Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir is the rare combination of an academic and an activist. Her research, publications, teaching and activism have focused on regenerating the Earth from a system’s perspective with wellbeing in mind. This includes natural resource availability and management, new economic thinking for sustainability, and transformation literacy needed to regenerate a thriving Earth within its boundaries for people and nature. In 2026, she published a book with co-author Ásgeir Brynjar Torfason titled Elgar Companion to Creating a Regenerative Economy for Wellbeing.
Ragnarsdóttir was a member of the Icelandic government’s 2050 Energy Policy Committee and she represented the Climate Council and the Sustainable Development Council. She co-developed indicators for wellbeing for the Prime Minister’s office and was involved in Iceland being one of the early members of the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership (WEGo). Ragnarsdóttir has advised Iceland’s government on higher education, education for sustainable development, nature protection, genetically modified organisms, futures thinking and government policy plan. She was a member of the Strategic Planning Team for the future of Reykjavik and Green Tourism.
Ragnarsdóttir collaborated with Ecocide Law Alliance and End Ecocide Sweden to publish reports on Ecocide Law for the Paris Agreement and Ecocide Law for an Economy within Planetary Boundaries. She worked with the Club of Rome in preparation for the UN Food System Summit in 2021.
Ragnarsdóttir was a member of the Bhutanese government’s International Expert Working Group on a New Development Paradigm that advised Bhutan’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – with a focus on new indicators to go beyond GDP. She has advised on green policies in Iceland, Sweden, UK, Bhutan and China and on the European Commission’s Research Program and Circular Economy Strategy. Ragnarsdóttir led workshops in Bristol, UK on visioning a sustainable city, laying the foundation for Bristol becoming the Green Capital of Europe.
In 2026, Ragnarsdóttir co-founded a Wellbeing Economy Alliance Hub in Iceland. She is a board member of Landvernd, the largest environmental protection NGO in Iceland and serves on the board of its education centre Alviðra. She is one of the so-called Bus Family – which has been developing ideas and writing on issues related to wellbeing since the group met in Bhutan in 2013 – starting with a commentary in Nature.
Ragnarsdóttir is Advisor to Global Choices, she has served as a member of the Global Council and is co-founder and Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll). She also advised the Ecological Sequestration Trust.
Ragnarsdóttir served as vice-chair of the board of her local Red Cross and was a board member of the Women for New Constitution, Breiðdalssetur science and cultural centre, and the Hallomsstadur sustainability school. Her previous board memberships include The Balaton Group (Vice-president), Landsvirkjun energy company, Pyramid2030, 17Goals, Alliance for Sustainability and Prosperity (ASAP) and Initiative for Equality.
Ragnarsdóttir is recently retired from being Professor of Earth- and Sustainability Science at the University of Iceland and continues her work as Professor Emerita. She was Dean of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Iceland and was previously Professor of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Bristol, UK. She has been a visiting professor at universities in Europe, USA, Thailand, and Australia.
Ragnarsdóttir is a member of Academia Europaea, as well as the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Icelandic Academy, and Royal Society of Arts and Letters (UK). She is a member of the Balaton Group, a Distinguished Fellow at the Schumacher Institute (UK) and received their Award of Excellence Furthering Sustainability and Equality Learning. Other awards include Balaton Group Member of the Year, Student Plant Award for sustainability teaching and the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development.
