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Fossil independence and substantial reductions in CO2 emissions seem to be possible with 2nd generation biofuels. New technologies allow a full carbon-to-fuel conversion of non-edible plant parts such as straw or wood, and the cultivation of algae or salt-resistant plants uncouples bioenergy from food production. Nevertheless, impacts on biodiversity, global land and water use are widely unclear and their competitiveness with 1st generation biofuels and electric mobility is an open question. An interdisciplinary team of Empa, University of Zurich and the Wuppertal Institute of Climate, Environment and Energy evaluated the most sustainable production techniques and assessed their potential for our future mobility.
This study aims to investigate whether, to what extent and how a transition toward integrated flood management has taken place in the Dongting Lake area at the middle Yangtze. Accordingly, we conducted a longitudinal research of its flood management (1949–2009). We developed an analytical framework linking regime components to two societal learning types (double and triple-loop learning) that are key to a regime transition. Our study shows that the transition toward integrated flood management has already started, but the whole regime transformation will still take time to complete, due to, for example, the not-yet-ready decision-making processes that shape the structure changes as well as the incompatibilities between what is on paper and real implementation. To understand how the regime transition took place, we investigated where and how triple-loop learning was initiated as well as how so-called "informal learning processes" has contributed to the transition of Dongting flood management.
For decades, the Chinese government has been searching for solutions to cope with the increasing imbalance between the supply and demand of water in the Yellow River Basin. This paper aims at a better understanding of the development of the water allocation regime in the Yellow River Basin between 1950 and 2009, introducing a fresh perspective based on the notion of "regime transition". Accordingly, we investigated 1) whether so-called "Windows of Opportunity for Transition (WOPTs)" emerged, triggering a transition, and whether WOPT(s) resulted in a stable transition towards the new regime; 2) how informal learning processes and epistemic communities have contributed to the regime change. We adapted Kingdon's "multiple stream model" and identified four WOPTs from the 1950s, analyzing the reconfiguration process of the regime after the onset of the transition. Our examples of two types of informal learning processes demonstrate their contribution to the creation of WOPTs and the reconfiguration of the regime. Furthermore, this study indicates, in a qualitative manner, how epistemic communities contribute to the knowledge base of the regime, and thus to its development. Finally, we have provided a general insight into the further development of the water allocation regime and highlighted potential avenues for further studies.
To achieve an efficient use and allocation of limited water resources and thus resolve increasing water use conflicts due to fast rising societal water demands, in 2000, the Chinese government started a management strategy of 'Construction of a Water Saving Society (WSS)'. It is guided by the principle that socio-economic development should consider the carrying capacity of the ecosystem and focuses on institutional innovation, building on the water rights concept. This paper explores the innovation process during the transition towards WSS by investigating the development course of the innovation process during the transition towards WSS, and the adaptive capacity of the existing water management regime underlying the innovation process. Accordingly, an analysis framework consisting of three types of governance activities and factors determining a regime's adaptive capacity was developed, based on the theory of transition management and adaptive governance. The Tianjin and Zhangye WSS experiments were selected for a deep understanding of local innovations. It is revealed that co-evolution of all three types of governance activities that are claimed to be essential for transition has taken place. However, the current adaptive capacity of the regime still needs further enhancement to support the transition towards the desired WSS in China. Finally, some general insights are provided for policy innovations in other political economies.
The material stocks in the anthroposphere are growing faster than ever due to urbanization and growing per capita use. Owing to the growing potential insecurity of raw material supply the evaluation of resources gains increasing attention. Despite growing utilization of anthropogenic deposits, ‘urban mining’ has not yet sufficiently been supported by specific exploration methods. An exploration method for anthropogenic deposits is proposed and described by application to the copper stocks of Switzerland. The method combines material flow analysis with a bottom‐up analysis of material stocks. The stock composition and temporal characteristics are analysed by surveys and literature analysis. The stock amounts to 269±31 kg capita -1 for the year 2000. The retrospective data are used as parameters to construct a dynamic stock model, which is calibrated by historical trade statistics. The potential for drafting scenarios is discussed. The stock situation in Switzerland is reviewed and compared with that of other regions.
