Refine
Year of Publication
- 2017 (275) (remove)
Document Type
- Report (67)
- Peer-Reviewed Article (59)
- Part of a Book (46)
- Contribution to Periodical (44)
- Working Paper (30)
- Conference Object (19)
- Doctoral Thesis (5)
- Book (2)
- Master Thesis (2)
- Bachelor Thesis (1)
Since the majority of network concession contracts in Germany were set to expire some time between 2005 and 2016, a window of opportunity arose in which to rebuild and remunicipalise the local energy supply. As a result, 72 new local power companies were established in Germany within the space of just seven years (between early 2005 and late 2012). This paper provides an introduction to the topic of establishing municipal utilities in Germany. The findings were identified on the basis of the comprehensive screening of all newly established municipal utilities in Germany. Our analysis provides information about regional concentration, the size of municipalities, the legal forms of the newly founded municipal public utilities and the role of strategic partnerships. The key findings are that remunicipalisation is not a question of size and that knowledge gaps may be closed by entering into close strategic partnerships.
Renewable energy targets in the European Union (EU) have raised the demand for timber and are expected to increase dependence on imports. However, EU timber consumption levels are already disproportionally high compared to the rest of the world. The question is, how much timber is available for the EU to sustainably harvest and import, in particular considering sustainable forest management practices, a safe operating space for land-system change, and the global distribution of "common good" resources. This article approaches this question from a supply angle to develop a reference value range for the current as well as future sustainable supply of timber at the EU-27 and global levels. For current supply estimates, national-level data on forest area available for wood supply, productivity in that area, as well as the rate available for harvest were collected and aggregated into three potential supply scenarios. For future supply estimates, a safe operating space scenario halting land use change, a sensitivity analysis, and a literature review were performed. To provide both a comparison of global versus EU sustainable supply capacities and to develop a benchmark toward evaluating and comparing levels of consumption to sustainable supply capacities, per capita calculations were made. Results revealed that the per capita sustainable supply potential of EU forests is estimated to be around three times higher than the global average in 2050. Whether a global or EU reference value is more appropriate for EU policy orientation, considering both strengthened economic and cultural ties to the forest in forest-rich countries as well as the need to prevent problem shifting associated with exporting land demands abroad, is discussed. Further research is needed to strengthen and harmonize data, improve methods for modeling future scenarios and incorporate interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder perspectives toward the development of robust and politically relevant reference values for sustainable consumption levels.
The contribution of the EU bioeconomy to sustainable development depends on how it is implemented. A high innovation potential is accompanied by considerable risks, in particular regarding the exacerbation of global land use conflicts. This article argues that a systemic monitoring system capable of connecting human-environment interactions and multiple scales of analysis in a dynamic way is needed to ensure that the EU bioeconomy transition meets overarching goals, like the Sustainable Development Goals. The monitoring should be centered around a dashboard of key indicators and targets covering environmental, economic, and social aspects of the bioeconomy. With a focus on the land dimension, this article examines the strengths and weakness of different economic, environmental and integrated models and methods for monitoring and forecasting the development of the EU bioeconomy. The state of research on key indicators and targets, as well as research needs to integrate these aspects into existing modeling approaches, are assessed. The article concludes with key criteria for a systemic bioeconomy monitoring system.
Die deutschen Braun- und Steinkohlekraftwerke produzieren 40 % des deutschen Stroms - sind aber für 80 % der Treibhausgasemissionen in diesem Sektor verantwortlich. Ein sukzessiver Ausstieg aus der Kohleverstromung kann daher einen entscheidenden Beitrag leisten, die deutschen Klimaziele zu erreichen und den Pfad zur Einhaltung der Klimaziele von Paris offen zu halten. Vor diesem Hintergrund hat sich in den letzten Jahren in Deutschland eine Debatte um einen möglichen nationalen Kohleausstieg entsponnen.
Der Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) hat das Wuppertal Institut daher beauftragt, zentrale wissenschaftliche Studien und politische Positionspapiere zum Thema Kohleausstieg zu analysieren. In der nun vorliegenden Metastudie fassen die Autoren den aktuellen Diskussionsstand zu wichtigen Eckpfeilern eines beschleunigten Kohleausstiegs in Deutschland zusammen. Analysiert wurden insbesondere Aussagen zur klimapolitischen Notwendigkeit und zur energiewirtschaftlichen Machbarkeit unterschiedlicher Zeithorizonte eines Kohleausstiegs sowie Optionen für eine sozialverträgliche Gestaltung des damit einhergehenden Strukturwandels.
Feedback devices can be used to inform households about their energy-consumption behavior. This may persuade them to practice energy conservation. The use of feedback devices can also - via word of mouth - spread among households and thereby support the spread of the incentivized behavior, e.g. energy-efficient heating behavior. This study investigates how to manage the impact of these environmental innovations via marketing. Marketing activities can support the diffusion of devices. This study aims to identify the most effective strategies of marketing feedback devices. We did this by adapting an agent-based model to simulate the roll-out of a novel feedback technology and heating behavior within households in a virtual city. The most promising marketing strategies were simulated and their impacts were analyzed. We found it particularly effective to lend out feedback devices to consumers, followed by leveraging the social influence of well-connected individuals, and giving away the first few feedback devices for free. Making households aware of the possibility of purchasing feedback devices was found to be least effective. However, making households aware proved to be most cost-efficient. This study shows that actively managing the roll-out of feedback devices can increase their impacts on energy-conservation both effectively and cost-efficiently.
