Ulf Sverdrup
Contactinfo and files
Summary
Ulf Sverdrup was the Director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) from 2011 to 2023.
Sverdrup led a government appointed commission on the long-term perspectives for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, and he was the Head of the Secretariat for the Official Norwegian Europe Review (NOU 2012:2.)
Sverdrup published extensively on various topics in international politics, with a particular emphasis on European affairs and Norwegian foreign policy.
Expertise
Education
2000 Dr. polit, Arena/Department of political science, University of Oslo
1993 Cand. polit, University of Bergen
Work Experience
2011-2023 Director, NUPI
2010-2011 Head of the Secretariat for the Official Norwegian Europe Review (NOU 2012:2)
2000-2011 Research professor at ARENA, Centre for European Studies, at the University of Oslo
2008-2010 Professor at BI
Aktivitet
Filter
Clear all filters
China’s Evolving Industrial Policies – what does it mean for us?
Some welcome Chinese investments in Europe with open arms, others see it as a threat to national security. Matthew Ferchen visits NUPI to talk about what China's investment policy means for Europe.
Improving Future Ocean Governance – Governance of Global Goods in an Age of Global Shifts
Japan’s G20 presidency in 2019 will take the lead in promoting environmentally sustainable economic growth and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a gathering of coastal states, under Japan’s presidency the G20 will specifically work to reduce marine plastic pollution and support marine biodiversity. This policy paper highlights how oceans are governed spaces and points to the key role of the oceans in realizing the SDGs. We argue that the G20 can and should play an important role in addressing major governance gaps in ensuring the sustainable management of oceans. Recognizing that there are increased geopolitical tensions, and that we do indeed already have comprehensive multi-level governance systems in place to handle many aspects of the growing ‘blue economy’ and avoiding the tragedy of the commons, the G20 should primarily stress the need for full and effective implementation of existing instruments and measures at the national, regional and global levels and increased consistency across levels of governance. This would effectively address many of the challenges and make use of the opportunities of the oceans. However, the rapidly moving horizon of technological development and insufficient progress in mitigating global climate change represent new governance challenges that require renewed effort and innovative thinking for a sustainable future for the oceans. This policy paper provides recommendations as to how G20 states can: consolidate their own capacity and assist non-G20 states in taking responsibility for strengthening marine science and implementation of existing regulatory frameworks, exercise innovative global and regional leadership to address emerging opportunities and associated governance challenges and facilitate the meaningful involvement of the private sector and the public in ensuring a collective governance order around oceans.
Desinformasjon virker
(Available in Norwegian only): Omfanget av desinformasjon er større enn mange tror. Spørsmålet er hvordan vi kan beskytte oss, skriver Ulf Sverdrup i denne DN-kronikken.
Energy security in Europe: How can Norway and Poland contribute?
A new Polish-Norwegian cooperation will contribute to increased energy security in Europe. The Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Kjell-Børge Freiberg, meets his Polish counterpart to talk about the new gas corridor between Norway and Poland.
Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Norway’s Options
What would the late political economist and intellectual Albert O. Hirschmann have said if asked to assess the developments in Europe – and its future – at a time when decision makers and voters feel that the quality of their community is decreasing, or fail to see the benefits of its achievements? Drawing on Hirschmann’s works, NUPI Director Ulf Sverdrup offers three intertwined strategies for European states’ approach to Europe in the time to come: “Exit”, “voice” and “loyalty”. Sverdrup reminds us that most would agree that being European is something more than being a EU citizen. According to him, there are good reasons to believe that non-members, like Norway, can contribute to developing Europe in the future. However, a common challenge for both outsiders and insiders is to recognize the multifaceted nature of Europe, and to encourage non-members not to disengage from Europe while, at the same time, encouraging the EU to relate to its European partners outside the EU.
ANALYSIS: Resolving Brexit
Brexit is in crisis. The options are limited, and they have not changed much since 2016. Now, time is running out. Exiting the EU without an agreement, widely recognized as the worst option, is the default. Moreover, this is no longer simply a question about how to deal with the EU. Brexit is a test of whether a democratic political system can resolve difficult and divisive issues in a credible and robust way. The stakes are therefore high.
Skjerpet lobbykamp
(Available in Norwegian only): Etter brexit vil Storbritannia måtte påvirke EU fra utsiden. Norge får konkurranse. Storbritannia vil mest sannsynlig gå ut av EU mars 2019. De mister da også stemmerett og mange muligheter for innflytelse. Hvordan vil livet bli som lobbyist? spør Ulf Sverdrup i denne kronikken, først publisert i Dagens Næringsliv.
Geopolitikk og oljefondet
Oljefondet har hatt sin «oppvekst» innenfor en trygg og stabil global orden. Det første innskuddet kom i 1996, i god tid etter Berlin-murens fall. Fondet har vært en stor suksess, men det har også gjort at Norge er mer eksponert for globale endringer enn før. Den internasjonale orden er nå i en brytningstid. Demokratiske systemer er under press, globalisering og åpne marked møter motstand. USAs rolle, som leder og systemgarantist, er også i forandring. USA er mer negativ til viktige elementer i internasjonalt samarbeid, som WTO og FN. Spenningene øker også i forholdet mellom USA og Kina, verdens viktigste økonomiske og politiske relasjon. I den nye amerikanske sikkerhetsstrategi er Kina beskrevet som strategisk rival. Mange ser på handelskrigen mellom som USAs forsøk på å demme opp for, eller redusere, Kinas geopolitiske innflytelse. Endringene i det globale politiske og økonomiske system endrer også rammene for Oljefondet. Jeg mener derfor tiden er overmoden for å utrede forholdet mellom fondet og geopolitiske risikofaktorer. Vi bør kartlegge dagens risikoeksponering, analysere hvordan globale skifter endrer risikobildet, og vi må vurdere om dagens retningslinjer er egnet.
UN Peace Operations in a Changing Global Order
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will talk about the status of UN Peace Operations.
EU security and third countries: EU, UK and Norway
In this project, NUPI, together with leading European experts, will map and analyze current developments in the EU in the field of foreign, security and defense policy....