Several studies in Germany aimed at the development of a sound database on existing waste prevention measures by public bodies at the local, regional and federal levels. These results are the starting point for the creation of a national prevention program, which has to be presented by all European Member States until the end of 2013 - due to the revised European Waste Framework Directive. Based on this empirical foundation, this paper draws conclusions with regard to drivers and barriers for eco-innovations in the field of waste prevention. The analysis shows that an optimized adaptation of information on waste prevention to the needs of specific target groups is still missing but could be a relevant driver. With regard to barriers the results of the study show that waste prevention is by no means always a win–win-situation. Institutional frameworks are missing to coordinate the different interests and for the exchange of experiences that could help to realize learning effects regarding innovation approaches.
Einsparpotenziale beim Kunststoffeinsatz durch Industrie, Handel und Haushalte in Deutschland
(2016)
This chapter addresses material leakage as a major problem of international open markets for used goods, in particular for used vehicles. It develops elements of an international metal covenant that should allow for a more sustainable management of global material flows in that area. The arguments in favour of such a proposal are as follows: Any regulation should actively seek for industry participation, taking advantage of business interest in supplying a sufficient amount of materials while lowering materials cost. It should also address public issues such as sustainability of recycling and waste. A first section analyses contracts as a tool to overcome knowledge problems that occur when many actors are involved. A second short section gives empirical evidence for material leakage in the case of used vehicles from Germany. A third section develops elements of an international metal covenant. A fourth section analyses potential impacts and discusses legal and institutional issues. Finally, some conclusions are drawn.
Umweltbildung auf und durch Sportgroßveranstaltungen : Sportevents als Arena der Umweltbildung
(2007)
Economics of Knowledge
(2009)
Der Verfasser legt eine vergleichende Analyse von Abfallwirtschaftsregimen in drei deutschen Stadtregionen vor. Als Fallbeispiele wurden Frankfurt in der Rhein-Main-Region, Berlin als Kern der Metropolregion Berlin-Brandenburg und Bochum im Ruhrgebiet ausgewählt. Einerseits weisen die drei Stadtregionen eine ganze Reihe von Gemeinsamkeiten auf, die sie für einen solchen Vergleich geeignet erscheinen lassen.
Alle drei Stadtregionen bilden Zentren wichtiger Metropolregionen in Deutschland, denen angesichts ihrer Bevölkerungsdichte sowie der ökonomischen und politischen Bedeutung besondere Relevanz für die Planung von Infrastruktursystemen zukommt. Gleichzeitig unterscheidet sich jedoch die Bedeutung der drei Fallregionen innerhalb ihrer Metropolregion durchaus deutlich, von der absoluten Dominanz in Berlin-Brandenburg bis zur Polyzentralität im Ruhrgebiet, woraus sich auch unterschiedliche Herausforderungen an regionale Planungsverbände und die Gestaltung der Kooperationsbeziehungen mit den Umlandgemeinden ergeben.
Als Bestandteile von Metropolregionen sind sie alle drei intensiv in internationale Geschäfts- und Wissensnetzwerke eingebunden, sind Standort für die Entwicklung soziotechnischer Innovationen und verfügen in vielen Bereichen über hochqualifizierte Humanressourcen. Auch im Hinblick auf die spezielle Situation der Abfallwirtschaft zeigen sich vergleichbare Ausgangsbedingungen: In allen drei Regionen wurde auf eine vollständige Privatisierung der kommunalen Abfallwirtschaft verzichtet, nach wie vor werden mit der Sammlung und Entsorgung von Abfällen Unternehmen beauftragt, die sich überwiegend im kommunalen Besitz befinden.
