This selection of the ten most important scientific publications of the Wuppertal Institute in 2013 provides an insight into the current international recognised research activities in the context of sustainability transformations.
Lechtenböhmer, Stefan; Samadi, Sascha
Blown by the wind: Replacing nuclear power in German electricity generation
In: Environmental Science & Policy 25 (2013), pp. 234-241
Only three days after the beginning of the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima, Japan, on 11 March 2011, the German government decommissioned 8 of the country's 17 existing nuclear power plants (NPPs) within a few days. The immediate closure of 8 NPPs and the plans for a complete nuclear phase-out within little more than a decade, raised concerns about Germany's ability to secure a stable supply of electricity. The paper "Blown by the Wind: Replacing Nuclear Power in German Electricity Generation" by Stefan Lechtenböhmer and Sascha Samadi examines these concerns. The scientists of the Wuppertal Institute have used recent statistical data on electricity production and demand in the first 15 months after the German government's immediate reaction to the Fukushima accident. Furthermore they reviewed the most recent projections and scenarios by different stakeholders on how the German electricity system may develop until 2025, when NPPs will no longer be in operation. The authors find that already in 2012 additional electricity generation from renewable energy sources in combination with a reduced domestic demand for electricity will likely fully compensate for the reduced power generation from the NPPs shut down in March 2011. If current political targets will be realised, Germany has neither to become a net electricity importer, nor to abandon to gradually reduce fossil fuel generated electricity.
Lechtenböhmer, Stefan; Luhmann, Hans-Jochen
Decarbonization and regulation of Germany's electricity system after Fukushima
In: Climate Policy 13 (2013), pp. S146-S154
With the introduction of the energy turnaround in Germany, the focus is on renewable energies and energy savings aiming to reduce CO2-emissions. In their report Stefan Lechtenböhmer and Hans-Jochen Luhmann analyse Germany's current efforts to decarbonise its electricity system. Four main technical and regulatory challenges are: the maintenance of a steady and efficient expansion of RES, the provision of balancing capacities, the realisation of the targeted electricity savings, and the smart adaptation of the transport and distribution grid. The report's final recommendation is that policies which both accelerate grid expansion and direct RES expansion should immediately be put in place and can be supported by a targeted mobilisation of balancing capacities.
Dienst, Carmen; Schneider, Clemens; Xia, Chun; Saurat, Mathieu; Fischer, Thomas; Vallentin, Daniel
On track to become a low carbon future city? First findings of the integrated status quo and trends assessment of the pilot city of Wuxi in China
In: Sustainability 5 (2013), pp. 3224-3243
The Low Carbon Future Cities (LCFC) project aims at facing a three dimensional challenge by developing an integrated city roadmap balancing: low carbon development, gains in resource efficiency and adaptation to climate change. The "Low Carbon Future City" concept is researched and developed within two case studies, the region of Düsseldorf and the Chinese city of Wuxi. The paper of Carmen Dienst, Clemens Schneider et al. gives an overview of the first outcomes of the analysis of the status quo and assessment of the most likely developments in Wuxi - the Chinese pilot city for the LCFC project. Based on these findings and a simulated policy scenario, nine key sectors with high relevance to the three dimensions could be identified. Although Wuxi's government has started a path to implement a low carbon plan, the first results show that, for the shift towards a sustainable low carbon development, more ambitious steps need to be taken in order to overcome the challenges faced.
Thema, Johannes; Suerkemper, Felix; Grave, Katharina; Amelung, Adrian
The impact of electricity demand reduction policies on the EU-ETS: Modelling electricity and carbon prices and the effect on industrial competitiveness
In: Energy Policy 60 (2013), pp. 656-666
Today, there is an oversupply of certificates in the ETS. Current carbon prices are at about 4.50 Euro, well below the range of 25-35 Euros expected at the setup of the scheme in 2005. Other than often argued, threats to economic competitiveness measured by costs to industry are therefore smaller than originally expected. In addition, the economic crisis and successful energy efficiency policies (such as the European Energy Efficiency Directive) will further lead to an energy demand reduction and consequent certificate demand below ex-ante expectations.?A recent study of Wuppertal Institute, IWP Cologne and Ecofys researchers analysed the consequences of a significant reduction of emission certificates, along with the implementation of effective energy efficiency policies. The result clearly shows that industry benefits from lower emission certificate and electricity wholesale prices. Even with a full cancellation of 1.4 billion emission certificates, the overall costs to industry will remain below the costs originally expected at the setup of the scheme if , at the same time, effective energy efficiency policies lead to an energy demand reduction. This would be equivalent to an adjustment of the annual emission level by about 30 % until 2020 compared to 2005 instead of 20 % like recently passed. The backloading, as decided by the EU parliament, only delays the auctioning of emission certificates instead of taking them from the market.
de Sépibus, Joëlle; Sterk, Wolfgang; Tuerk, Andreas
Top-down, bottom-up or in-between: how can a UNFCCC framework for market-based approaches ensure environmental integrity and market coherence?
