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A clear understanding of socio-technical interdependencies and a structured vision are prerequisites for fostering and steering a transition to a fully renewables-based energy system. To facilitate such understanding, a phase model for the renewable energy (RE) transition in MENA countries has been developed and applied to the country case of Morocco. It is designed to support the strategy development and governance of the energy transition and to serve as a guide for decision makers. Such a phase model could be shared widely as part of Morocco's engagement in international platforms of multilateral collaboration, such as the Energy Transition Council (chaired by the United Kingdom (UK) and managed by the British Embassy - Rabat).
The analysis shows that Morocco has fully embarked on the energy transition. According to the MENA phase model, Morocco can be classified as being in the second phase "System Integration of Renewables". Nevertheless, Morocco plans to considerably increase the use of natural gas in order to back up intermittent solar and wind energy sources. The diversification of energy sources and a diverse portfolio of storage options, including solar thermal power and hydrogen, can foster flexibility options. To this end, a roadmap for power-to-X (PtX) should be considered for a smooth transition of the Moroccan energy supply and demand system.
The expansion of local REs can significantly contribute to reducing Morocco's high fossil fuel imports that are causing a high fiscal burden. With this regard, energy security can be strengthened. Next to large-scale deployment, decentralisation of the energy system must be built to encourage an energy transition on all societal levels. The results of the analysis along the transition phase model towards 100% RE are intended to stimulate and support the discussion on Morocco's future energy system by providing an overarching guiding vision for energy transition and the development of appropriate policies.
Angesichts von Extremwetterereignissen, Klimaprognosen und Bewegungen wie Fridays for Future lässt sich schwer leugnen, dass ein Teil der Menschheit auf eine Weise lebt, die eine gut bewohnbare Welt höchst unwahrscheinlich macht. Städten wird in dieser Situation eine zentrale Rolle zugeschrieben. Sie können die Welt vor der Erderwärmung retten - oder sie sind die Ersten, die untergehen. Doch was genau wird getan, um Städte in Richtung Nachhaltigkeit zu transformieren? Britta Acksel nimmt Aktionspläne, Klimafestivals, Awards und weitere Transformationsinstrumente in den Blick. Ethnographisch fundiert zeigt sie auf, wie sich die Arbeit mit dieser speziellen Form von Policy-Werkzeugen gestaltet - und welche Bemühungen besonders aussichtsreich erscheinen.
This paper presents a novel governance concept for sustainable development, introducing the "Safe System Approach" as a transformative model that shifts focus from individual behavioural change to systemic transformation. This approach challenges traditional governance models that emphasize individual responsibility in achieving sustainable development and decarbonization. Instead, it advocates for creating an enabling environment that inherently guides individuals and communities towards sustainable actions. The Safe System Approach is centred on delivering low-carbon services across essential sectors, including electricity, mobility, industry, buildings, human settlements, and agriculture, thereby embedding sustainability as a default choice in societal systems. Drawing parallels with successful models in road safety, the paper explores the potential of this approach in urban development and climate action. It emphasizes the need for a broad coalition and integrated approaches in managing shared resources, highlighting the significance of systemic adjustments over individual behavioral change. By proposing a structure where sustainability is facilitated by the system's design, the paper builds on key concepts from seminal works by scholars like Garrett Hardin, Mancur Olson, Elinor Ostrom, and Ahrend Lijphart. It discusses the challenges and opportunities in creating safe operating spaces for sustainable development, emphasizing the need for multi-actor, multilevel governance systems that can manage shared resources sustainably and are resilient to political volatility. The paper aims to offer a robust, efficient, and inclusive pathway to sustainable development, contributing to the global discourse on environmental and social resilience.
Gaining deep leverage? : Reflecting and shaping real-world lab impacts through leverage points
(2024)
Real-world laboratories (RwLs) are gaining further traction as a means to achieve systemic impacts towards sustainability transformation. To guide the analysis of intended impacts, we introduce the concept of leverage points, discerning where, how, and to what end RwLs intervene in systems. Building on conceptual reasoning, we further develop our argument by exploring two RwL cases. Examining RwLs through the lens of the leverage points opens the way for a balanced and comprehensive approach to systemic experimentation. We invite RwL researchers and practitioners to further advance RwLs' transformative capacity by targeting the design and emerging direction of a system, contributing to a culture of sustainability.
In light of Egypt's transition to a green economy, this report focuses on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing resource efficiency along three different value chains in which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role. In order to support SMEs in Egypt to take advantage of implementing greening options along value chains, more detailed analyses are needed. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse three selected supply chains to identify greening opportunities for SMEs. Against this background, the project report is structured as follows: Chapter 2 introduces the background with an overview over the concept of green economy followed by Egypt's economy and its green economy. This is followed by a presentation of the value chains and an overview of the respective sectors. Chapter 3 describes the research approach, methods and data collection. The following chapters examine the three selected value chains cotton, sugar beet and refrigerators, including environmental hot spots, greening options as well as the experts' evaluation of those greening options. The report concludes with key recommendations in Chapter 7.