Dauerplastik
(2015)
The enhanced use of biomass for the production of energy, fuels, and materials is one of the key strategies towards sustainable production and consumption. Various life cycle assessment (LCA) studies demonstrate the great potential of bio-based products to reduce both the consumption of non-renewable energy resources and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the production of biomass requires agricultural land and is often associated with adverse environmental effects such as eutrophication of surface and ground water. Decision making in favor of or against bio-based and conventional fossil product alternatives therefore often requires weighing of environmental impacts. In this article, we apply distance-to-target weighing methodology to aggregate LCA results obtained in four different environmental impact categories (i.e., non-renewable energy consumption, global warming potential, eutrophication potential, and acidification potential) to one environmental index. We include 45 bio- and fossil-based product pairs in our analysis, which we conduct for Germany. The resulting environmental indices for all product pairs analyzed range from -19.7 to +0.2 with negative values indicating overall environmental benefits of bio-based products. Except for three options of packaging materials made from wheat and cornstarch, all bio-based products (including energy, fuels, and materials) score better than their fossil counterparts. Comparing the median values for the three options of biomass utilization reveals that bio-energy (-1.2) and bio-materials (-1.0) offer significantly higher environmental benefits than bio-fuels (-0.3). The results of this study reflect, however, subjective value judgments due to the weighing methodology applied. Given the uncertainties and controversies associated not only with distance-to-target methodologies in particular but also with weighing approaches in general, the authors strongly recommend using weighing for decision finding only as a supplementary tool separately from standardized LCA methodology.
Der vorliegende Artikel vergleicht die Nutzung nachwachsender Rohstoffe zur Erzeugung von Energie (Wärme und Elektrizität), Kraftstoffen und Gebrauchsprodukten anhand von vier ausgewählten Umweltbelastungskategorien. Dazu wurden Ökobilanzdaten aus 11 verschiedenen Publikationen für insgesamt 45 Produktpaare auf Basis nachwachsender und fossiler Rohstoffe analysiert und bezogen auf Einwohneräquivalente pro Hektar landwirtschaftliche Fläche miteinander verglichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen im Allgemeinen Vorteile für die nachwachsenden Produktalternativen in den Kategorien Nichterneuerbarer Energieverbrauch und Treibhauspotenzial, während Produkte aus fossilen Ausgangsstoffen beim Eutrophierungspotenzial günstiger abschneiden und sich in der Kategorie Versauerungspotenzial uneinheitliche Resultate ergeben. Durch die Nutzung nachwachsender Rohstoffe zur Erzeugung von Gebrauchsgütern und Energie lassen sich durch Substitution der fossilen Produktalternativen größere ökologische Entlastungen realisieren als durch die Herstellung von Biokraftstoffen, die als Vollsubstitute für Diesel eingesetzt werden. Wesentliche Nachteile der Biomassenutzung sind mit dem Pflanzenanbau im Rahmen der konventionellen Landwirtschaft verbunden. Durch andere Bewirtschaftungsformen (z. B. Extensivierung) und eine besser an die jeweiligen Verwendungszwecke angepasste Auswahl bzw. Verarbeitung der nachwachsenden Rohstoffe könnten die Umweltbelastungen durch Energie, Kraftstoffe und Gebrauchsprodukte aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen deutlich verringert werden.
Towards a set of indicators on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) for EEA reporting
(2010)
Consumption-based CO2 emissions, which are commonly calculated by means of environmentally extended input-output analysis, are gaining wider recognition as a way to complement territorial emission inventories. Although their use has increased significantly in the last years, insufficient attention has been paid to the methodological soundness of the underlying environmental extension. This should follow the internationally agreed accounting rules of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting, which addresses the activities undertaken by the residents of a country, independent from where these take place. Nonetheless, some footprint calculations use extensions that account for all the activities within the territory, which leads to methodological inconsistencies. Thus, this article introduces the most relevant conceptual differences between these accounting frameworks and shows the magnitude of the gap between them building on the data generated for the EXIOBASE model. It concludes that the differences are high for many countries and their magnitude is increasing over time.
