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"Dorf ist Energie(klug)" : Abschlussbericht und Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung
(2016)
Der Abschlussbericht mit den Ergebnissen der wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung möchte darüber informieren, wie das Projekt entwickelt, initiiert, geplant und letztlich prozessual umgesetzt worden ist. Der erste Teil gibt insbesondere die im Prozess gewonnenen Erkenntnisse weiter und nennt erste Handlungsempfehlungen. Die darauffolgenden Kapitel bündeln die Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung, welche zudem durch vier thematisch verschiedene Masterthesen im Untersuchungsraum ergänzt werden konnten.
Zielgruppe für die erarbeiteten Handlungsempfehlungen sind all jene, die eine strategische Planung im Bereich des Ehrenamtes und des Klimaschutzes auf lokaler Ebene in den ländlichen Räumen (Südwestfalens) anstreben. Der Abschlussbericht mit seinen Erkenntnissen richtet sich an die Personen, Gruppen und Institutionen auf regionaler Ebene, die gemeinsam mit Partnern einen ganzheitlichen Klimaschutz im Ehrenamt zur räumlichen Entwicklung und Gestaltung systematisch vorantreiben wollen und dabei ähnliche Voraussetzungen und Strukturen aufweisen. Nicht zuletzt aber auch die, die von den gelebten Projekten und den gesammelten Erfahrungen lernen möchten. Daher sind folgende Zielgruppen insbesondere angesprochen: Dorfgemeinschaften, Vereine, Ehrenamtliche Gruppierungen (Bürgerstiftungen, Genossenschaften), LEADER-Arbeitsgruppen, Landkreise, Städte und Kommunen, Regionalmanager, Energie- und Umweltbeauftragte, Klimaschutzmanager, Unternehmen der Wertschöpfungsketten Energie- und Klima und viele mehr.
Die "Ökonomie der Aufmerksamkeit" hat zur Herausbildung spezifischer Märkte für Kommunikations-, Media- und Marketingdienstleistungen geführt. Ein dynamisch wachsender Markt ist der Markt für Live-Kommunikation, der in dieser Arbeit vertiefend untersucht wird. Hierbei werden drei Fragen diskutiert:
1. Was sind die treibenden Faktoren und Trends der Live-Kommunikation?
2. Nach welchen Maßstäben werden Events, insbesondere im Bereich der Unternehmenskommunikation, beauftragt?
3. Welche Chancen bestehen in diesem Markt, Events für Nachhaltigkeit als Marktsegment zu etablieren und zu stärken? Bei der Beantwortung dieser Fragen werden aktuelle Trendstudien ausgewertet, aber auch auf Untersuchungen und Fallstudien zurückgegriffen, die im Rahmen des Projektes "Eventkultur und Nachhaltigkeit" durchgeführt wurden.
Die Autoren kommen zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Markt- und Trendstudien eine wichtige Orientierungsfunktion für die Eventwirtschaft haben. Aus der Perspektive eines kulturökonomischen Ansatzes wird kritisiert, dass diese Orientierungsfunktion auf Marken und Marketingtechniken beschränkt ist und der Einfluss der gesellschaftlichen Wertbildung auf die Marketingpraxis ausgeblendet bleibt. Nachhaltige Ziele und Inhalte werden mit den Mitteln des Event-Marketings erst vereinzelt vermittelt. Aus diesen ersten Aktivitäten kann aber ein neuer Kommunikationsmarkt entstehen, wenn seitens der Nachhaltigkeitsakteure eine Verständigung über Kriterien und Anforderungen an dieses Marketinginstrument erfolgt sowie der Symbolebene in der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation eine stärkere Beachtung geschenkt wird. Informationsbündelung und symbolisches Management sind wichtige Ansatzpunkte, um in der Marketingpraxis von Unternehmen, öffentlichen Einrichtungen, Verbänden, NGOs und von Kommunikations- und Eventagenturen eine nachhaltige Eventkultur zu verankern.
Im folgenden Beitrag untersuchen wir die Bürgerbeteiligung im Projekt InnovationCity Ruhr - Modellstadt Bottrop. Im Frühjahr 2010 hat der Initiativkreis Ruhr einen Wettbewerb ausgerufen, bei dem die "Klimastadt der Zukunft" gefunden werden sollte. Ausschlaggebend für den Sieg der Ruhrgebietsstadt war das vorgelegte Konzept, welches Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft verbindet. Ziel von InnovationCity Ruhr ist es die CO2-Emmissionen in der Stadt bis 2020 zu halbieren und somit eine Vorbildfunktion zur sozial-ökologischen Transformation für das gesamte Ruhrgebiet einzunehmen. Anhand der (Zwischen-) Ergebnisse zweier Untersuchungen (Best 2013; Roose 2014) werden wir veranschaulichen, wie die Bottroper Bevölkerung die Beteiligungsmöglichkeiten im Projekt wahrnimmt. Darüber hinaus decken wir Hemmschwellen auf und geben Empfehlungen zu einer verbesserten Aktivierung der und breiten Beteiligung durch die Bürgerinnen und Bürger.