In: Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management, 3 (2013), pp. 6-20
The Durban Climate Conference agreed on the creation of a new market-based mechanism under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and to consider the establishment of an overall framework for various mitigation approaches, including opportunities for using markets ("Framework"). This development is taking place against the background of increasing numbers of parties developing market mechanisms outside the UNFCCC. The creation of such a Framework is therefore of high political significance even if there still is little clarity as to the roles and design of such a framework. This paper written by Joëlle de Sépibus, Wolfgang Sterk und Andreas Tuerk contributes to the debate by discussing and evaluating inter alia several design options, and explores how the various options could be implemented and how they interrelate. The authors conclude that a strong central oversight at the level of the UNFCCC is probably the only option that could ensure the environmental integrity of new market-based mechanisms with respect to the vast majority of UNFCCC Parties. This does, however, not exclude that some reasonable balance may be found between centralisation and flexibility.
Fulton, Lewis; Lah, Oliver; Cuenot, Francois
Transport pathways for light duty vehicles : towards a 2° scenario
In: Sustainability 5 (2013), pp. 1863-1874
The transport sector is the second largest and one of the fastest growing energy end-use sectors, representing 24% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency has developed scenarios for the transport sector within the overall concept of mitigation pathways that would be required to limit global warming to 2 °C. This paper of Lewis Fulton, Oliver Lah and Francois Cuenot, builds on these scenarios and illustrates various passenger travel-related strategies for achieving a 2° transport scenario, in particular looking at how much technology improvement is needed in the light of different changes in travel and modal shares in OECD and non-OECD countries. The authors found out that an integrated approach using all feasible policy options is likely to deliver the required emission reductions at least cost, and that stronger travel-related measures result in significantly lower technological requirements.
Bringezu, Stefan; Hinterberger, Friedrich; Liedtke, Christa
"How much environment do humans Need?+20 - Reviewing progress in material intensity analysis for transition towards sustainable resource management"
In 1994 the pilot book of Friedrich "Bio" Schmidt-Bleek was published in German "How much environment do humans need? MIPS - the measure for ecological economic activities". It introduced the idea of the Material Input per Service unit as a generic measure to help decoupling material resource use from economic growth and final utility for human well-being. Meanwhile the method of material intensity analysis has entered the analytical toolbox of life-cycle wide assessments of products, services, value chains and infrastructures. Resource efficiency has reached top-level of policy agendas and the implementation of programs for resource efficiency will depend on the further use and development of the concept, indicators and derivate measures. 20 years later the special issue shall provide a review of the state-of-the-art of material intensity analysis, its integration into broader analytical frameworks, and the application and use of the MIPS concept at different scales from product, company and household level up to whole economies.
The Special Issue contains, among others, the four following articles:
Wang, Heming; Yue, Quiang; Lu, Zhongwu; Schütz, Helmut; Bringezu, Stefan
Total material requirement of growing China: 1995-2008
In: Resources 2 (2013), pp. 270-285
China's remarkable ecological boom during the 20th century is linked to a considerable use of natural resources leading to an increasing environmental burden. The article, written by Stefan Bringezu et al. presents the accounts of China's growth and Total Material Requirement (TMR). Using decomposition, the influential factors that have changed the TMR of China were finally examined. The main findings are the following: (1) During 1995-2008 China's TMR increased from 32.7 Gt to 57.0 Gt. Domestic extraction dominated China's TMR, but a continuous decrease of its shares can be observed. In terms of material types, excavation constituted the biggest component of China's TMR, and a shift from biomass to metallic minerals is apparent. (2) Compared with two previous studies on China's TMR, the amounts of TMR in this study are similar to the others, whereas the amounts of the used part of TMR (Direct Material Input, DMI) are quite different as a result of following different guidelines. (3) Compared with developed countries, China's TMR per capita was much lower, but a continuous increase of this indicator can be observed. (4) Factors of Affluence (A) and Material Intensity (T), respectively, contributed the most to the increase and decrease of TMR, but the overall decrease effect is limited.