Simulation modeling is useful to understand the mechanisms of the diffusion of innovations, which can be used for forecasting the future of innovations. This study aims to make the identification of such mechanisms less costly in time and labor. We present an approach that automates the generation of diffusion models by: (1) preprocessing of empirical data on the diffusion of a specific innovation, taken out by the user; (2) testing variations of agent-based models for their capability of explaining the data; (3) assessing interventions for their potential to influence the spreading of the innovation. We present a working software implementation of this procedure and apply it to the diffusion of water-saving showerheads. The presented procedure successfully generated simulation models that explained diffusion data. This progresses agent-based modeling methodologically by enabling detailed modeling at relative simplicity for users. This widens the circle of persons that can use simulation to shape innovation.
Shaping the Paris mechanisms part II : an update on submissions on article 6 of the Paris Agreement
(2017)
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement established three approaches for countries to cooperate with each other: cooperative approaches under Art. 6.2, a new mechanism to promote mitigation and sustainable development under Art. 6.4, and a framework for non-market approaches under Art. 6.8. Detailed rules for these three approaches are currently being negotiated.
This Policy Paper summarises the views submitted by Parties in March 2017 to identify points of controversy and convergence. It builds on a previous paper which summarised views submitted in September 2016.
Compared to the 2016 round of submissions, some conceptual advances can be noted. However, a number of issues continue to be controversial with little indication of a convergence of views.
Der Beitrag baut eine Brücke zu den Forderungen nach einer "transformativen Wirtschaftswissenschaft". Er macht deutlich, dass die Herausforderung der Ökonomie nicht lediglich bei einer verbesserten Politikberatung, sondern am Grundverständnis des Faches ansetzen muss. Er beleuchtet dabei vier Aspekte (1) die Begrenzungen durch den methodologischen Individualismus als erkenntnistheoretische Grundlage der Wirtschaftswissenschaften, (2) die Annahme exogen gegebener Präferenzen, (3) die Berührungsangst mit Normativität, (4) das Ausblenden ihres performativen und sozialwissenschaftlichen Charakters und zeigt unter anderem die institutionellen Konsequenzen für eine sich erneuernde Wirtschaftswissenschaft auf.
Bisher ist die vollständige Schließung von Stoffkreisläufen durch die Verwendung von Abfällen als Ressource in Deutschland nur eine Vision. Der Beitrag führt das Konzept der Kreislaufwirtschaft ein und konkretisiert es am Beispiel der Reparatur und Wiederverwendung von Produkten. Anschließend werden Hemmnisse betrachtet, die es auf dem Weg zur Kreislaufwirtschaft zu überwinden gilt und mögliche Lösungsansätze beschrieben.
Der Abschlussbericht des dritten Arbeitspakets im Projekt "Energiesuffizienz" entwickelt aufbauend auf den Erkenntnissen der vorhergehenden Projektarbeiten Empfehlungen für ein integriertes Paket von Energiesuffizienzpolitiken im Feld Bauen/Wohnen. Der Fokus liegt auf dem Stromverbrauch in Haushalten. Dafür werden zunächst Leitlinien für die Governance von Energiesuffizienz und eine Methodik für die analytische Herleitung einer Energiesuffizienzpolitik entwickelt. Diese Analyse betrachtet Mikro- (Individuum) und Mesoebene (Haushalts-/Versorgungsökonomie). In sieben Schritten wird ein integriertes Politikpaket für Energieeffizienz und Energiesuffizienz entwickelt und eine juristische Kurzeinschätzung gegeben. Das Paket umfasst unter anderem eine Weiterentwicklung von Ökodesign und EU-Energielabel, eine integrierte Energieberatung sowie Förderprogramme für Geräte, die einen suffizienten Gebrauch ermöglichen, und für ressourceneffiziente Dienstleistungen, die Geräte im Haushalt ersetzen können. Zudem werden als Teil des Politikpakets auch übergreifende Politikansätze (Stromkundenkonto, Politikinstrumente zur Begrenzung des Wachstums der Pro-Kopf-Wohnflächen) analysiert.
Das Ziel der Studie erschließt sich aus der Idee, eine Übersicht über den Stand der Erkenntnisse in den Bereichen Ressourcenkonsum (t) und Ausgaben (€) sowie Zeitverwendung (h) mit Bezug auf Typologien (Wohnen, Mobilität, Ernährung) zu erhalten. Darauf basierend wurden Transitionlandkarten entwickelt, die eine offene Erschließung von Pfadveränderungen und Lösungswegen für nachhaltigere Konsumentscheidungen und Lebensstilveränderungen ermöglichen.
Wie viel Gestaltungsmacht haben das Pariser Klimaabkommen und die in der Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung formulierten Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) als internationaler Bezugsrahmen für die globale Energietransformation? In der vorliegeneden Studie analysiert Lukas Hermwille die beiden Agenden und stellt deren Komplementaritäten heraus.
