrestrial food chains resulting in elevated exposure to humans and wildlife. Global recognition of the mercury contamination pr…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• We need a global science-policy body on chemicals and waste

  Science · 2021 · 104 citations

  Major gaps in current efforts limit policy responses

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mitigation of CO₂ emissions from international shipping through national allocation

  Environmental Research Letters · 2021 · 50 citations

  1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Neither international treaties nor domestic policies control carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from international shipping. To enhance mitigation, a new multilateral mechanism could allocate these emissions to national carbon budgets, where different options could be used based on the location of industry actors and ships. We analyze five allocation options, showing that a clear majority of CO 2 emissions would be distributed to ten countries under each option; however, the top ten count…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• From Stockholm to Minamata and beyond: Governing mercury pollution for a more sustainable future

  One Earth · 2022 · 33 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Stacy D. VanDeveer

  University of Massachusetts Boston

  28 shared

• Noelle E. Selin

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  24 shared

• Fiona Kinniburgh

  7 shared

• Susan E. Keane

  Natural Resources Defense Council

  6 shared

• Marcella Remer Thompson

  Rhode Island College

  6 shared

• Björn‐Ola Linnér

  4 shared

• Dominique Bally

  3 shared

• Shuxiao Wang

  State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control

  3 shared

Education

• M.A.

  Lund University

• Ph.D.

  Linköping University

Similar researchers at Boston University

• Kevin P. Gallagherh-46
• Robert Hefnerh-45
• Jessica Stantonh-23