Martin C. Lukas

About

My passion for research and teaching stems from a commitment to understanding and addressing pressing societal challenges surrounding sustainability, justice, and development. My work centres on the environmental, social, and political dimensions of land and natural resource use and aims to foster sustainability and justice. It analyses patterns and changes in land and resource use, access, control, and management and links these dynamics with broader political-economic developments and questions of environmental and social sustainability.

My research incorporates historical trajectories and works across scales, utilizing a broad range of research methods. These include qualitative interviews across political levels – from farmers or miners in remote villages to ministries, focus groups, observation, transect walks, mapping, remote sensing, and historical cartographic analysis.

Whether conducting research or engaging with students, I am motivated by the transformative potential of critical inquiry and learning. Through engaged research and science-policy interfaces, I aim to contribute to sustainable development in the research regions.

Before taking up my present Associate Professor position at NTNU, I held PhD and postdoctoral positions at the Center for Tropical Marine Research, the MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, and the Sustainability Research Center at Bremen. I also worked across the science-policy interface in development evaluation at the Center for Evaluation and Development in Mannheim.

I have a Diplom (equivalent to Master’s degree) in Geography (with distinction), a Master in Applied Science in International Rural Development (with distinction), and a PhD in Geography (summa cum laude).

Core areas of my regional expertise are South and Southeast Asia. I have also been involved in research, publication, and evaluation projects in Africa.

My core research, teaching, and supervision interests include:

Land use (change), land tenure
Natural resource use, resource access and control, resource conflicts
Resource and environmental governance, Environmental justice
Climate change impacts and adaptation in mountain communities
Conflicts over nature conservation
Informal gold and diamond mining
Geographies of development, Sustainable development

Students interested in these topics for their BA or MA thesis projects are welcome to contact me.

Research

Building on earlier research projects and collaborations, I am presently working on publications related to land and forest use, access, control, and management.

Ongoing empirical research includes work on informal gold and diamond mining in Indonesia.

Leveraging my regional expertise in the Indian Himalayas, I am leading the project Threatened Lifelines. Analysing and managing the impacts of shrinking glaciers and snow cover on water flows, land use, and livelihoods in mountain communities of the Indian Himalayas".

In collaboration with Oddbjørn Bruland from the Faculty of Engineering and Pascal E. Egli from the Department of Geography and Social Anthropology, the project investigates the impacts of climate change on mountain communities and fosters just and sustainable adaptation pathways. It focuses on communities in the semiarid Himalayan region of Ladakh, which are highly reliant on seasonal meltwater flows that are increasingly prone to change and decline. One project component analyses and models the effects of climate-induced cryospheric changes on water flows. The other project component examines how these changes intersect with broader societal transformations to impact mountain communities. Taking transdisciplinary approaches, the project explores adaptation strategies and their implications for equity and community agency. The ultimate goal is to support sustainable water governance and development pathways embedded in the region’s social-ecological and cultural fabric as well as its long-standing community institutions.

The project, funded by NTNU Community, involves two PhD positions that will commence in autumn 2025.

Threatened Lifelines. Analysing and managing the impacts of shrinking glaciers and snow cover on water flows, land use, and livelihoods in mountain communities of the Indian Himalayas

The project investigates the impacts of climate change on mountain communities and fosters just and sustainable adaptation pathways in the Indian Himalayan region of Ladakh.

Informal gold and diamond mining in Indonesia

Ongoing research that analyses spatial-temporal dynamics, institutional arrangements as well as social, environmental, and political dimensions of informal gold and diamond mining.

Publications

International peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and monographies

Werner, T.T., Toumbourou, T.; Maus, V., Lukas, M.C., Sonter, L.J., Muhdar, M. (2023). Patterns of infringement, risk, and impact driven by coal mining permits in Indonesia. Ambio, 53:242–256, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01944-y.