Urbane Räume sehen sich verschiedenen ökologischen, sozialen und ökonomischen Herausforderungen gegenüber, für deren Bewältigung es unter anderem neue bzw. veränderte Handlungs- und Planungsansätze bedarf. Der Klimawandel mit seinen räumlich wirksamen Folgewirkungen ist eine der zentralen ökologischen Herausforderungen des 21. Jahrhunderts. Städte sind dabei sowohl Verursacher des Klimawandels als auch Betroffene. Sie sind Wohnort, Heimat, Arbeits- und Produktionsstätte. Durch ihre hohe Bevölkerungsdichte und durch die Agglomeration ökonomischen Kapitals sind Städte aber auch stark durch Extremereignisse wie Starkniederschläge und Hitzeperioden gefährdet. Grüne Infrastrukturen können daher nicht nur eine Strategie sein, um sich gegen die Klimawandelfolgen anzupassen, sondern bieten gleichzeitig das Potenzial für neue Lebensräume, um so das Artensterben zu mindern bzw. zu stoppen. Die vorliegende Konzeptstudie widmet sich der Frage, wie Straßen im Sinne des genannten Zieldreiecks weiterentwickelt und gestaltet werden können, d.h. wie eine Transformation urbaner Quartiersstraßen hin zu "lebenswerten" Stadt- und Straßenräumen erfolgen kann.
Globale Szenarien wie der Klimawandel erfordern in Industrienationen ein innovatives Leitbild, wie das der nachhaltigen Entwicklung. Das Leitbild zu kommunizieren und mit den Menschen eine nachhaltige Entwicklung zu gestalten, ist eine zentrale Aufgabe der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation. Der Artikel argumentiert, dass die Potenziale in massenmedialen Unterhaltungsformaten bislang unzureichend ergründet und für eine Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation nutzbar gemacht worden sind. Das wird anhand der Kommunikationsstrategie Entertainment-Education (E-E) näher erörtert. E-E ermöglicht eine wissenschaftliche Betrachtung von Nachhaltigkeitsinhalten und zeigt Einflussmöglichkeiten, in Wissen, Einstellungen und Verhalten der Nutzer/-innen und für soziale Wandlungsprozesse, auf.
It is widely accepted that environmental awareness is essential, yet does not inevitably lead to responsible use of resources. Additional factors on the individual level include the meaning constructed by the term "resources" and the individual and social norms that influence the relevant behavior. Current didactic concepts do not take into account such aspects. Therefore, this article uses a didactic-psychological approach for designing an educational concept for raising awareness for a responsible use of natural resources. Combining insights of environmental psychology and of constructivist didactics, a general principal of "norm-oriented interpretation learning" is outlined to enrich the didactic debate on responsible and efficient resource use. Based on the presentation of a qualifying module for resource efficiency consultants as a practical example of resource education, a new didactical approach, namely "open-didactic exploration" (short form: ODE) is introduced. The article discusses the theory-based elements of ODE and illustrates a step by step process for designing educational materials. This adds to the theoretical debate about a didactic design for resource oriented education. Furthermore, this method can be directly used by practitioners developing education and training material (e.g., teachers, trainers in vocational education). The Wuppertal Institute developed and applied this method in numerous projects. The conclusion and outlook discusses future expectations and scope of the introduced ODE method as a contribution to foster "norm-oriented interpretation learning", suggesting perspectives for further development.
Welche Perspektiven haben zukunftsfähige und krisenfeste Städte nach der Corona-Pandemie? Antworten darauf skizzieren die Autorinnen und Autoren in dem vorliegenden Diskussionspapier. Ihre zentrale These: Städte der Zukunft müssen und werden "näher", "öffentlicher" und "agiler" sein. Dies erläutern sie anhand dieser drei Dimensionen und konkretisieren es anhand zahlreicher Beispiele.
This study is an exploratory analysis to provide a prioritisation and indication of extensiveness of review activities related to measures that currently exist for eight product groups: Domestic Washing Machines, Domestic Dishwashers, Domestic Washer-Driers, Domestic Cold Appliances, Lighting products (non-directional, tertiary and "special purpose"), Set-top Boxes. For water pumps only a review of tolerances was required.
The analysis focused on possible energy savings as basis for prioritisation, but - following the request of the European Commission made during the kick-off meeting - also considers resource efficiency aspects insofar feasible within the constraints of the study. The conclusion of this exploratory study is that for all product groups considered (except pumps) a revision of existing regulations (or introduction of new regulations) is the preferred policy option.
The analysis shows that these product groups are expected to (continue to) meet eligibility criteria for the introduction of ecodesign and/or energy labelling measures, with simple set top boxes as sole exemption as its market and environmental significance is in rapid decline (sales are expected to be marginal by 2020).