Die Studie kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass ein Fokus allein auf innovative Ansätze und den Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien nicht ausreicht. Nimmt man die Ambition des Zwei-Grad-Limits oder gar des 1,5-Grad-Ziels ernst, reicht es nicht aus, darauf zu warten, bis Kohle, Öl und Gas von alleine obsolet werden, sondern es wird nötig werden, den Ausstieg aus fossilen Energieträgern aktiv politisch zu gestalten. In diesem Sinne empfiehlt die Studie mit Hilfe von "Exnovationsstrategien" auch die potenziellen Verlierer der Energietransformation in den Blick zu nehmen, so Widerstände abzubauen, um den Ausstieg aus der Nutzung fossiler Energieträger rechtzeitig und gleichzeitig sozial gerecht zu erreichen.
In order to analyse the mid- and long-term impacts of energy related policies, different modelling approaches can be derived. However, the results of even the best energy system model will highly depend on the underlying input data. First, in this contribution the importance and availability issues of grid data in the context of energy system modelling are highlighted. Second, this paper focuses on power grid modelling based on open and publicly available data from OpenStreetMap using open source software tools. Two recent approaches developed to build electrical transmission network models using openly available data sources are presented and discussed. The proposed methods provide transparent assumptions, simplifications and documentation of grid modelling. This results in the ability of scientists and other stakeholders to validate, discuss or reproduce the results of energy system models. Thus the new open approaches offer a unique opportunity to increase transparency, comparability and reproducibility of results in energy system modelling.
This article analyses the human rights implications of projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). While the CDM is likely to expire in the near future, the experience gained should be used to inform the rules of the new mechanism to be established under the 2015 Paris Agreement. We argue that the CDM and the new mechanism, as international organizations under the guidance of UNFCCC member states, should apply the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Based on the experience drawn from three case studies (two hydro power projects in Barro Blanco, Panama, and Bujagali, Uganda, and one geothermal energy project in Olkaria, Kenya), we show that CDM projects, while in formal compliance with CDM rules, can lead to a number of human rights infringements. We conclude with a number of recommendations on how to achieve a greater recognition of human rights in the new mechanism under the Paris Agreement.
Sustainable energy
(2017)
The transformation processes towards a sustainable development are complex. How can science contribute towards new solutions and ideas leading to change in practice? The authors of this book discuss these questions along the energy transition in the building sector.
A transformative research that leaves the neutral observer position needs appropriate concepts and methods: how can knowledge from different disciplines and from practice be integrated in order to be able to explain and understand complex circumstances and interrelations? What role do complex (agent-based) models and experiments play in this respect? Which mix of methods is required in transformative science in order to actively support the actors in transformation processes?
Theses questions are illustrated by the example of the BMBF funded project "EnerTransRuhr".
The EU-CIVITAS project FLOW has developed a multimodal methodology to calculate the impact of walking and cycling measures on transport network performance and congestion. The methodology better includes non-motorised modes than previous methods which focussed on motorised transport. The article outlines key characteristics.
Energie der Zukunft? : Nachhaltige Mobilität durch Brennstoffzelle und H2 ; Shell Wasserstoff-Studie
(2017)
Wasserstoff ist ein Element, das viel Beachtung erhält: Es gilt als Basis einer nachhaltigen Energiezukunft. Allerdings ist Wasserstoff nicht allein, er konkurriert mit anderen Energien und ihren Nutzungstechnologien. Es stellt sich die Frage, ob Wasserstoff im globalen Energiesystem der Zukunft eine tragende Rolle spielen kann bzw. wird. Shell ist schon seit Jahrzehnten in der Wasserstoff-Forschung und -Entwicklung aktiv. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Wuppertal Institut hat Shell jetzt eine Energieträger-Studie erstellt, die sich mit dem aktuellen Stand und den langfristigen Perspektiven der Wasserstoffnutzung, insbesondere für Energie- und Verkehrszwecke, befasst.
Die Shell Wasserstoff-Studie diskutiert zunächst natürliche Vorkommen, Eigenschaften sowie historische Sichtweisen des Elements Wasserstoff. Anschließend werden aktuelle sowie künftige Verfahren und Ausgangsstoffe zur Erzeugung von Wasserstoff untersucht; dabei werden die Herstellungspfade in puncto Energieaufwand, Treibhausgasemissionen sowie Bereitstellungskosten miteinander verglichen. Weiterhin werden Fragen der Wasserstofflogistik untersucht. Dazu gehören zum einen heutige und künftige Speichermethoden, zum anderen die verschiedenen Transportoptionen und ihre jeweiligen Vorzüge einschließlich Fragen der Transportökonomie.
Es folgt eine Darstellung der unterschiedlichen Nutzungsmöglichkeiten von Wasserstoff. Unterschieden wird zwischen stofflichen und energetischen Nutzungen. Die Analyse der energetischen Wasserstoffnutzung fokussiert auf die Brennstoffzelle - und nicht auf Wärmekraftprozesse. Auf der Anwenderseite werden energetische stationäre Anwendungen für die Back-up-Stromerzeugung sowie die Hausenergieversorgung - und diese einschließlich Wirtschaftlichkeit - untersucht.
