GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society

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Reinhard Heil — 2024-03-13

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Rebound effects in energy efficiency: An inefficent debate?

Thomas Friedrichsmeier — 2018-04-06

In a recent GAIA paper, Santarius (2014) gave a summary on rebound effects, arguing that were many mechanisms contributing to the total rebound effect, some of which may not yet be properly represented in the debate. Alcott (2014) replied to these concerns by arguing that emission caps are a known and effective policy that will counter rebound effects regardless of their exact size, by definition. In the present text we will argue that a through understanding of the factors influencing energy consumption is still indispensable to make emission targets viable in the first place. Lower than expected energy savings following efficiency measures are an important topic in this context. But a broad use of the label "rebound" is not helpful for understanding and addressing this savings deficit, and we will highlight several qualitatively different factors contributing to it. Even if rebound effects could be quantified, reliably, it remains unclear what practical conclusions policy makers would be able to draw. An interdisciplinary approach focused on developing practical options for the minimization of savings deficits would constitute a much more useful research strategy.

Stärkung der Wasser-Governanceforschung. Impulse aus der Forschung zum Integrierten Wasserressourcen-Management

Sabrina Kirschke — 2018-04-06

In der Debatte um ein nachhaltiges Wasserressourcen-Management wird die globale Wasserkrise verstärkt als Governancekrise dargestellt. Governanceanalysen sollten folglich auch weiter in den Blickwinkel von Forschungsförderung und -praxis treten. Eine Betrachtung der Fördermaßnahme Integriertes Wasserressourcen-Management des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung zeigt jedoch, dass die Wasser-Governanceforschung fundamental gestärkt werden muss, wenn das Ziel eines nachhaltigen Wasserressourcen-Managements erreicht werden soll. Dies betrifft in erster Linie die Art der Analysen von Governanceforschern: Neben stark kontextbezogenen und abstrakten Analysen bedarf es eines stärkeren Fokus‘ auf die Analyse von Problemklassen. Essentiell ist dabei eine verfeinerte Operationalisierung von Problemstrukturen, die Kombination von verschiedenen problemstrukturellen Ansätzen und der systematisch-vergleichende Test von Governancefaktoren für verschiedene Problemkontexte. Erst durch solche Analysen ist es möglich, dem geforderten Transfer von Ergebnissen gerecht zu werden.

“Design it!” Solving sustainability problems by applying prescriptive design thinking

Matthias Fischer — 2018-04-06

This essay suggests the enrichment of the tool-kit of sustainability scientific methods by prescriptive design thinking. It justifies this by presenting an understanding about the main characteristics of sustainability scientific research and the method of prescriptive design thinking. Afterwards, a comparative discussion reveals the approaches’ mutual fit, before a concluding part portrays directions for further research.

Sufficiency, liberal societies and environmental policy in the face of planetary boundaries

Adrian Muller — 2018-04-06

“Sufficiency” is not an environmental policy instrument but a proposal on how to amend the notion of liberal society in a world with planetary boundaries. Classically, liberal societies are conceived as based on the core values “individual freedom”, “the non-damage principle” and “social justice”. Those can be linked to the virtues of courage, prudence and justice. “Sufficiency” adds a fourth core value needed to deal with environmental planetary boundaries, linked to the virtue of temperance. This new conception of sufficiency avoids the difficulties faced by current proposals on what sufficiency is.

Towards a National Ecosystem Assessment in Germany: Results of a Scoping Study and Ways Forward

Christian Albert — 2018-04-06

The EU Biodiversity Strategy’s Action 5 requests member states to Map and Assess the state of Ecosystems and their Services in their national territory by 2014 (the MAES process). In Germany, despite recent advances in synthesizing the state of knowledge on ecosystem services (ES), up to now no comprehensive national-scale assessment of biodiversity and ES is available. The objective of this paper is to present outcomes of a scoping study concerning options for a national ecosystem assessment in Germany (NEA-DE), and to discuss steps taken towards an assessment. To illustrate the spectrum of approaches for a NEA-DE, we identify two design options concerning the governance and conceptual approach and shed light on their respective implications. We report on concerns towards implementing a comprehensive NEA-DE and on the ongoing process of MAES implementation in Germany. Finally, we critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of alternative options for implementing NEA-DE, explore the role of assessments as science-policy interfaces, and suggest future steps. Lessons learned concern advantages and disadvantages of different design options as input for conceptualizing and implementing NEAs in other countries.