Der Begriff "Pfand" umfasst in seinen konkreten Anwendungen ganz unterschiedliche Konzepte, die sich mit unterschiedlichen Zielsetzungen auf verschiedene Produktgruppen beziehen und dabei sehr unterschiedliche Effekte auslösen. Zentrales Ziel dieser Kurzstudie ist es, zu einer etwas differenzierteren Betrachtung von Pfandsystemen beizutragen und auf die Stärken und Schwächen in den verschiedenen Anwendungskontexten hinzuweisen. Mit diesem Ziel werden in Kapitel 2 verschiedene Best-Practice-Beispiele dargestellt, bei denen die Einführung von Pfandsystemen in verschiedenen Formen zur Umsetzung einer Kreislaufwirtschaft beigetragen haben. Kapitel 3 beschreibt die verschiedenen Kriterien, auf deren Basis sich unterschiedliche Pfandsysteme für konkrete Produktgruppen begründen lassen könnten; ein spezifischer Fokus wird hierbei auf Verpackungssysteme gelegt. Im abschließenden Kapitel 4 werden davon ausgehend Handlungsempfehlungen entwickelt, wie das Instrument Pfand in Deutschland in möglichst effizienter Form genutzt werden könnte.
Dem Thema Natur in der Stadt näherten sich die Teilnehmer(innen) eines Seminars zur Politischen Ökologie durch theoretische Beiträge und praktische Erkundungen. Sie richteten einen kritischen Blick auf das Vorfindliche, das als Natur im weiteren Sinne identifiziert werden kann, um historische und funktionale Bezüge erkennbar zu machen.
Die umfangreiche Quartiersentwicklungsanalyse des Mirker Quartiers in der Wuppertaler Nordstadt liegt nun in einer zweiten, erweiterten und überarbeiteten Version vor. Mittels eines mixed-Methods-Ansatz und auf Basis von Medien-, öffentlichen und selbst erhobenen Daten wird darin ein umfassendes Bild der Quartiersentwicklung von 2007 bis Anfang 2020 gezeichnet.
The data centre industry (DCI) has grown from zero in the 1980s, to enabling 60% of the global population to be connected in 2021 via 7.2 million data centres. The DCI is based on a linear economy and there is an urgent need to transform to a Circular Economy to establish a secure supply chain and ensure an economically stable and uninterrupted service, which is particularly difficult in an industry that is comprised of ten insular subsectors. This paper describes the CEDaCI project which was established to address the challenge in this unique sector; this ground-breaking project employs a whole systems approach, Design Thinking and the Double Diamond methods, which rely on people/stakeholder engagement throughout. The paper reviews and assesses the impact of these methods and project to date, using quantitative and qualitative research, via an online sectoral survey and interviews with nine data centre and IT industry experts. The results show that the project is creating positive impact and initiating change across the sector and that the innovative output (designs, business models, and a digital tool) will ensure that sectoral transformation continues; the project methods and structure will also serve as an exemplar for other sectors.
Bad Hersfeld is a small city with about 30.000 inhabitants situated in the middle of Germany. Climate Protection has been on the political agenda in Bad Hersfeld since quite a while. In 1997 the Wuppertal Institute elaborated a first energy and CO2 balance for the city, which was updated in 2007. With the compilation of the CO2 balance it was shown that the emissions in Bad Hersfeld almost stayed at a constant level between 1997 and 2006.
The result was sobering for the local authority. Although some single measures had been implemented, there was no improvement of the CO2-balance.
It was concluded that a successful climate protection strategy needs a comprehensive concept comprising all sectors and a periodic monitoring. Bad Hersfeld commissioned the Wuppertal Institute to develop feasible measures to reduce the CO2 emissions drastically and instruments to overcome existing barriers. In a close cooperation with the City Council and the local municipal utility a climate protection concept was compiled that is rather ambitious for a city of this size.
In consideration of the regional peculiarities12 concrete measures and 7 accompanying measures build the core of the concept with a main focus on energy efficiency (final energy), combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energies. Another important part of the concept is a municipal support programme to develop the endogenous efficiency potentials and renewable energies in the region. Further to these planning instruments, information and networking activities are compiled as well as a variety of suggestions for a climate protection marketing (Wagner 2008).
Some of these measures that were developed in an iterative and cooperative process between the responsible actors in Bad Hersfeld and the Wuppertal Institute are transferable to other cities and towns. The impeding factors in Bad Hersfeld like the user-investor dilemma, the low capital of small housing associations or the large stock of listed historical buildings, are typical for cities of this size.
Urban energy systems have been commonly considered to be socio-technical systems within the boundaries of an urban area. However, recent literature challenges this notion in that it urges researchers to look at the wider interactions and influences of urban energy systems wherein the socio-technical sphere is expanded to political, environmental and economic realms as well. In addition to the inter-sectoral linkages, the diverse agents and multilevel governance trends of energy sustainability in the dynamic environment of cities make the urban energy landscape a complex one. There is a strong case then for establishing a new conceptualisation of urban energy systems that builds upon these contemporary understandings of such systems. We argue that the complex systems approach can be suitable for this. In this paper, we propose a pilot framework for understanding urban energy systems using complex systems theory as an integrating plane. We review the multiple streams of urban energy literature to identify the contemporary discussions and construct this framework that can serve as a common ontological understanding for the different scholarships studying urban energy systems. We conclude the paper by highlighting the ways in which the framework can serve some of the relevant communities.