Den Schwerpunkt der Studie bilden (auto)mobile Wasserstoffanwendungen. Hierfür werden zunächst technologischer Stand und Perspektiven mobiler Anwendungen - von der Raumfahrt über Material Handling bis hin zum Pkw - erörtert. Anschließend wird die Wirtschaftlichkeit von wasserstoff-betriebenen Brennstoffzellen-Pkw (FCEV) mit Hilfe eines vereinfachten Autokosten-Vergleichs analysiert. Es schließt sich eine Diskussion des Aufbaus einer Wasserstoff-Tankstelleninfrastruktur für den Straßenverkehr an. Abschließend werden in Anlehnung an das ambitionierte 2DS-Wasserstoffszenario der Internationalen Energieagentur mögliche Auswirkungen von Brennstoffzellen-Pkw auf Kraftstoffverbrauch und Treibhausgasemissionen in ausgewählten Regionen bis 2050 diskutiert.
The objective of this paper is to recognize and categorize the various ways that ecosystem services researchers perceive the concept and purpose of ecosystem services (ES). To do so, we employed the discourse analysis approach of Q methodology, where 33 researchers ranked 39 statements on ES derived from the literature. Factor analysis of the Q sorts allowed for the interpretation of five main perspectives on ES: a pragmatic view on nature conservation, seeing ES as useful tool ("Non-Economic Utilitarian"), a strongly value-focused perspective with a skeptical view on ES ("Critical Idealist"), an opposition to a utilitarian approach to nature conservation but seeing ES as more encompassing approach ("Anti-Utilitarian"), a focus on a methodological rather than a critical approach to ES ("Methodologist"), and a rather economic approach to environmental decision-making, in which ES is a useful tool ("Moderate Economist"). We see this plurality as illustrating both the potential of the ES concept to serve as a boundary object for collaboration, but also the threat of ineffective collaboration due to the lack of a common conceptual ground. However, as pluralism can be fruitful if handled transparently, we suggest the need for open dialogue about underlying assumptions when using a value-laden concept like ES.
A fundamental change in societal values and economic structures is required to address increasing pressures on ecosystems and natural resources. Transition research has developed in the last decades to analyze the co-dynamics of technological, institutional, social and economic elements in the provision of key functions such as energy, water and food supply. This doctoral dissertation provides conceptual and methodological contributions to the pro-active governance of sustainability transitions. Three research gaps are identified that are addressed in this dissertation. First, a comprehensive conceptualization of learning in sustainability transitions is currently missing that comprises learning at multiple societal levels (ranging from individuals to policy-actors). Learning concepts are often not explicitly discussed in transition research even though learning is considered as fundamental for innovation processes, niche formation and development as well as breakthrough and diffusion of innovations. Second, methods for the analysis and design of transition governance processes are lacking that specify case-specific intervention points and roles of actors in the implementation of innovations. Third, participatory modeling approaches are only applied to a limited extent in transition research despite a high potential for supporting communication and learning. The conceptualization of multi-level learning developed in this doctoral research conceptualizes learning at different societal levels as specific learning contexts ranging from individual and group contexts to organizational and policy contexts. The conceptual framework further differentiates between learning processes, intensity, objects, outcomes, subjects and factors, allowing for a more detailed analysis of learning within and across learning contexts. Thus, learning contexts can be linked by processes that involve actors from different learning contexts (e.g., community groups and policy-makers), as well as exchanges of physical aspects, institutions and knowledge (in the form of "learning factors"). This research has also provided a classification of model uses in transition research that supports a purposeful discussion of the opportunities of modeling and promising future research directions. The methodology developed in this doctoral research aims at the analysis and design of transition governance processes by specifying the various opportunities to contribute to sustainability transitions through purposeful action at different societal levels, as well as related roles of stakeholders in implementing such processes of change. The methodology combines different streams of previous research: 1) a participatory modeling approach to identify problem perceptions, case-specific sustainability innovations as well as related implementation barriers, drivers and responsibilities; 2) a systematic review to identify supportive and impeding learning factors from the general literature that can complement case-specific factors; and 3) a method for the analysis and design of case-specific transition governance processes. Three case studies in Canada (topic: sustainable food systems), Cyprus (water-energy-food nexus) and Germany (sustainable heating supply) have been selected to test and iteratively develop the methodology described above. The results for each case study reveal that there are learning objects (i.e., learning requirements) in all learning contexts, which underscores the importance of multi-level learning in sustainability transitions, ranging from the individual to the group, organizational and policy levels. Actors have various opportunities to actively facilitate societal transformations towards sustainable development either directly through actions at their particular societal levels (i.e., context-internal learning) or indirectly through actions that influence learning at other societal levels. In fact, most of the learning factors require cooperation across learning contexts during the implementation process. The comparing of learning factors across case studies underline the importance of several factor categories, such as "physical a disturbance or crisis", "information and knowledge". Of the 206 factors identified by stakeholders, 40 factors are case-specific and not contained in the general, review-based factor list. This underscores the value of participatory research, as general, top-down analyses might have overlooked these case-specific factors. The methodology presented in this dissertation allows for the identification and analysis of case-specific intervention points for sustainability transitions at multiple societal levels. The methodology furthermore permits the analysis of interplay between individual, group, organizational and policy actions, which is a first step towards their coordination. The focus on sustainability innovations links the broad topic of sustainability transitions to a set of opportunities for practical interventions and overcoming their implementation barriers. The methodology presented allows for the analysis and design of these interlinkages between learning contexts. While the methodology cannot provide any "silver bullets" for inducing sustainability transitions, it is flexible enough to identify an appropriate abstraction level for analyzing and designing transition governance processes. The methodology developed in this doctoral research also provides several contributions for the development of participatory modeling methods in transition research. Thus, the participatory method supports an integrated analysis of barriers and drivers of sustainability innovations, and allows application in practice and education. The concepts and methods developed in this research project allow for reflection on transition governance processes from a systemic viewpoint. Experiences in the case studies underline the applicability of the concepts and methods developed for the analysis of case-specific transition governance processes. Despite substantial differences in the geographic location, culture and topics addressed, all case studies include promising sustainability innovations and the engagement of multiple actors in their implementation. The diversity and multitude of initiatives in the case study regions provides an optimistic outlook on future opportunities for large-scale sustainability transitions.