Radical life extension: Should it be an issue for ecology?

Tobias Hainz — 2018-04-06

One emerging issue in bioethics are hypothetical technologies for the intentional prolongation of the maximum human life span, usually known as 'radical life extension'. The bioethical debate involves a variety of arguments, one of which is the overpopulation argument. According to this argument, the wide availability and application of radical life extension technologies would increase the undesirable trend towards global overpopulation, which is why they should not be developed. However, this argument relies on the empirical premise that this relation between radical life extension technologies and overpopulation does indeed exist. An assessment of the plausibility of this premise cannot be achieved solely from an ethical perspective but needs empirical contributions from population ecology. Furthermore, there are several ecological concepts and ideas that should consider the possible existence of radical life extension technologies in the future. These reasons suggest that ecology should direct some of its attention to the topic of radical life extension.

What would Hegel say? Growth as “mania” and the possibility of post-growth within bourgeois social systems

Matthias Fischer — 2018-04-06

As a response to Loske (2015) and his reproach to Jakob and Edenhofer (2014) that being a dialectician in the debate about welfare and growth means steering a middle course, and answering Seidel and Zehrnt (2015) to their negative connotation of growth as a “mania”, I would like to add some points that have not been elaborated that sharply in the debate by taking the position of G.W.F. Hegel, one of the most famous dialecticians in the history of science.

Forschen für nachhaltige Entwicklung – Kriterien für gesellschaftlich verantwortliche Forschungsprozesse

Katharina Helming — 2018-04-06

Die Rolle der Wissenschaft für die Erreichung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung ist ambivalent - problemlösend und problemgenerierend. Die damit zum Tragen kommende gesellschaftliche Verantwortung der Forschung spiegelt sich nicht nur in Inhalten, sondern auch in ihrer Durchführung. Die Prozessdimension hat bislang jedoch wenig Beachtung erfahren. Wir haben einen Reflexionsrahmen bestehend aus acht Kriterien entwickelt, der Forschen in gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung definiert und dieses „Wie“ der Forschung systematisiert. Auf Grundlage einer Literaturrecherche und in ExpertInnen-Workshops wurden folgende acht Kriterien identifiziert: Ethik, integrative Herangehensweise, Interdisziplinarität, Nutzerorientierung, Reflexion von Wirkungen, Transdisziplinarität, Transparenz, Umgang mit Komplexität und Unsicherheit. Die Anwendung des Reflexionsrahmens soll die Eigenreflexion in Hinblick auf gesellschaftliche Verantwortung auf allen Ebenen des Forschungsprozesses unterstützen und die Integration von wissenschaftlicher Exzellenz und gesellschaftlicher Relevanz in der Forschung ermöglichen. Dafür sollte die Anwendung mit Trainingsmaterial, Pilotierung an beispielhaften Projekten und einer umfassenden Abschätzung der Zielkonflikte und Wirkungen begleitet werden.

Forschen für nachhaltige Entwicklung – Kriterien für gesellschaftlich verantwortliche Forschungsprozesse

Johanna Ferretti — 2018-04-06

Die Rolle der Wissenschaft für die Erreichung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung ist ambivalent - problemlösend und problemgenerierend. Die damit zum Tragen kommende gesellschaftliche Verantwortung der Forschung spiegelt sich nicht nur in Inhalten, sondern auch in ihrer Durchführung. Die Auseinandersetzung mit der Prozessdimension ist jedoch bislang überwiegend im engen Kontext des Diskurses zu transformativer Forschung erfolgt, in dem insbesondere Ansätze und Methoden der Transdisziplinarität als wichtig erachtet werden. Wir haben einen Reflexionsrahmen bestehend aus acht Kriterien entwickelt, der Forschen in gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung definiert und dieses „Wie“ der Forschung systematisiert. Auf Grundlage einer Literaturrecherche und in ExpertInnen-Workshops wurden folgende acht Kriterien identifiziert: Ethik, integrative Herangehensweise, Interdisziplinarität, Nutzerorientierung, Reflexion von Wirkungen, Transdisziplinarität, Transparenz, Umgang mit Komplexität und Unsicherheit. Die Anwendung des Reflexionsrahmens soll Reflexion im Sinne einer Eigenreflexion und im Dialog mit der Gesellschaft voranbringen und damit eine Verknüpfung von gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung und wissenschaftlicher Exzellenz auf allen Ebenen des Forschungsprozesses ermöglichen. Dafür sollte die Anwendung mit Trainingsmaterial, einem Monitoringkonzept, Pilotierung an beispielhaften Projekten und einer umfassenden Abschätzung der Zielkonflikte und Wirkungen begleitet werden.