Access to sustainable and affordable energy services is a crucial factor in reducing poverty in developing countries. In particular, small-scale and community-based renewable energy projects are recognized as important forms of development assistance for reaching the energy poor. However, to date only a few empirical evaluations exist which analyze and compare the impact of these projects on local living conditions and their sustainability ex-post implementation.
To better understand the impacts and the conditions that influence sustainability of these projects, the research presented in this paper evaluated 23 local development projects post implementation. By applying an standardized evaluation design to a cross-sectional sample in terms of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, hydro), user needs (electricity, food preparation, lighting, productive uses), community management models, finance mechanisms and geographical locations, the review results provide valuable insights on the underlying conditions that influence the success or failure of these small-scale local energy interventions. The empirical evidence suggests that the sustainability of small-scale energy implementations (≤100 kW) in developing countries is determined by the same factors, independent of the socio-cultural, political and ecological context. These findings allow to better predict the long-term success of small sustainable energy projects in developing countries, this can help to improve project designs and increase the certainty for future investment decisions.
New energy technologies may fail to make the transition to the market once research funding has ended due to a lack of private engagement to conclude their development. Extending public funding to cover such experimental developments could be one way to improve this transition. However, identifying promising research and development (R&D) proposals for this purpose is a difficult task for the following reasons: Close-to-market implementations regularly require substantial resources while public budgets are limited; the allocation of public funds needs to be fair, open, and documented; the evaluation is complex and subject to public sector regulations for public engagement in R&D funding. This calls for a rigorous evaluation process. This paper proposes an operational three-staged decision support system (DSS) to assist decision-makers in public funding institutions in the ex-ante evaluation of R&D proposals for large-scale close-to-market projects in energy research. The system was developed based on a review of literature and related approaches from practice combined with a series of workshops with practitioners from German public funding institutions. The results confirm that the decision-making process is a complex one that is not limited to simply scoring R&D proposals. Decision-makers also have to deal with various additional issues such as determining the state of technological development, verifying market failures or considering existing funding portfolios. The DSS that is suggested in this paper is unique in the sense that it goes beyond mere multi-criteria aggregation procedures and addresses these issues as well to help guide decision-makers in public institutions through the evaluation process.
The 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference had been scheduled from 1 to 12 December in Lima/Peru. While in the run-up to the conference, China and the US in a surprise bilateral move had announced plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions that exceeded expectations, the conference was characterised once again by a deep division between key players from the former so-called "developed" and "developing" world. The negotiations thus took 32 hours longer than planned and ended on Sunday morning at 1.22 am. More importantly, the conference failed almost completely to resolve the tasks it was supposed to do in order to prepare the last round of negotiations before next year's conference in Paris 2015, which is supposed to deliver a comprehensive future climate agreement. A team of researchers from the Wuppertal Institute attended the conference and have compiled a first assessment of the results.
Conventional new buildings in OECD countries with a history of building codes save about 50 % of energy compared to average buildings in the building stock. This improvement, however, is not enough to create a building standard with low lifetime costs nor to reach long-term climate protection targets. Much higher energy savings can already be achieved through proven high-efficiency building concepts bringing net economic benefits among other advantages.
A strategic approach to integrated building design is the key to achieving these high-energy savings at low or no extra cost in residential buildings. In our paper we describe the "Easy Efficiency Approach", which can reduce primary energy consumption by 40 to 60 % compared to conventional new building standards, or by 70% to 80% when compared to the primary energy consumption of the existing building stock, and should be regarded as the minimum. This strategy focuses on low-cost options, mainly passive options. Although it can already significantly reduce energy consumption, this first step will not be sufficient to reach long-term climate protection goals. It is thus necessary to implement and support what we call an "Advanced Efficiency Approach", with savings up to 90% , as compared to new building standards, as soon as possible to avoid lock-in effects. Further improvements, especially through the active use of renewable energies, reduce the net primary energy demand to 0 % and beyond.
According to the chosen strategy clearly defined energy performance ranges, with reference to possible savings, for different climate zones worldwide are given. In verifying this approach simulations with BAT (Best Available Technologies) buildings of different types (single family, multi family, high rise) were carried out in close cooperation with project partners. This data has also been verified through an empirical database of built examples both for energy consumption as well their economic soundness.
The study "A Green New Deal for Europe" consists of two basic elements: Firstly it aims to cope with the economic crisis through intensive measures in order to systematically stimulate the eco-industries, to create jobs and to boost economic recovery. Secondly it aims at establishing the foundation for a green modernisation of the European economy. The study examines existing EU strategies policies and programs concerning their suitability to implement the Green New Deal. It proposes exemplary measures in the field of energy, mobility and resource use. The study has been compiled by the Wuppertal Institute on behalf of the Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) Group in the European Parliament.