The effectiveness of sustainable product and service innovations is often restricted by limited market acceptance or unexpected consumption patterns. The latter includes rebound effects, which occur when resources liberated by savings are used for further consumption. Recently emerging research from the Living Lab is striving to address and anticipate challenges in innovation design by integrating users in prototyping and field testing product and service innovations. The paper presents findings from a literature review on rebound effects and expert interviews identifying methods to monitor and measures to mitigate rebound effects in early innovation design via Living Lab research.
We find that monitoring and mitigating rebound effects in Living Lab research includes technological and behavioural triggers as well as socio-psychological and time use effects in addition to economic re-spending effects. The experts have confirmed that Living Labs contain the potential to observe complex demand systems of users within experimental designs, encompassing indirect rebound effects in terms of expenditure as well as time use. In this respect, Living Lab research can facilitate support for sustainable innovations, which aim to encourage changes in consumer behaviour, considering re-spending and time use effects simultaneously.
Various electricity generation technologies using different primary energy sources are available. Many published studies compare the costs of these technologies. However, most of those studies only consider plant-level costs and do not fully take into account additional costs that societies may face in using these technologies. This article reviews the literature on the costs of electricity generation technologies, aiming to determine which types of costs are relevant from a societal point of view when comparing generation technologies. The paper categorises the relevant types of costs, differentiating between plant-level, system and external costs as the main categories. It discusses the relevance of each type of cost for each generation technology. The findings suggest that several low-carbon electricity generation technologies exhibit lower social costs per kWh than the currently dominant technologies using fossil fuels. More generally, the findings emphasise the importance of taking not only plant-level costs, but also system and external costs, into account when comparing electricity generation technologies from a societal point of view. The article intends to inform both policymakers and energy system modellers, the latter who may strive to include all relevant types of costs in their models.
In spite of current multiple political crises, global warming will remain a prime issue on the global agenda. The adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015 and its quick ratification in 2016 have created a strong momentum for worldwide action against climate change. As global greenhouse gas emissions must decline towards levels close to zero by the middle of the century, the rapid decarbonisation of energy systems is high on the agenda of most countries around the globe.
This publication delivers insights into cutting edge research on the necessary transitions towards low carbon societies and by this aims to contribute to international as well as national policymaking.
The topics covered in more than 20 concise original articles are among the most important issues for progressing solutions for climate change and sustainable development. The papers discuss recent findings and case studies in the following subject areas:
Governance of the necessary long-term transitions in the context of potential known and unknown adverse developments;
Policy instruments and strategies that allow for financing the transition to low carbon economies and, at the same time, respond to today's economic and social challenges;
Integrated strategies for three of the most important arenas of global decarbonisation: Cities, as much of the change and necessary investment for low carbon societies must take place, be planned, be financed and be built in cities; industry, particularly the energy-intensive processing industries, which are at the core of society's metabolism and are responsible for a large and growing share of global emissions and science as a whole, which must become more solutions-oriented because the transitions needed will rely heavily on research providing solutions for technological as well as societal problems.
As a contribution to these great challenges and at the request of the G7 Environment Ministers, the Low Carbon Society Research Network (LCS-RNet) acts as a forum aimed at fostering research and policymaking to jointly achieve decarbonised energy systems in countries around the world. It convenes leading scientists, practitioners and policymakers and aims at supporting governments in proceeding jointly towards the design and implementation of climate-friendly low carbon societies.
Ein am Genug und somit an den Bedingungen planetarer Grenzen ausgerichtetes Handeln ist ein Schlüsselbaustein auf dem Weg in eine zukunftsfähige Gesellschaft. Sein volles Potenzial kann das Suffizienzprinzip aber nur dann entfalten, wenn die Rahmenbedingungen stimmen und sich die Diskussion von einem Bevormundungs- zu einem Emanzipationsdiskurs entwickelt.
Alle sind für den Klimaschutz. Aber niemand will sich einschränken. Ökoroutine möchte durch Standards und Limits die Strukturen ändern. Schluss mit moralischen Appellen! Strategischer Konsum ist ein Mythos. Es ist einfacher die Bedingungen im Stall zu verbessern als das Konsumverhalten. Nullemissionsautos können bis 2030 der Standard für Neuzulassungen werden. So wird Öko zur Routine. Viele Beispiele zeigen: Das Konzept funktioniert bereits in der Praxis.