Therapeutische Landschaften in der Psychoonkologie

Joachim Rathmann — 2018-04-06

Leveraging the Sustainable Development Goals for Increasing Ambition in International Climate Policy

Wolfgang Obergassel — 2018-04-06

The year 2015 was a watershed for international sustainability governance. With the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement and Agenda 2030, the international community adopted new targets and processes which are to guide policy for the next decades. Both agendas emphasise the need for integration. In practice, however, climate change and sustainable development have so far been rather siloed issues.

This article intends to underpin ongoing discussions on linking the agendas from a climate policy perspective. In a first section, the paper unpacks impacts of climate mitigation measures that go beyond mere greenhouse gas abatement. The paper discusses main effects of climate mitigation measures on environmental, social and economic development in two sectors, electricity provision and urban transport.

The second part of the article discusses options to better integrate sustainable development concerns into international climate policy. The options discussed include starting from development to envision contributions under the climate agreement, integrated long-term development planning and developing sustainable development criteria for climate protection projects.

Research on Natural Resources – Towards Integration

Basil Bornemann — 2018-04-06

With this essay, we want to encourage further discussion within the community of resource-oriented scholars and practitioners who subscribe to the need of integration in research on natural resources. For this purpose, we want to shed some new light on what integration-oriented research on natural resources could mean. Based on an interpretation of the problematic of resource fragmentation, we explore understandings of “natural resources”, “research” and “integration” to open the conceptual space for thinking and doing integration-oriented research on natural resources. On this ground, we reflect on interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity and integrated resource management and sketch some perspectives toward a more reflected notion of integration-oriented research on natural resources.

Beyond Planned Obsolescence: Product Lifespans and the Limits to a Circular Economy

Harald Wieser — 2018-04-06

In light of the increasing dissatisfaction with the longevity of consumer goods and the emerging public debate around the circular economy, the narrative of planned obsolescence has experienced a remarkable revival in recent years. Against this background, this article presents a recent case from the mobile phone sector to discuss the limits of a “weak” interpretation of the circular economy model and bans on built-in obsolescence as solutions to increasing product replacement rates.

Innovating European nature conservation law by introducing ecosystem services

Frederik Hendrik Kistenkas — 2018-04-06

Whereas in other scientific disciplines the importance of the concept of ecosystem services is ever growing, law discourse still is not very aware of this concept. This paper advocates the introduction of this concept to EU nature conservation law and suggests the European Court of Justice recently lost momentum as it easily could have adopted this concept into the Natura 2000 habitats assessment, giving more weight to sustainable development demands.

New frontiers in sustainable consumption research

Lucia A. Reisch — 2018-04-06

Against the backcloth of recent changes in the political landscape of sustainable consumption (mainly: the Sustainable Developmet Goals), and based on a background report produced by the authors for the Swedish Mistra foundation, the paper identifies five thematic research foci that constitute - to the best of our knowledge - key frontiers for sustainable consumption research. The specific research areas described are centred on: sustainable macroeconomics; sustainable consumption, well-being, and the Good Life; sustainability in global supply chains; alternative systems of provisioning for sustainable consumption; and policies fostering sustainable consumption. Implications for research policy are drawn.

New frontiers in sustainable consumption research

Lucia A. Reisch — 2018-04-06

Energetische Sanierung: Sozial-räumliche Effekte verstehen

Katrin Großmann — 2018-04-06

kein Abstract, da Forumsbeitrag

Learning from Investigating the “Year Without a Summer” of 1816: What Does It Take Science to Respond to Climatic Changes?