The paper describes patterns of resource use related to German households' equipment. Using cluster analysis and material flow accounting, data on socio-demographic characteristics, and expenditures on fuel, electricity and household equipment allow for a differentiation of seven different household types. The corresponding resource use, expressed in Material Footprint per person and year, is calculated based on cradle-to-gate material flows of average household goods and the related household energy use. Our results show that patterns of resource use are mainly driven by the use of fuel and electricity and the ownership of cars. The quantified Material Footprints correlate to social status and are also linked to city size, age and household size. Affluent, established and/or younger families living in rural areas typically show the highest amounts of durables and expenditures on non-durables, thus exhibiting the highest use of natural resources.
A learning experience : integrating theory and practice for the implementation of INDCs ; thinkpiece
(2016)
A major cornerstone on the way to low-carbon sustainable development on a global scale will be a swift and effective implementation of all countries' INDCs submitted to the UNFCCC prior to Paris. However, doing so will require transforming development pathways away from currently pervasive carbon lock-ins. This can only be successful if countries take a systemic view on their development agendas, and link mitigation, adaptation and other developmental priorities together for a coherent overarching sustainable development strategy. The ownership for this process needs to be with the countries themselves as such strategies touch fundamentally upon national policy-making and implementation. At the same time, developing countries have access to bi- and multilateral financial and technical cooperation. To enable a systemic, country-led perspective, development cooperation needs to shift its paradigms away from currently prevalent project-level interventions.
A truly innovative and transformational shift with the objective of pursuing a low-carbon and climate resilient society needs to open up space for experimentation as new ways of doing things need to be put into practice. Experiments will not always be successful, but foster learning on a national as well as an international level on pitfalls and solutions in new approaches to low-carbon sustainable development. Not least, there needs to be a renewed focus on programmatic approaches that link various topical domains for a country-led process, and a critical look at development work that is "doomed to succeed".
Our article draws from systems theory, development studies and recent work on transitions studies and transformational change in the international domain. It links up different theoretical concepts with practical approaches in order to outline a future development agenda that will be owned by developing countries and supported non-invasively by bi- and multilateral development cooperation to foster low-carbon development pathways that are urgently needed to solve the climate crisis.
National welfare is no longer an effective frame of reference for enlightened foreign policy. Policy consideration must encompass the common welfare of a world society. Environmental and resource crises are inextricably tied to security and justice. Sixty years after the founding of the United Nations there should be a new effort to establish a genuinely sustainable global order - a "San Francisco 2.0".
The Paris Agreement introduces long-term strategies as an instrument to inform progressively more ambitious emission reduction objectives, while holding development goals paramount in the context of national circumstances. In the lead up to the twenty-first Conference of the Parties, the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project developed mid-century low-emission pathways for 16 countries, based on an innovative pathway design framework. In this Perspective, we describe this framework and show how it can support the development of sectorally and technologically detailed, policy-relevant and country-driven strategies consistent with the Paris Agreement climate goal. We also discuss how this framework can be used to engage stakeholder input and buy-in; design implementation policy packages; reveal necessary technological, financial and institutional enabling conditions; and support global stocktaking and increasing of ambition.
Given large potentials of the MENA region for renewable energy production, transitions towards renewables-based energy systems seem a promising way for meeting growing energy demand while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions reductions according to the Paris Agreement at the same time. Supporting and steering transitions to a low-carbon energy system require a clear understanding of socio-technical interdependencies in the energy system as well as of the principle dynamics of system innovations. For facilitating such understanding, a phase model for renewables-based energy transitions in MENA countries, which structures the transition process over time through the differentiation of a set of sub-sequent distinct phases, is developed in this article. The phase model builds on a phase model depicting the German energy transition, which was complemented by insights about transition governance and adapted to reflect characteristics of the MENA region. The resulting model includes four phases ("Take-off renewables", "System integration", "Power to fuel/gases”, "Towards 100% renewables”), each of which is characterized by a different cluster of innovations. These innovations enter the system via three stages of development which describe different levels of maturity and market penetration, and which require appropriate governance. The phase model has the potential to support strategy development and governance of energy transitions in MENA countries in two complementary ways: it provides an overview of techno-economic developments as orienting guidelines for decision-makers, and it adds some guidance as to which governance approaches are suitable for supporting those developments.
Citizen science is a transdisciplinary approach that responds to the current science policy agenda: in terms of supporting open science, and by using a range of science communication instruments. In particular, it opens up scientific research processes by involving citizens at different phases; this also creates a range of opportunities for science communication to happen This article explores methodological and practical characteristics of citizen science as a form of science communication by examining three case studies that took different approaches to citizens' participation in science. Through these, it becomes clear that communication in citizen science is "always" science communication and an essential part of "doing science".