Lukas, M.C. (2022). Agrarian reform movement in the Betung Kerihun National Park. Mobilisation of communities against nature protection in Kalimantan, Chapter 16, In: Tindall, D., Stoddart, M.C.J., Dunlap, R.E. (eds.): Handbook of Anti-environmentalism, Edward Elgar Publishing, 304-328, https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839100222.00028.

Jennerjahn, T.C., Baum, A., Damar, A., Flitner, F., Heyde, J., Jänen, I., Lukas, M.C., Lukman, M., Nugrahadi, M.S., Rixen T., Samiaji, J., Schröder, F. (2022): Human interventions in rivers and estuaries of Java and Sumatra, In: Jennerjahn, T.C., Rixen T., Irianto, H.E. & Samiaji, J. (eds.): Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems (SPICE), pp 45-82, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815050-4.00002-X.

Jennerjahn, T.C., Ardli, E.R., Boy, J., Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Nordhaus, I., Sastranegara, M.H., Schwerdtner Mañez, K. and Yuwono, E. (2022): Mangrove ecosystems under threat in Indonesia, In: Jennerjahn, T.C., Rixen T., Irianto, H.E. & Samiaji, J. (eds.): Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems (SPICE), pp 251-284, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815050-4.00004-3.

Vijayan, D., Kaechele, H., Girindran, R., Chattopadhyay, S., Lukas, M.C., Arshad, M. (2021). Tropical forest conversion and its impact on indigenous communities. Mapping forest loss and shrinking gathering grounds in the Western Ghats, India. Land Use Policy, 102, 105133, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.105133.

Lukas, M.C. & Peluso, N.L. (2020). Transforming the classic political forest: Contentious territories in Java. Antipode, 52(4), 971-995, https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12563.

Hapsari, K.A., Jennerjahn, T.C., Lukas, M.C., Karius, V., Behling, H. (2019). Intertwined effects of climate and land use change on environmental dynamics and carbon accumulation in a mangrove‐fringed coastal lagoon in Java, Indonesia. Global Change Biology, 26:1414–1431, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14926.

Dsikowitzky, L., Damar, A., Ferse, S.C.A., Irianto, H.E., Jennerjahn, T.C., Lukas, M.C., Nordhaus, I. Pohlmann, T., Schwarzbauer, J., Sugama, K. and Sumiono, B. (2019): Java Island. In: Sheppard, C.: World Seas: An environmental evaluation, Volume II: The Indian Ocean to the Pacific, 2nd edition, Academic Press, Chapter 21, 459-490, https://doi.org/10.1016/C2015-0-04332-5.

Lukas, M.C. & Flitner, M. (2019). Scalar fixes of environmental management in Java, Indonesia. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 2(3), 565-589, https://doi.org/10.1177/2514848619844769.

Lawer, E.T., Lukas, M.C., Jørgensen, S.H. (2017). The neglected role of local institutions in the ‘resource curse’ debate. Limestone mining in the Krobo region of Ghana. Resources Policy, 54, 43-52, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.08.005.

Lukas, M.C. (2017). Widening the scope: Linking coastal sedimentation with watershed dynamics in Java, Indonesia. Regional Environmental Change, 17(3), 901–914, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1058-4.

Lukas, M.C. (2017). Memperluas jangkauan: Menghubungkan sedimentasi pesisir dengan dinamika daerah aliran sungai di Jawa, Indonesia, Regional Environmental Change, 17(3), Online Resource 1.

Lukas, M.C. (2015). Neglected treasures. Linking historical cartography with environmental changes in Java, Indonesia. Cartographica, 50(3), 141-162, https://doi.org/10.3138/cart.50.3.2891.

Lukas, M.C. (2015): Reconstructing contested landscapes. Dynamics, drivers and political framings of land use and land cover change, watershed transformations and coastal sedimentation in Java, Indonesia. Doctoral thesis, University of Bremen, Germany, https://elib.suub.uni-bremen.de/edocs/00106383-1.pdf.