Rohstoffkonflikte nachhaltig vermeiden : Forschungs- und Handlungsempfehlungen ; (Teilbericht 5)
(2011)
This paper presents the strategy for a large EU-funded Integrated Project: EXIOPOL ("A New Environmental Accounting Framework Using Externality Data and Input-Output Tools for Policy Analysis"), with special attention for its part in environmentally extended (EE) input-output (IO) analysis. The project has three principal objectives: (a) to synthesize and further develop estimates of the external costs of key environmental impacts for Europe; (b) to develop an EE IO framework for the EU-27 in aglobal context, including as many of these estimates as possible, to allow for the estimation of environmental impacts (expressed as LCA themes, material requirement indicators, ecological footprints or external costs) of the activities of different economic sectors, final consumption activities and resource consumption; (c) to apply the results of the work to external costs and EE I-O for illustrative policy questions.
EXIOPOL (A New Environmental Accounting Framework Using Externality Data and Input–Output Tools for Policy Analysis) was a European Union (EU)-funded project creating a detailed, global, multiregional environmentally extended Supply and Use table (MR EE SUT) of 43 countries, 129 sectors, 80 resources, and 40 emissions. We sourced primary SUT and input–output tables from Eurostat and non-EU statistical offices. We harmonized and detailed them using auxiliary national accounts data and co-efficient matrices. Imports were allocated to countries of exports using United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database trade shares. Optimization procedures removed imbalances in these detailing and trade linking steps. Environmental extensions were added from various sources. We calculated the EU footprint of final consumption with resulting MR EE SUT. EU policies focus mainly on energy and carbon footprints. We show that the EU land, water, and material footprint abroad is much more relevant, and should be prioritized in the EU's environmental product and trade policies.
Rohstoffkonflikte nachhaltig vermeiden : Rohstoffe zwischen Angebot und Nachfrage ; (Teilbericht 2)
(2011)
Economy-wide material flows
(2010)
World primary copper production is expected to increase due to growing demand. Reflecting the geographical divergence of copper deposits and demanding industries, copper is produced by various production paths, differing in regional and technological aspects and related environmental pressures. For the mitigation of environmental pressures related to global material flows and a more sustainable resource management, policy makers, producers and buyers require information on regional resource efficiencies and effects of the key processes within the global production chain. This study quantifies material flows of refined copper production and environmental pressures along the pyro‐ and hydrometallurgical paths for Chile and Germany. Inventories for involved unit processes are distinguished by region and most commonly applied technologies, including electric power supply. Different production paths are compared by environmental pressure indicators (primary energy requirements, total material requirements, water consumption, GHG emissions, solid waste disposal, sulphur dioxide and arsenic emissions). Alternative options for improvement of technologies and supply patterns in Chile and Germany are compared.
Overviewing the European carbon (C), greenhouse gas (GHG), and non-GHG fluxes, gross primary productivity (GPP) is about 9.3 Pg yr-1, and fossil fuel imports are 1.6 Pg yr-1. GPP is about 1.25% of solar radiation, containing about 360 × 1018 J energy - five times the energy content of annual fossil fuel use. Net primary production (NPP) is 50%, terrestrial net biome productivity, NBP, 3%, and the net GHG balance, NGB, 0.3% of GPP. Human harvest uses 20% of NPP or 10% of GPP, or alternatively 1‰ of solar radiation after accounting for the inherent cost of agriculture and forestry, for production of pesticides and fertilizer, the return of organic fertilizer, and for the C equivalent cost of GHG emissions. C equivalents are defined on a global warming potential with a 100-year time horizon. The equivalent of about 2.4% of the mineral fertilizer input is emitted as N2O. Agricultural emissions to the atmosphere are about 40% of total methane, 60% of total NO-N, 70% of total N2O-N, and 95% of total NH3-N emissions of Europe. European soils are a net C sink (114 Tg yr−1), but considering the emissions of GHGs, soils are a source of about 26 Tg CO2 C-equivalent yr-1. Forest, grassland and sediment C sinks are offset by GHG emissions from croplands, peatlands and inland waters. Non-GHGs (NH3, NOx) interact significantly with the GHG and the C cycle through ammonium nitrate aerosols and dry deposition. Wet deposition of nitrogen (N) supports about 50% of forest timber growth. Land use change is regionally important. The absolute flux values total about 50 Tg C yr-1. Nevertheless, for the European trace-gas balance, land-use intensity is more important than land-use change. This study shows that emissions of GHGs and non-GHGs significantly distort the C cycle and eliminate apparent C sinks.