This article reviews the literature on the past cost dynamics of various renewable, fossil fuel and nuclear electricity generation technologies. It identifies 10 different factors which have played key roles in influencing past cost developments according to the literature. These 10 factors are: deployment-induced learning, research, development and demonstration (RD&D)-induced learning, knowledge spillovers from other technologies, upsizing, economies of manufacturing scale, economies of project scale, changes in material and labour costs, changes in fuel costs, regulatory changes, and limits to the availability of suitable sites. The article summarises the relevant literature findings for each of these 10 factors and provides an overview indicating which factors have impacted on which generation technologies. The article also discusses the insights gained from the review for a better understanding of possible future cost developments of electricity generation technologies. Finally, future research needs, which may support a better understanding of past and future cost developments, are identified.
The production of commodities by energy-intensive industry is responsible for 1/3 of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The climate goal of the Paris Agreement, to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C, requires global GHG emissions reach net-zero and probably negative by 2055-2080. Given the average economic lifetime of industrial facilities is 20 years or more, this indicates all new investment must be net-zero emitting by 2035-2060 or be compensated by negative emissions to guarantee GHG-neutrality. We argue, based on a sample portfolio of emerging and near-commercial technologies for each sector (largely based on zero carbon electricity & heat sources, biomass and carbon capture, and catalogued in an accompanying database), that reducing energy-intensive industrial GHG emissions to Paris Agreement compatible levels may not only be technically possible, but can be achieved with sufficient prioritization and policy effort. We then review policy options to drive innovation and investment in these technologies. From this we synthesize a preliminary integrated strategy for a managed transition with minimum stranded assets, unemployment, and social trauma that recognizes the competitive and globally traded nature of commodity production. The strategy includes: an initial policy commitment followed by a national and sectoral stakeholder driven pathway process to build commitment and identify opportunities based on local zero carbon resources; penetration of near-commercial technologies through increasing valuation of GHG material intensity through GHG pricing or flexible regulations with protection for competitiveness and against carbon leakage; research and demand support for the output of pilot plants, including some combination of guaranteed above-market prices that decline with output and an increasing requirement for low carbon inputs in government procurement; and finally, key supporting institutions.
Concerns over climate change and the security of industrial feedstock supplies have been opening a growing market for biobased materials. This development, however, also presents a challenge to scientists, policy makers, and industry because the production of biobased materials requires land and is typically associated with adverse environmental effects. This article addresses the environmental impacts of biobased materials in a meta-analysis of 44 life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. The reviewed literature suggests that one metric ton (t) of biobased materials saves, relative to conventional materials, 55 ± 34 gigajoules of primary energy and 3 ± 1 t carbon dioxide equivalents of greenhouse gases. However, biobased materials may increase eutrophication by 5 ± 7 kilograms (kg) phosphate equivalents/t and stratospheric ozone depletion by 1.9 ± 1.8 kg nitrous oxide equivalents/t. Our findings are inconclusive with regard to acidification (savings of 2 ± 20 kg sulfur dioxide equivalents/t) and photochemical ozone formation (savings of 0.3 ± 2.4 kg ethene equivalents/t). The variability in the results of life cycle assessment studies highlights the difficulties in drawing general conclusions. Still, common to most biobased materials are impacts caused by the application of fertilizers and pesticides during industrial biomass cultivation. Additional land use impacts, such as the potential loss of biodiversity, soil carbon depletion, soil erosion, deforestation, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from indirect land use change are not quantified in this review. Clearly these impacts should be considered when evaluating the environmental performance of biobased materials.
Much of the current literature on climate clubs sees mitigation costs creating free rider incentives as the main problem of climate policy. Climate clubs are supposed to solve this problem by creating additional incentives for mitigation. Looking more in detail, one sees that the situation differs from sector to sector. Some industry sectors indeed have substantial cost and competitiveness issues. In others such as electricity and transport, there are costs at micro level but balance for economy and society as a whole is rather positive. International climate policy in general and clubs in particular should therefore be tailored to sectoral specifics.
This article develops a sectoral approach to the analysis of global climate governance. This approach advances the assessment of global climate governance by focusing on complexes of intergovernmental and transnational institutions co-governing key socio-technical sectoral systems. The actual and potential contribution of these sectoral institutional complexes to advancing decarbonization can be assessed according to five key governance functions: (1) providing guidance and signal to actors, (2) setting rules to facilitate collective action, (3) enhancing transparency and accountability, (4) offering support (finance, technology, capacity-building), and (5) promoting knowledge and learning. On this basis, we can assess the potential of international cooperation to address the challenges specific sectoral systems face in the climate transition as well as the extent to which existing sectoral institutional complexes deliver on this potential. This provides a solid starting point for developing options for filling identified gaps and enhancing the effectiveness of global climate governance.