Lukas, M.C. (2014). Cartographic reconstruction of historical environmental change. Cartographic Perspectives 78, 5-24, https://doi.org/10.14714/CP78.1218.

Karstens, S. & Lukas, M.C. (2014). Contested aquaculture development in the protected mangrove forests of the Kapuas Estuary, West Kalimantan. Geoöko, 35, 78-121, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270885475_Contested_aquaculture_development_in_the_protected_mangrove_forests_of_the_Kapuas_estuary_West_Kalimantan

Lukas, M.C. (2014). Eroding battlefields: Land degradation in Java reconsidered. Geoforum, 56, 87-100, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.06.010.

Lukas, M.C. (2013). Political transformation and watershed governance in Java: Actors and interests. In: Muradian, R. & Rival, L.M. (eds.), Governing the provision of ecosystem services (pp. 111-132), Dordrecht, New York: Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5176-7_6.

Lukas, M.C., Julia, Radjawali, I., Flitner, M., & Pye, O. (2012). The conflict-laden multi-functionality of the Kapuas River in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies, 5(2), 359-368, https://doi.org/10.4232/10.ASEAS-5.2-12.

Schwerdtner Máñez Costa, K., Máñez Costa, M., & Lukas, M.C. (2009). Volcanic eruptions and the forgotten pearls. Ocean & Coastal Management, 52(3-4), 229-232, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.12.006.

Lukas, M. (2007). The effects of organic agriculture on the livelihoods of farmers in Gujarat, India. Diplomarbeit, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen.

Lukas, M., & Steinhilper, D. (2005). Living conditions in the Gunung Sewu karst region (Java, Indonesia). The example of the community of Dadapayu. Werkstattpapiere, Institut für Geographie der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (Vol. 13). Wettenberg: Herrmann J&J-Verlag.

Policy papers and public outreach publications

Lukas, M.C. (2018). Narrow views: Struggles to protect a shrinking coastal lagoon in Java. In: Hempel, G., Hempel, I., Hornidge, A.-K. (eds.): Scientific partnership for a better future. Bremen’s research along tropical coasts. Falkenberg, 115-118.

Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Flitner, M. (2017). Pembayaran Jasa Lingkungan: Instrumen baru untuk mengatasi masalah lingkungan berkepanjangan di daerah aliran sungai dan pesisir di Indonesia? Naskah Kebijakan. artec-Paper 214, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/591.

Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., Flitner, M. (2017). Payments for Environmental Services: A new instrument to address long-standing problems? Policy Paper. artec-Paper 213, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/592.

Lukas, M.C. (2017). Konservasi daerah aliran sungai di Pulau Jawa, Indonesia: Terjebak dalam konflik sumberdaya hutan. artec-Paper 212, Sustainability Research Center (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/597.

Lukas, M.C. (2017). Verengter Blick: Über Versuche, eine Lagune auf Java vor der Verlandung zu bewahren. In: Hempel, G., Hempel, I., Hornidge, A.-K. (eds.): Klüger nutzen – besser schützen. Bremer Forschung an tropischen Küsten. Falkenberg, 119-122.

Heyde, J., Lukas, M.C., & Flitner, M. (2012). Payments for Environmental Services in Indonesia: A review of watershed-Related Schemes. artec-Paper 186, Research Center for Sustainability Studies (artec), University of Bremen, https://doi.org/10.26092/elib/663.

Lukas, M.C., Heyde, J., & Flitner, M. (2012). Umweltmythen und umkämpfte Ressourcen. Die Politische Ökologie einer verschwindenden Lagune auf Java. Impulse aus der Forschung, Das Autorenmagazin der Universität Bremen, 2/2012, 14–17.

Lukas, M. & Cahn, M. (2008). Organic agriculture and rural livelihoods in Karnataka, India. Cultivating the future based on Science. Proceedings of the second scientific conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), Volume 2, 476-479.

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