Stefan Brönnimann — 2018-04-06

Science is responding in manifold ways to the ongoing climate change. What are the prerequisites for responding, and how can we structure the response? Based on a historical climatic event we show that several, interacting elements are necessary and we propose a framework for studying these elements and interactions.

Die Debatte um die Einführung und das Design von Kapazitätsmärkten

Sandra Wassermann — 2018-04-06

Der folgende Beitrag kommentiert die Debatte um die Einführung von Kapazitätsmärkten im deutschen Stromsektor, wie sie jüngst auch explizit im Zusammenhang mit Fragen der Umsetzung der Energiewende und Überlegungen zur Weiterentwicklung dafür notwendiger Steuerungsinstrumente geführt wird. Ausgangspunkt der Debatte ist die Sorge, dass es durch den Ausstieg aus der Kernenergie zu Erzeugungsengpässen und durch den raschen Ausbau der fluktuierenden erneuerbaren Energien zu einem Mangel an regelbaren Kapazitäten kommen könnte. Die Probleme lassen sich nicht alleine durch institutionelle Regelungen lösen, sondern erfordern eine stärkere kooperative Zusammenarbeit der zentralen Akteure.

Ten reflective steps to make research societally relevant

Christian Pohl — 2017-12-15

It is a challenging task to find support for researchers wanting to make their research more societally relevant. Such support needs to be: flexible and adoptable to different thematic contexts; accessible to make it is useful for researchers with diverse disciplinary backgrounds; and well-founded to adequately reflect key insights, both from practical, conceptual, and methodological work in recent transdisciplinary research. We introduce a 10-Step approach, which we have successfully applied in numerous workshops, summer schools and seminars at ETH Zurich and beyond. The 10 questions ask researchers to review their research questions, the societal problem they address, actors and disciplines considered to be relevant, and the purpose and form of interactions among them. Feedback from participants revealed that serious reflections were induced which might set the stage for societal impact of their research.

The Role of Photovoltaics in Energy Transition – An integrated SWOT-AHP Analysis

Kathrin Reinsberger — 2018-04-06

In this paper we discuss the prospects and challenges for photovoltaic technology inAustria as part of the overall energy transition towards more renewableresources. Applying an integrated SWOT-AHP approach based on expert judgments,we systematically analyse the critical factors for PV technology whenattempting to move from a niche-level to a regime-level change in Austria. Wefind that in terms of SWOT rankings, financial and technological considerationsdominate, and that perceived strengths and opportunities outweigh weaknessesand threats. The results are in line with previous studies claiming that PV is apromising technology in terms of significantly contributing to a transformationof current energy systems. In Austria, PV made up approximately 1% ofelectricity generation in 2013. As it continues to enjoy a high level of publicacceptance and political support, the potential for future growth appearsconsiderable.

The Ecosystem Services Concept: Gaps between science and practice in river landscape management

Kerstin Böck — 2018-04-06

An imbalance between the significance of the Ecosystem Services (ES) concept in scientific literature and the actual application can be observed. To identify possible reasons, we investigated stakeholders’ awareness of the concept, the observed practicability and concerns regarding the implementation. A qualitative survey addressed decision makers, stakeholders in river management processes and other persons affected by benefits from landscape functions at two Austrian rivers. Only half of the interviewees know the ES concept, and it only plays a minor role in their working environment. It is seen as a potentially relevant tool for assessment tasks and to support argumentation, communication and education, but also as creating redundancy to other, already implemented concepts. To further develop the ES concept we recommend better integration of practice experts, downscaling to local levels and developing alternative assessment methods.

Land use planning in the Brazilian Amazon: Regulation success stories?

Dr. Regine Schönenberg — 2018-04-06

Brazil is widely seen as the country that has effectively curbed its deforestation rates using a combination of civil society pressure and command and control–style of public regulation. We argue that a look behind decreasing deforestation rates reveals a different picture for the future of GHG-optimized land use in Brazil. As soon as creative policies to mediate and regulate different user-interests are demanded, the outcomes of governmental efforts are rather fragmented. We further argue that the lack of a serious dialogue between government, land users and civil society that could enhance suitability and applicability of its policies is rooted in the self-perception of the Brazilian government as developmental state. Comparing the genesis, the actors and the perspectives of three different cases of resource governance in Southern Amazonia, we show that actual land and resource regulation-attempts lack institutional steering capacity and clear policy priorities to be able to provide for a sustainable and just planning of resource-use. We therefor combined a extensive Brazilian literature review with the analysis of interviews at local, regional and national level. To conclude, we provide for suggestions to possibly overcome the problems by innovative forms of governance.