Saurat, Mathieu; Ritthoff, Michael
Calculating MIPS 2.0
In: Resources 2 (2013), pp. 581-607.
In the early 1990s The Wuppertal Institute developed an input-oriented lifecycle-wide resource accounting method, the "Material Input per Service-Unit" concept (MIPS), today also referred to as "Material Footprint". The official handbook applicable to products, services, and processes describes a MS Excel-based sequential approach for calculating MIPS. Today's computing power, available to every researcher, and access to software and databases dedicated to lifecycle analysis make it possible to calculate MIPS using matrix inversion and enhancing MIPS-models. The article provides (1) an overview of the methods and tools used for calculating MIPS from its origins to today, and (2) demonstrates some of the programmatically enhanced capabilities offered to MIPS-practitioners.
Leismann, Kristin; Schmitt, Martina; Rohn, Holger; Baedeker, Carolin
Collaborative consumption: Towards a resource-saving consumption culture
In: Resources 2 (2013), pp. 184-203
Resource efficiency in production and technological innovations are inadequate for considerably reducing the current use of natural resources. Both social innovations and a complementary and equally valued strategy of sustainable consumption are required: goods must be used longer, and services that support collaborative consumption (CC) patterns must be extended. Based on the results of different German studies, this article highlights the resource-saving potentials of CC patterns and recommendations proposed for policies and further research questions.
Welfens, Maria J.; Nordmann, Julia; Seibt, Alexandra, Schmitt, Martina
Acceptance of mobile phone return programmes for increased resource efficiency by young people - Experiences from a German research project
In: Resources 2 (2013), pp. 385-405
Invisible treasures in mobile phones: The recycling of up to 80 % of raw material in obsolete mobile phones is the main target of the "raw material expedition", proclaimed by the federal ministry for education and research on the occasion of the science year 2012. Based on the example of mobile phones comprehensive information on the life cycle and ecological footprint of technical devices can be presented. The Wuppertal Institute is partner of the "raw material expedition" providing teaching and learning material for school lessons. The article of Maria Jolanta Welfens et al. describes the effectiveness oft the learning material for school classes and showed an increase of young people’s knowledge of sustainability issues linked to their mobile phones and their acceptance of more sustainable behavioural patterns regarding their mobile, including return and recycling programmes.
von Geibler, Justus
Market-based governance for sustainability in value chains: Conditions for successful standard setting in the palm oil sector
In: Journal of Cleaner Production 56 (2013), pp. 39-53
Current production and consumption patterns remain unsustainable: Global economic growth reaches planetary boundaries and puts increasing pressure on the world's natural resources. Whereas most economic actors just react to environmental pressures, proactive market actors and other non-governmental organisations, e.g. greentec firms or fair trade organisations, turn them into market opportunities or even create standards or certification schemes as promising problem-solving market instruments in global value chains. What are conditions for the success of those market-based governance mechanisms? This paper discusses the legitimacy and effectiveness of standard setting in the case of palm oil and focuses on the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as the first global standard setting initiative in this respect.
Liedtke, Christa; Buhl, Johannes; Ameli, Najine
Designing value through less by integrating sustainability strategies into lifestyles
In: International Journal Sustainable Design 2 (2013), pp. 167-180
Is there need for overcoming a conventional notion of product design and adopting a user-centred perspective? Christa Liedtke et al. try to find an answer to this question and argue that a sustainable design of products and services requires the integration of production-orientated (efficiency and consistency) and consumption-orientated (sufficiency) strategies. The article introduces the concept of an indicator that is capable of comprehending a lifecycle-wide analysis of products and that favours the integration of existing sustainability strategies. The goal is not to design sustainable products but rather to design systems that manage to foster sustainable lifestyles.
Wilts, Henning; Dehoust, Günter; Jepsen, Dirk; Knappe, Florian
Eco-innovations for waste prevention - Best practices, drivers and barriers
In: Science of the Total Environment 461-462 (2013), pp. 823-829
Due to the revised European Waste Framework Directive, all European Member States have to present a national waste prevention program until the end of 2013. Based on this empirical foundation, this paper written by Henning Wilts et al. draws conclusions with regard to drivers and barriers for eco-innovations in the field of waste prevention. The analysis shows that an optimised adaptation of information on waste prevention to the needs of specific target groups is still missing but could be a relevant driver. With regard to barriers the results of the study show that waste prevention is by no means always a win-win-situation. Institutional frameworks to coordinate the different interests and for the exchange of experiences are still missing but could essentially help to realise learning effects regarding innovation approaches.
The annual selection of important scientific publications is available here for the following years:
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