Quo vadis voluntary markets? : new Paris Agreement architecture puts business model to the test
(2017)
Wirtschaftsförderung 4.0
(2017)
Reallabore sind derzeit ein populärer Forschungsansatz an der Schnittstelle zwischen Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft. Neben vermuteten Potentialen, wie der Erzeugung von Transformationswissen und einem Beitrag zu gesellschaftlichem Wandel, gibt es auch vielfältige offene Fragen, u. a. im Hinblick auf das Verhältnis zu transdisziplinärer Forschung, der Übertragbarkeit des erzeugten Wissens oder der Gestaltung von Experimenten in der "realen Welt". Auch eine breit getragene Definition von Reallaboren existiert derzeit nicht. Dieses Diskussionspapier möchte daher dreierlei leisten: Es beginnt mit dem Herausarbeiten von Reallabor-Merkmalen als a) Beitrag zu Transformationsprozessen, b) Experimenten als zentraler Forschungsmethode, c) Transdisziplinarität als Forschungsmodus, d) dem Ziel der Ausweitung und Übertragung der Ergebnisse und e) Reallaboren als Orten wissenschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Lernens. Im Nachgang werden diese Merkmale durch Rückbezug auf die einschlägige Literatur vertieft diskutiert. Abschließend werden mit Reallaboren vergleichbare Forschungsansätze (Sustainable Living Labs, Urban Transition Labs und Niche Experiments) im Hinblick auf ihre Ausgestaltung der fünf herausgearbeiteten Merkmale vorgestellt und Reallabore damit in den internationalen Forschungskontext eingebettet. Das Diskussionspapier will damit Forschenden und Praktiker_innen in Reallaboren eine Orientierung ermöglichen. Die vorgestellten konzeptionellen Überlegungen basieren auf einem thematischen Literatur-Review, ebenso wie Diskussionen mit Reallabor- und Transformationsforschenden in nationalen und internationalen Kontexten. Sie sind im Rahmen der Begleitforschung des Forschungsprojektes "ForReal" zu den Baden-Württembergischen Reallaboren entstanden. Dem Charakter eines Diskussionspapieres entsprechend sind die hier vorstellten Rahmungen zum Reallaboransatz als Angebot zur Diskussion, Erweiterung und Verbesserung zu verstehen.
Im Rahmen des Projektes werden mögliche Bewertungsmaßstäbe für die Erfolgsmessung von Abfallvermeidungsmaßnahmen vertiefend analysiert und bewertet sowie ein passendes Set an Indikatoren erarbeitet und ein geeignetes Daten-Erfassungskonzeptes entwickelt. Bezogen auf das Datenerfassungskonzept gibt es im Bereich Wiederverwendung (WV) erhebliche Datenlücken zu den tatsächlich wiederverwendeten Mengen gebrauchter Produkte. Der vorliegende Zwischenbericht enthält die Ergebnisse einer ersten Datenerhebung auf Basis einer Befragung der 400 Wiederverwendungseinrichtungen in Deutschland. Ergänzend wurde das Potential der aus Online-Angeboten gewinnbaren Gebrauchtprodukte zur WV recherchiert.
Analysing the impact of walking and cycling on urban road performance : a conceptual framework
(2017)
Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Rolle dezentraler Akteure bei der Transformation des deutschen Energiesystems. Er betrachtet die Energiewende als ein gesellschaftspolitisches, technisches, soziales und ökologisches Leitprojekt für eine "Große Transformation". Die sozio-technische Hypothese dabei ist, dass (weltweit?) ein Trend zur "Re-Vergesellschaftung" der Energieerzeugung und nutzung auf modernstem technischen Niveau stattfindet in Verbindung mit einer regionalen und überregionalen Netzstruktur und (teilweise) auch großtechnischer erneuerbarer Stromerzeugung (z. B. Windkraftparks). Um den notwendigen massiven Ausbau erneuerbarer Stromerzeugung für die Dekarbonisierung von Gebäuden und Verkehr so gering wie möglich zu halten (Akzeptanz, Kosten), werden Energie/Stromeffizienz und die Begrenzung von Rebound Effekten (z. B. Lebensstiländerungen; nachhaltigere Produktions- und Konsummuster) zum Imperativ.
Replacing traditional technologies by renewables can lead to an increase of emissions during early diffusion stages if the emissions avoided during the use phase are exceeded by those associated with the deployment of new units. Based on historical developments and on counterfactual scenarios in which we assume that selected renewable technologies did not diffuse, we conclude that onshore and offshore wind energy have had a positive contribution to climate change mitigation since the beginning of their diffusion in EU27. In contrast, photovoltaic panels did not pay off from an environmental standpoint until very recently, since the benefits expected at the individual plant level were offset until 2013 by the CO2 emissions related to the construction and deployment of the next generation of panels. Considering the varied energy mixes and penetration rates of renewable energies in different areas, several countries can experience similar time gaps between the installation of the first renewable power plants and the moment in which the emissions from their infrastructure are offset.
The analysis demonstrates that the time-profile of renewable energy emissions can be relevant for target-setting and detailed policy design, particularly when renewable energy strategies are pursued in concert with carbon pricing through cap-and-trade systems.