Der Rebound-Effekt bei der Energieeinsparung - Eine effiziente Debatte?

Thomas Friedrichsmeier — 2018-04-06

Despite substantial energy efficiency improvements in recent years, the average household energy consumption in Germany is barely declining. Regularly, the keyword "rebound effect" is used to describe and explain this phenomenon. In the present text, we will (1) examine the scope and limitations of the concept, and point out alternative explanations for the phenomenon. We will (2) argue that a broad usage of the term "rebound effect" is misleading and limiting the discourse on possible solutions. This economic concept will (3) be contrasted and complemented with a psychological perspective, seeking to identify the factors promoting "efficiency shortfall" at the level of private households. Using "thermal insulation", and "purchase of an efficient car" as examples, we will specify eleven possible explanations for changes in usage after implementation/acquisition. In doing so, we will point out options to counter "rebound effects" by accompanying measures. Finally, we will state research questions that seem promising against the background of the newly introduced concepts.

Options for a National Ecosystem Assessment in Germany: Results and Conclusions of a Scoping Study

Christian Albert — 2018-04-06

Designing a National Ecosystem Assessment for Germany (NEA-DE) that simultaneously advances scientific understanding and provides relevant decision support for policy presents a major challenge. The objective of this paper is to introduce and critically discuss how a NEA in Germany could be designed and implemented. The proposed NEA-DE design considers the identified interests and information requirements of potential clients and users, proposes research objectives and questions and presents two implementation options based on a modular project organization. The design was elaborated in a transdisciplinary, one-year scoping process by the authors in consultation with a large group of interdisciplinary scientists and policy-makers. Finally, lessons learned are discussed for the German context and suggestions are derived for future scoping processes in other countries.

Participatory regional vulnerability assessments – Lessons learned from investigating Austrian and German regions

Verena Peer — 2018-04-06

Regional vulnerability assessments in the fields of climate change and energy provision are confronted with incomplete knowledge and data, the need to prioritize indicators that represent complex context-specific systems and the uncertainty in combining and applying the appropriate methods. Within the last years the conviction has emerged that uncertainty, context-specificity and complexity are best addressed with transdisciplinary research approaches that involve local stakeholders. Based on experiences with participatory regional vulnerability assessments in three Austrian regions and one German region, the paper strives to elaborate the critical aspects for robust participatory regional vulnerability assessments. An analytic framework of transdisciplinary research is applied to analyze project phases, stakeholder involvement, types of knowledge included and applied participatory methods. The paper reveals that the general setting (e.g. focus on the regional scale), the heterogeneity of the involved stakeholders, the applied methods (e.g. systemic pictures, world café) as well as stakeholders’ “ownership” of the project results equally contribute to the success of the transdisciplinary process. Furthermore we conclude that expectations that participatory approaches lead to higher quality research and have a greater impact on society are not self-evident.

Die Universität als Stakeholderorganisation der transformativen Wissenschaft. Konsequenzen für die Messung der Qualität transdisziplinärer Forschung.

Larissa Krainer — 2018-04-06

Ausgehend von Betrachtungen auf einer gesellschaftspolitischen Makroebene zu Anliegen der Transformation der Gesellschaft beschäftigt sich dieser Aufsatz mit den praktischen Fragen, die sich daraus für die Universität als Akteurin auf der Mesoebene ergeben. Dabei wird vorgeschlagen, Universitäten im Sinne der formulierten Ansprüche einer Third Mission von Universitäten sowie von transdisziplinärer Forschung als Stakeholderorganisationen zu denken und zu konfigurieren. Ferner wird auf Basis einer Problematisierung der Messung von Qualität transdisziplinärer Forschung (insbesondere eines „social impacts“) der Frage nachgegangen, was Qualität für die transformative Forschung bedeutet. Abschließend wird vorgeschlagen, Indikatoren für eine Universitätsfinanzierung zu entwickeln, die die Third Mission von Universitäten adäquat berücksichtigen, dem Diskurs über Qualitäts- und Gütekriterien in der transdisziplinären Forschung mehr Aufmerksamkeit zu widmen, Ausbildungsrichtlinien für transdisziplinäre Forschung zu entwickeln und zu etablieren und innerhalb einer internationalen Gesellschaft für transdisziplinäre Forschung für Verbindlichkeiten und Festlegungen in den genannten Punkten zu sorgen.