Recognizing that no central authority can combat climate change, scholars have pointed to the potential of polycentric governance in tackling climate change. Yet, empirical evidence for such a claim is scarce, particularly in the Global South. This study analyzes the characteristics, promises, and pitfalls of polycentric governance to promote climate mitigation efforts in three Indian states. Our contribution is twofold: (1) conceptually, we propose a framework to investigate the promises and pitfalls of polycentric climate governance in a federalist system with a particular focus on aspects of scaling and institutionalization, and (2) empirically, we compare solar power development across three Indian states with favorable conditions for solar power but varying performance. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews and documents, we show how state governments with different party backgrounds have been vital in implementing policy changes and overcoming political barriers. Still, very few bottom-up initiatives exist and were successfully institutionalized.
In this perspective paper, we propose to integrate the concepts of Mobility-as-a-Feature (MaaF, an extension of MaaS) and the 15-minute city (15mC). The 15mC concept maintains that daily necessities and services, such as shopping, healthcare, and leisure should be accessible without private cars within 15 minute. In line with MaaF, these services could be integrated with a variety of mobility options into a single app. This novel approach is poised to offer a seamless customer experience, better resource utilization, enhanced urban mobility, improved and more inclusive access to services, and greater community connectivity. We call them local super apps: a new model to drive equitable and sustainable urban transitions. We substantiate this preliminary idea with evidence from literature, practical applications, and a user survey (N = 1,019), while also discussing future research avenues to further develop the concept of local super apps.
Time is pressing with regard to climate protection targets and adapting to the consequences of climate change. In addition, there is a lack of affordable housing and social infrastructure in many of Germany's larger cities, while at the same time there is a great need to renovate buildings and infrastructure in many places. In cities, these complex challenges overlap and put pressure on administrations and politics. At the same time, the regular processes in urban planning and development are lengthy and often conflicting. Achieving objectives - from energy efficiency and climate protection, land and environmental protection to social goals - hardly seems realistic.
In different projects, the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy has dealt with integration challenges of multi-level policy, structures and processes in municipal administrations, and issues related to an accelerated implementation of climate action. We now analysed obstacles in building and planning law that stand in the way of achieving a climate-neutral building stock, supported the urban planning and the environmental department in the City of Wiesbaden to develop and test the application of “rules of sustainable urban development” including new, co-operative working structures in the administration and developed a conceptual model to support sustainable urban development through stringent policy design in a multi-level system, a co-operative approach at municipal level and a thematic integration of different sustainability dimensions through a "triple integration".
The paper describes the challenges municipalities are facing with regard to achieving sustainable development in general and climate-neutrality in particular. It explains the methodological approach and the concept of a "triple integration" model. From this, recommendations are derived for an integrated and stringent approach to foster implementation at the municipal level.
Transformative Strukturpolitik in Nordrhein-Westfalen: konzeptioneller Ansatz : Grundlagenpapier
(2024)
Das Projekt "Konzeptionelle Ansätze einer transformativen Strukturpolitik zur Stärkung der regionalen Umweltwirtschaft in NRW" (TSP.NRW) zielt darauf ab, eine Wissensgrundlage für transformative Strukturpolitik und damit auch transformativen Strukturwandel im Allgemeinen zu schaffen. Dabei stehen die Stärkung der Umweltwirtschaft und das nachhaltige Wirtschaften im Fokus. Es sollen Anreizstrukturen analysiert werden, indem Chancen und Herausforderungen der Schlüsselakteure in NRW erforscht werden. Exemplarisch stehen zwei Wendethemen im Mittelpunkt: Ressourcen und Mobilität. Die Ergebnisse streben dennoch eine ganzheitliche Perspektive an, sodass allgemeingültige Schlüsse daraus gezogen und umfassende Handlungsoptionen entwickelt werden können.
Ein zentraler Baustein des Projekts ist das vorliegende Grundlagenpapier, welches sich in Form einer Bestandsaufnahme sowohl der wissenschaftlichen Literatur als auch bestehender Planungs- und Strategiedokumente dem Konzept der transformativen Strukturpolitik nähert. Konkret wird im Grundlagenpapier herausgearbeitet, wie sich ein solches "transformatives" Konzept von der klassischen Strukturpolitik unterscheidet. Das Grundlagenpapier enthält insbesondere eine Definition für transformative Strukturpolitik, Kriterien für transformative Ansätze/Projekte sowie Good Practice Beispiele aus Deutschland und Europa.