Suffizienz wird als persönlicher Lebensstil hoch geschätzt. Als unentbehrlicher Teil zukunftsfähigen Lebens und Wirtschaftens wird sie aber erst Wirkung erlangen, wenn sie politisch durchgesetzt und damit verpflichtend wird. In einem ersten Text hat der Autor 30 Suffizienzpolitiken kartiert und begründet. Jetzt ist zu überlegen, auf welche Weise staatliche Maßnahmen dieser Art mit ihren Anreizen, aber eben auch mit ihren Grenzsetzungen und Verboten in der Wahlbevölkerung annehmbar werden können. Auch wenn Anordnungen des Staates verpflichtend sind, sind sie für ihre Wirksamkeit doch auf eine möglichst große Bereitschaft angewiesen, sie hinzunehmen und möglichst auch gutzuheißen und zu unterstützen. Schon darum, weil sonst Wege gesucht werden, diese Politiken zu umgehen, oder weil den Urhebern dieser Politiken bei den nächsten Wahlen das Vertrauen entzogen wird. Wie also sind Suffizienzpolitiken überzeugend zu begründen? Wie sind sie möglichst wirksam vorzustellen? Welche Widerstände sind zu erwarten? Was wiederum lässt sich tun, um die Abwehr zu überwinden?
Untersucht werden acht Politiken, um aus ihnen Merkmale für die Akzeptanz von Suffizienzpolitiken zu gewinnen. Die Beispiele sind in sich sehr unterschiedlich. Alle jedoch, ob gelungen, beabsichtigt oder bisher ohne Erfolg, lassen sich auf Auskünfte zum Thema dieser Arbeit hin befragen. Ein Schlusskapitel wertet sie aus und hält fest, was aus ihnen an Einsicht für die vor unserer Generation liegenden Aufgaben zu gewinnen ist. Das Ganze ist als eine Handreichung gedacht für politische Entscheiderinnen und Entscheider wie für aktive Bürger und Bürgerinnen.
Sharing : eine innovative, soziale Praktik für einen ressourcenschonenden, nachhaltigeren Konsum?
(2017)
"Energiewende", which roughly translates as the transformation of the German energy sector in accordance with the imperatives of climate change, may soon become a byword for the corresponding processes most other developed countries are at various stages of undergoing. Germany's notable progress in this area offers valuable insights that other states can draw on in implementing their own transitions. The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is making its own contribution to achieving the Energiewende's ambitious objectives: in addition to funding an array of "clean and green" projects, the Virtual Institute Power to Gas and Heat was established as a consortium of seven scientific and technical organizations whose aim is to inscribe a future, renewable-based German energy system with adequate flexibility. Thus, it is tasked with conceiving of and evaluating suitable energy path options. This paper outlines one of the most promising of these pathways, which is predicated on the use of electrolytically-produced hydrogen as an energy storage medium, as well as the replacement of hydrocarbon-based fuel for most road vehicles. We describe and evaluate this path and place it in a systemic context, outlining a case study from which other countries and federated jurisdictions therein may draw inspiration.
After two decades of privatization and outsourcing being the dominant trends across public services, an inclination towards founding new municipal power utilities can be observed. In this article, the authors examine the preservation strategies of the German energy regime following the transition approach developed by Geels. From the multi-level perspective, it can be stated that innovations take place in niches and have to overcome the obstacles and persistence of the conventional fossil-nuclear energy regime. Through an empirical analysis, it can be concluded that the established regime significantly delays the decentralization process required for a transformation of energy structures on local electricity grids. Furthermore, it is shown that municipal utilities (Stadtwerke) are important key actors for the German Energiewende (energy transition) as they function as local energy distributors and they meet a variety of requirements to promote fundamental structural change. The trend towards re-municipalization and the re-establishment of municipal utilities reveal the desire to further strengthen the scope of local politics.
Wissenschaft und Utopie scheinen auf den ersten Blick gar nicht zusammenzupassen. Steht "Utopie" doch für das Kontrafaktische, für das Irreale. Wissenschaft holt dagegen auf den Boden der Tatsachen zurück. Doch ein zweiter Blick offenbart, wie stark Wissenschaft und Utopie aufeinander bezogen sind und sich ein Aufbruch in eine utopische Wissenschaft lohnt.
Vielfältige Einflüsse wirken auf die Energie- und Wasserversorgung ein, auch aus Faktoren resultierend, die nicht mit dem Klimawandel zusammenhängen. Es besteht damit zum einen die Herausforderung, die Folgen des Klimawandels unter den allgemeinen Bedingungen gesellschaftlicher Transformation modellhaft zu erfassen. Die Produktions- und Versorgungssysteme in Deutschland müssen sich langfristig an die Folgen des Klimawandels anpassen. Das Kapitel thematisiert deshalb zum anderen die Verletzlichkeit von Energiesystem und Wasserinfrastruktur und stellt dar, wie sie in unterschiedlichen Szenarien berechnet werden kann. Die Ergebnisse dieser unterschiedlichen Szenariorechenläufe setzen einen Rahmen, der die vielfältigen Anpassungserfordernisse aufzeigt. Wenn die Versorgung in Zukunft sicher und effizient sein soll, sind darüber hinaus auch die anderen, nichtklimatischen Einflussfaktoren zu berücksichtigen.
Accelerating the diffusion of domestic biogas is considered to be a promising option for reaching the goal of universal access to energy by 2030, particularly for the provision of cooking energy for rural populations in developing countries. The aim of this study is to develop a systematic account of the factors that influence the diffusion of domestic biogas technologies. To achieve this objective, a three step analysis approach is applied. In the first step, a conceptual model is built based on insights from scholars that have been studying the diffusion of energy innovations in rural contexts. In the next step, a qualitative content analysis of scientific literature is undertaken to test and refine the categories proposed by the conceptual model and to systematically organise the empirical evidence of the factors that influence the diffusion of domestic biogas in developing and emerging countries. The systemised evidence is used to identify the components and interactions between the household configurations and socio-economic context that determine both the adoption process at household level and the overall technology diffusion. Finally, in the last step, we reflect on the implications of the resultant systematic conceptualisation regarding the purpose and design of programmes promoting the dissemination of domestic biogas technologies.