A sectoral perspective on international climate governance : key findings and research priorities
(2021)
This concluding article derives six major findings from the contributions to this special issue. First, the barriers and challenges to decarbonisation vary significantly across sectoral systems. Second, and similarly, the need and potential for the five functions of international governance institutions to contribute to effective climate protection also vary widely. Third, while the pattern is uneven, there is a general undersupply of international climate governance. Fourth, the sectoral analyses confirm that the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement play an important overarching role but remain limited in advancing effective sectoral governance. Fifth, while non-environmental institutions may present important barriers to decarbonisation, more synergistic effects are possible. Sixth, our sectoral approach provides a sound basis on which to identify sector-specific policy options. The paper then offers reflections on the merits and limitations of the sectoral approach, before identifying avenues for future research to further advance the agenda.
2015 verursachte jeder Deutsche 628 Kilogramm Siedlungsabfall. Damit liegt Deutschland für viele Abfallströme und insbesondere für Verpackungsabfälle deutlich über dem EU-Durchschnitt. Selbst wenn die Recyclingquoten hoch ausfallen, hat die Abfallvermeidung nicht nur eine ökologische Notwendigkeit. Auch aus ökonomischer Sicht muss sie zum Ausgangspunkt einer transformativen Innovationsagenda werden.
Abfallwirtschaftliche Produktverantwortung unter Ressourcenschutzaspekten (RePro) : Abschlussbericht
(2019)
Elektro- und Elektronikaltgeräte enthalten eine Vielzahl von umwelt- und ressourcenrelevanten Metallen wie Gold und Neodym, welche derzeit noch nicht optimal recycelt werden. Im vorliegenden Projekt wurden die Mengenpotenziale von 10 dieser Metalle in 30 ressourcenrelevanten Elektrogerätearten quantifiziert und die bestehenden Verluste bei der Elektroaltgeräte-Entsorgung von der Sammlung über die Behandlung bis zur Metallrückgewinnung über Mengenstrombilanzen ermittelt, teilweise unterstützt durch Sortieranalysen und Behandlungsversuche. Die Studie leitet daraus Maßnahmenempfehlungen zur Optimierung der Erfassungsstrukturen sowie der Behandlungs- und Verwertungssysteme für Elektroaltgeräte aus privaten Haushalten zur Rückgewinnung der betrachteten Metalle ab.
Als einer der weltweit führenden Industriestandorte ist Deutschland abhängig von der Versorgung mit Rohstoffen. Aber nur noch wenige Bau- und Massenrohstoffe wie Kies, Sand oder Kalkstein können aus heimischen Lagerstätten gewonnen werden; Industriemineralien, Energierohstoffe und vor allem metallische Rohstoffe müssen in großem Umfang aus dem Ausland eingeführt werden. Strategische Ansätze wie die Ressourcenstrategie der EU oder die Ressourceneffizienzstrategie des BMU setzen daher in zunehmendem Maße auf die Senkung des Primärrohstoffverbrauchs durch den Einsatz von Sekundärrohstoffen und die Erhöhung der Anteile recycelter Abfälle in Produkten - mit massiven Konsequenzen für die Planung abfallwirtschaftlicher Infrastrukturen.
In diesem Bericht wird das Wohngebäudemodell der Abteilung Kreislaufwirtschaft des Wuppertal Instituts präsentiert. Der Bericht zielt darauf ab, die Materialströme, die durch Abriss, Neubau, Sanierung und Austausch im Wohngebäudesektor des Bundeslandes Nordrhein-Westfalen während des Zeitraums von 2022 bis 2060 verursacht werden, abzuschätzen. Das Modell verknüpft dabei Angaben zu tatsächlichen Wohngebäudezahlen, entnommen aus den Daten des Statistischen Bundesamts und der Zensuserhebung 2011, mit typischen Baumaterialien je Gebäudetyp und Baujahr. Die Gebäudetypologie basiert dabei auf Arbeiten des Instituts für Wohnen und Umwelt. Bis zum Jahr 2060 können so über Festlegung von Abriss-, Neubau- und Sanierungsraten sowie Austausch einzelner Bauteile mögliche Materialströme des Landes NRW im Wohnbausektor modelliert werden.
Accelerating circular economy solutions to achieve the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals
(2022)
Circular economy seems a vital enabler for sustainable use of natural resources which is also important for achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals. Therefore, a special session addressing issues of "sustainable solutions and remarkable practices in circular economy focusing materials downstream" was held at the 16th International Conference on Waste Management and Technology, where researchers and attendees worldwide were convened to share their experiences and visions. Presentations focusing on many key points such as new strategies, innovative technologies, management methods, and practical cases were discussed during the session. Accordingly, this article compiled all these distinctive presentations and gave insights into the pathway of circular economy towards the sustainable development goals. We summarized that the transition to circular economy can keep the value of resources and products at a high level and minimize waste production; the focus of governmental policies and plans with the involvement of public-private-partnership on 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) helps to improve the use of natural resources and take a step ahead to approach or achieve the sustainability.