Emscher 3.0 : der Emscher-Umbau als Vorbild für die Gestaltung zukunftsfähiger Infrastrukturen
(2013)
Die gesellschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen für eine ökologische Wende der EU-Regionalpolitik sind scheinbar ungünstig. Dem Vorsorgeprinzip der Umweltpolitik liegt die Annahme zugrunde, dass man auf bestimmte Tatsachen reagieren muss, weil sonst Schäden entstehen. Nach dem Soziologen Niklas Luhmann entspricht dies jedoch einer allzu einfachen Alltagsvorstellung. Der Ökonom Hans-Jochen Luhmann diagnostiziert hinsichtlich der Wahrnehmung von ökologisch relevanten Informationen eine regelrechte "Blindheit der Gesellschaft". Blockaden bei der Umsetzung von Umweltpolitik scheinen diese Befunde zu bestätigen. Der Planungswissenschaftler Arthur Benz meint in diesem Kontext, dass man bei der Durchsetzung von Planungskontrolle eben nicht mit dem freiwilligen Lernen der Akteure rechnen dürfe. Wie lässt sich unter diesen Bedingungen eine ökologische Wende der Europäischen Regionalpolitik umsetzen? Ist der Planungspessimismus, der sich in Deutschland nach einem Planungsoptimismus der 1970er Jahre durchgesetzt hat, gerechtfertigt? Welchen Wert können zielorientierte Instrumente wie etwa Indikatoren für die Umweltplanung in der Regionalpolitik noch haben? Vor dem Hintergrund gesellschaftlicher Differenzierung beleuchtet der Umweltwissenschaftler Philipp Schepelmann die Probleme, die bei der Anwendung von Umweltindikatoren in der regionalen Wirtschaftsförderung auftauchen. Für seine empirische Untersuchung im Ziel-2 Gebiet der EU-Strukturfonds in Nordrhein-Westfalen entwickelt er in Anlehnung an die soziologische Systemtheorie das Konzept der Resonanz. Resonanz bezeichnet die aktive Reaktion von sozialen Systemen auf Umweltprobleme als Voraussetzung für eine zielorientierte Umweltpolitik. Die Resonanz von Policy-Netzwerken gegenüber Umweltindikatoren kann nachgewiesen und verglichen werden. Am Beispiel der umweltpolitischen Indikatoren des Lissabon-Prozesses der Europäischen Union wird die regionale Resonanz von Indikatoren in verschiedenen Policy-Netzwerken untersucht. Das Ergebnis der Resonanzanalyse ist aus planerischer Sicht überraschend positiv: Es gibt nicht nur Blindheit und Untätigkeit gegenüber ökologischen Herausforderungen; differenzierte Policy-Netzwerke leiten in NRW erfolgreich eine ökologische Wende der EU-Regionalpolitik ein.