Actor and network analysis
(2017)
The future of automobility
(2017)
In recent years, a number of energy scenario studies which aim to advise policy makers on appropriate energy policy measures have been developed. These studies highlight changes required to achieve a future energy system that is in line with public policy goals such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and an affordable energy supply. We argue that behavioural changes towards energy-sufficient lifestyles have considerable potential to contribute to public policy goals and may even be indispensable for achieving some of these goals. This potential should, therefore, be reflected in scenario studies aiming to provide comprehensive advice to policy makers. We analyse the role that energy-sufficient lifestyles play in prominent recent global energy scenario studies and find that these studies largely ignore the potential of possible behavioural changes towards energy-sufficient lifestyles. We also describe how such changes have been considered in several other scenario studies, in order to derive recommendations for the future development of global energy scenarios. We conclude that the inclusion of lifestyle changes in energy scenarios is both possible and useful. Based on our findings, we present some general advice for energy scenario developers on how to better integrate sufficiency into future energy scenario studies in a quantitative manner.
Transitions towards sustainability are urgently needed to address the interconnected challenges of economic development, ecological integrity, and social justice, from local to global scales. Around the world, collaborative science-society initiatives are forming to conduct experiments in support of sustainability transitions. Such experiments, if carefully designed, provide significant learning opportunities for making progress on transition efforts. Yet, there is no broadly applicable evaluative scheme available to capture this critical information across a large number of cases, and to guide the design of transition experiments. To address this gap, the article develops such a scheme, in a tentative form, drawing on evaluative research and sustainability transitions scholarship, alongside insights from empirical cases. We critically discuss the scheme's key features of being generic, comprehensive, operational, and formative. Furthermore, we invite scholars and practitioners to apply, reflect and further develop the proposed tentative scheme - making evaluation and experiments objects of learning.
In October 2014, the European Council agreed on a target of improving overall energy efficiency by at least 27 per cent by 2030. According to the European Council's conclusions, this target should not be translated into nationally binding targets. Nevertheless individual Member States are free to set higher national objectives if desired. However, it is difficult to assess the degree of ambition of a national target because so far not much light has been shed upon the exact size of the untapped efficiency potentials.
This paper provides an in-depth analysis and comparison of existing studies on energy efficiency potentials in the European Union's (EU) Member States by 2030. It includes a structured overview of the results, information on the quality of the available data and suggestions for improvement.
The review shows that comprehensive studies on national energy efficiency potentials are rare and hardly comparable. The existing studies agree on the existence of significant potentials for energy efficiency. Their outcomes, however, vary significantly in terms of national levels. Assuming low policy intensity, energy savings between 10 and 28 per cent could be realised by 2030 compared to a baseline development, in the case of high policy intensity 7-44 per cent. Technical energy efficiency potentials in the different EU Member States are estimated at 14-52 per cent. On average, energy savings of 27 per cent by 2030 appear to be feasible with significant policy effort. We conclude that the deviation in Member States' energy efficiency potentials resulting from different studies represents an indication of the so far poor quality of underlying data. In order to allow for a concretisation of efficiency potential estimates, the comparability and detail of information sources should be improved.
Africa and in particular African Least Developed Countries have to a large extent been neglected by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). This article reviews the mechanism's performance in the region and highlights current developments. The analysis is based on a quantitative breakdown of data provided by the United Nations Environment Programme and Technical University of Denmark (UNEP/DTU) CDM Pipeline and was complemented by interviews with selected investors. The findings indicate that despite the various support measures for underrepresented regions, the overall share of African CDM activities continues to be low. The significant rise in the share of Programmes of Activities of recent years cannot make up for the continuing low numbers of African stand-alone projects. Further, the collapse of the compliance market has proved fatal in terms of timing: ongoing efforts to support the development of a genuine African carbon market were suffocated by the lack of demand for Certified Emission Reductions at a moment when capacity building had started to bear fruit. Consequently, instead of being a mitigation tool with significant scale, the future role of the CDM in Africa might be limited to the voluntary market, while at the same time serving as a tool to foster sustainable development, with mitigation benefits.
What can reasonably be expected from the UNFCCC process and the climate conference in Paris 2015? To achieve transformative change, prevailing unsustainable routines embedded in socio-economic systems have to be translated into new and sustainable ones. This article conceptualizes the UNFCCC and the associated policy processes as a catalyst for this translation by applying a structurational regime model. This model provides an analytical distinction of rules (norms and shared meaning) and resources (economic resources as well as authoritative and allocative power) and allows us to conceptualize agency on various levels, including beyond nation states. The analysis concludes that the UNFCCC's narrow focus on emission targets, which essentially is a focus on resources, has proven ineffective. In addition, the static division of industrialized and developing countries in the Convention's annexes and the consensus-based decision-making rules have impeded ambitious climate protection. The article concludes that the UNFCCC is much better equipped to provide rules for climate protection activities and should consciously expand this feature to improve its impact.