The Socio-Ecological Impacts of Palm Oil Production in Rural Communities. A Study of Material Flows in the Micro-Region Tomé-Açu in Pará, Brazil

Charlotte Kottusch — 2018-04-06

The expansion of palm oil production in Brazil began at a time when the detrimental social and environmental impacts of the associated plantation agriculture were already widely recognized. In 2010, Lula da Silva, president at the time, initiated a program in 2010 intended to foster socially and environmentally sustainable production of palm oil. This study examines the socio-ecological impacts of palm oil expansion in the Brazilian state of Pará where approximately 90% of Brazilian palm oil was produced in 2014. To assess this expansion´s sustainability, interlinked biophysical and social characteristics of palm oil production need to be taken into account. This study therefore combines data-driven analysis (of regional material flows and land use data) with qualitative field research in the micro-region of Tomé-Açu in Pará. We find that the expanding palm oil production is associated with fundamental changes in land use patterns and is mutually linked to the economic as well as the biophysical basis of livelihoods in the rural communities.

Questioning the Status Quo: How Non-Growing Companies Succeed in a Growth-Driven Economy

Heidi Leonhardt — 2018-04-06

In recent years, a wealth of literature critical of the predominant growth-centred discourse in economics, society and policy-making has emerged, proposing various concepts of an economy without growth. However, these alternatives rarely deal with the question of production and the specific role of firms. Apart from a discourse revolving around ‘grow or die’, little is known about (1) firm growth mechanisms and (2) alternative, growth-independent pathways.
The present study deals with both of these questions, applying a combination of a thorough literature review and an empirical investigation using Q method and interviews. The study finds that employee well-being, innovativeness, and market power are important reasons to follow a growth path. However, the investigation of non-growing firms shows that alternative strategies such as serving a market niche and fostering an inclusive corporate culture can equally lead to a firm’s success. Moreover, the actual size of a firm as well as the perceptions of its owner-manager are central determinants of the (non-)growth decision.

The Message of The Limits to Growth A Plea For a Forward Looking Global Policy

Tobias Mickler — 2018-04-06

It remains an open question whether economic growth without growing physical impact is feasible. It is possible in principle, but has not yet been observed in practice. The Limits to Growth did not seek to resolve this question, and the authors were split in their views on whether full decoupling is possible. But they did agree that global society ought to reduce its ecological footprint per unit of consumption, and much more important, start doing so in time to avoid global overshoot. The task would be greatly simplified if human society moved away from its fascination with growth.

Ziele einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) in Schule und Studium – auf dem Weg zu empirisch überprüfbaren Konstrukten

Werner Rieß — 2017-10-23

Die Zielformulierungen in den gängigen Konzepten einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE), sind meist nicht operationalisiert und schließen nur selten an Befunde empirischer Bildungsforschung an. Dies aber ist nötig, um auch Effekte entsprechender Bildungsmaßnahmen evaluieren zu können. Anknüpfend an Befunde empirischer Lehr-Lern- und Bildungsforschung schlagen wir eine Unterscheidung von lebensbereichsspezifischen, basalen und elaborierten Nachhaltigkeitskompetenzen (NK) vor. Im schulischen Bereich empfiehlt sich insbesondere die Förderung basaler fächerübergreifender und –spezifischer NK, im Hochschulkontext die Förderung elaborierter disziplinärer und inter- und transdisziplinärer NK. Mit diesen konzeptuellen Unterscheidungen und Operationalisierungsvorschlägen möchten wir einen Beitrag zur theoretischen und empirischen Fundierung nachhaltigkeitsbezogener Kompetenzen und zur Stärkung der BNE-Forschung leisten.