"Sufficiency" is beginning to emerge as a new value throughout Western societies and the question asked in this article is: Can we observe cases with actual opportunities to link successful business strategies of incumbents to principles of sufficiency? Thus, how feasible is sustainable entrepreneurship for incumbents? As an innovative conceptual approach, it will be analyzed how brand claims function as narrative translation mechanisms in situations where tensions emerge between corporate narratives and unexpected societal trends, e.g. the emergence of sufficient lifestyles. It will be shown that even though these are still a niche phenomenon, a focus on powerful brands and the narratives connected to them are an important element in understanding the role of incumbents in transitions to sustainability.
The need for recycling obsolete mobile phones has significantly increased with their rapidly growing worldwide production and distribution. Return and recycling rates are quite low; people tend to keep old, unused phones at home instead of returning them for recycling or further use because of a lack of knowledge and acceptance of return programmes. Thus far, individual use and recycling behavior has not shown any trend towards more sustainable patterns. Consequently, an increased awareness is needed for the high environmental and social impact throughout the whole value chain of a mobile phone - there is simply a lack of information and knowledge regarding sustainability issues around the mobile phone. A teaching material was therefore developed in a German research project, based on the concept of the ecological rucksack, presenting comprehensive information about the value chain of a mobile phone. Its application in different schools led to an increased awareness and interest among pupils for the connection between sustainability, resources and mobile phones. Based on these research results, this paper analyses young people’s knowledge of sustainability issues linked to their mobile phones and their acceptance of more sustainable behavioral patterns regarding their mobile, including return and recycling programmes.
Securing universal access to electricity by using renewable energy sources is technically feasible. A broad range of technological options, which can meet almost any requirements, are available. Solutions can comprise the connection of users to large distribution networks (on-grid solutions) or the application of power supply systems that can operate autonomously (off-grid and mini-grid solutions). This brochure concentrates on the latter solutions; technologies for large-scale distribution are not covered.
Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement establishes a new mechanism for Parties to cooperate in achieving their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). One key innovation of the Article 6.4 mechanism is its objective to "deliver an overall mitigation in global emissions" (Art. 6.4(d)). This report develops recommendations on how to implement this objective. A key difficulty lies in the fact that even basics of how the mechanism is supposed to function have so far not been clarified by the Parties. The report therefore first sketches out what has so far been agreed and discussed on the mechanism’s activity cycle. Second, as the concept of overall mitigation has so far also not been clearly defined by Parties, the report derives a working definition from the language that was agreed in the Paris Agreement. In the next step, the report provides a survey of the options to achieve overall mitigation that have so far been discussed in the relevant literature and in the Article 6 negotiations. Many of these options were developed in the context of the Kyoto mechanisms. The report therefore discusses to what extent the options are also applicable under the Paris Agreement or whether adjustments need to be made. In the following, the options that are applicable under the Agreement are assessed on the basis of a number of criteria. The report concludes with a summary of the main findings and recommendations.
Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and home to approximately 10% of the un-electrified population of Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, 77 million Nigerians or 40% of the population had no access to affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity. In practice, diesel- and petrol-fuelled back-up generators supply the vast majority of electricity in the country. In Nigeria's nationally-determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, over 60% of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions are foreseen in the power sector. The goal of this study is to identify and critically examine the pathways available to Nigeria to meet its 2030 electricity access, renewables and decarbonization goals in the power sector. Using published data and stakeholder interviews, we build three potential scenarios for electrification and growth in demand, generation and transmission capacity. The demand assumptions incorporate existing knowledge on pathways for electrification via grid extension, mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS). The supply assumptions are built upon an evaluation of the investment pipeline for generation and transmission capacity, and possible scale-up rates up to 2030. The results reveal that, in the most ambitious Green Transition scenario, Nigeria meets its electricity access goals, whereby those connected to the grid achieve a Tier 3 level of access, and those served by sustainable off-grid solutions (mini-grids and SHS) achieve Tier 2. Decarbonization pledges would be surpassed in all three scenarios but renewable energy goals would only be partly met. Fossil fuel-based back-up generation continues to play a substantial role in all scenarios. The implications and critical uncertainties of these findings are extensively discussed.
Achieving sustainable mobility in developing countries : suggestions for a post-2012 agreement
(2009)
In December 2009, countries meet in Copenhagen to establish a new global climate agreement. This article links the need for reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries with the current international climate negotiations. Arguing that a sustainable transport approach requires comprehensive policy packages, it assesses the suitability of current climate negotiation proposals in promoting sustainable transport. The project-based approach under the current climate regime incentivises neither comprehensive sustainable transport and mobility policies, nor sufficient numbers of local projects. Current proposals to increase efforts by developing countries, to reform the Clean Development Mechanism, and to create new emission trading mechanisms are promising but still have to overcome several obstacles. One obstacle involves how to properly assess the impact of actions while maintaining streamlined procedures. The authors conclude from their analysis that the best way forward would be to establish an international mitigation fund with a dedicated transport window financed by industrialised countries. This fund would enable developing countries to implement national policies and local projects. Developing countries would outline low-carbon development strategies, including a sectoral strategy for low-carbon transport.