Renania del Norte-Westfalia (RNW) es el mayor estado federal (land) de la República Federal de Alemania. Hasta la década de 1970, la región del Rin-Ruhr, con una población de unos 12 millones de habitantes y una potente industria química, del carbón y del acero, se vio afectada por graves problemas de contaminación. En los años setenta, la protección medioambiental apareció en las agendas políticas nacionales e internacionales. Los gobiernos federales y el estatal lanzaron múltiples intervenciones legislativas y económicas para limpiar ríos, suelos y aire. Como resultado, surgió una ecoindustria muy competitiva. En este artículo, se resumen las características de las ecoindustrias y se describe el cambio estructural de la región del Ruhr. Asimismo, centrándose en el mesonivel y empleando los ejemplos de la gestión energética y la gestión municipal de residuos, se destacan los puntos fuertes y los puntos débiles de las políticas económicas regionales de clusters que apoyan las ecoindustrias en RNW.
Northrhine-Westphalia (NRW) is the largest land of the Federal Republic of Germany. Until the 1970ies the Ruhr-area with a population of about 12 million people and a strong coal, steel and chemical industry had been plagued with severe pollution. In the 1970ies environmental protection had emerged on the international and national policy agendas. The federal and regional government launched massive legislative and economic public interventions for cleaning-up rivers, soils and air. As a result, a highly competitive eco-industry emerged. The article outlines main features of ecoindustries, the structural change of the Ruhr area and regional economic cluster policies in support of eco-industries in NRW. It draws conclusions for eco-industry policy developing from end-of-pipe towards integrated preventive approaches.
The green new deal and ecological industry policy : greening of manufacturing and energy generation
(2011)
Nachhaltige Regionalpolitik
(2013)
Wissen stärkt die Region
(2013)
Air emissions accounts
(2010)
In this article, we analyze flows of the platinum group metals (PGMs) platinum, palladium, and rhodium and the environmental impacts associated with their supply in Europe. A model of the use of PGMs in Europe has been developed, and this is combined with a model of environmental pressures related to PGM production. Seven industrial sectors and product groups form the main users of PGMs in Europe, comprising the chemical, petroleum, and glass industries; jewelry, dentistry, electronic equipment, and car catalysts. Most relevant environmental impacts of secondary production in Europe and primary PGM production in South Africa, Russia, and Canada are taken into account, including emissions of sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide and total material requirement. The article quantifies the PGM flows to, from, and within Europe in 2004. The automotive industry is the single largest user of primary PGMs, and catalytic converters represent the major PGM end use. The chemical and glass industries also require large amounts of PGM but rely mostly on secondary metals. The environmental impacts of primary production exceed those of secondary production by far. An analysis of the use of car catalytic converters shows that as a result of efforts to reduce air pollutant emissions in Europe, other negative environmental impacts, such as point-source pollution and mining waste, are occurring elsewhere - for example, at extraction and refining sites in Siberia and South Africa.
A model of the use of the platinum group metals (PGMs) platinum, palladium, and rhodium in Europe has been developed and combined with a model of the environmental pressures related to PGM production. Compared to the base case presented in Part I of this pair of articles, potential changes in PGM production and use are quantified with regard to cumulative and yearly environmental impacts and PGM resource use, for the period 2005–2020. Reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions of PGM producer Norilsk Nickel could cut the cumulative SO2 emissions associated with the use of PGMs in Europe by 35%. Cleaner electricity generation in South Africa could reduce cumulative SO2 emissions by another 9%. Increasing the recycling rate of end-of-life catalytic converters to 70% in 2020 could save 15% of the cumulative primary PGM input into car catalysts and 10% of the SO2 emissions associated with PGM production. In 2020, PGM requirements and SO2 emissions would be, respectively, 40% and 22% lower than the base case. Substituting palladium for part of the platinum in diesel catalysts, coupled with a probable palladium price increase, could imply 15% more cumulative SO2 emissions if recycling rates do not increase. A future large-scale introduction of fuel cell vehicles would require technological improvements to significantly reduce the PGM content of the fuel cell stack. The basic design of such vehicles greatly influences the vehicle power, a key parameter in determining the total PGM requirement.