What do we need to achieve? And how? Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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What do we need to achieve? And how? Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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www.ecologic.eu Decoupling economic growth from resource use and environmental impacts What do we need to achieve? And how? Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers Ecologic Institute http://dynamix-project.eu/ https://twitter.com/EUResources

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www.ecologic.eu

  • Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Ecologic Institute

What do we need to achieve? And how?

http://dynamix-project.eu/ https://twitter.com/EUResources

Decoupling economic growth from resource use and environmental impacts

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www.ecologic.eu

Ecologic Institute – Expertise in science-based policy advice

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  • private not-for-profit non-university research institute since 1995
  • applied environmental research, policy analysis and consultancy
  • topics: e.g. Arctic, Climate, Energy, Land use, Law, Resources,

Water

  • offices in Berlin, Brussels, Washington DC and San Mateo, CA
  • clients: European Commission, Parliament and EEA; national and

sub-national ministries and agencies, non-profit organisations

  • 120 employees

http://www.ecologic.eu/

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Background – Global Resource Use

Global Material Extraction in billion tonnes, 1900 – 2005; UNEP (2011): 10

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Background – Global Water Use

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Virtual water trade balances and flows of agricultural products; UNEP (2011): 61

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Concept of Decoupling – Conventional concepts

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Two aspects of decoupling; UNEP (2011): 5

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Concept of Decoupling – Conventional concepts

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Examples for relative decoupling – South Africa

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Material efficiency 1980–2000 in South Africa; UNEP (2011): 91

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Examples for relative decoupling – China

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Decoupling trends for energy consumption and waste generation in China; UNEP (2011): 113 and 114)

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Raw material productivity and economic growth in Germany; destatis (2012): 8

Example for absolute decoupling - Germany

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Decoupling Economic Growth from Air Pollution in OECD countries; OECD (2008): 16

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Example for absolute decoupling – OECD countries

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Resource efficiency and decoupling – inextricably linked

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Resource efficient development „allows the economy to

  • create more with less,
  • delivering greater value with less input,
  • using resources in a sustainable way
  • and minimising their impacts on the environment.”

Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, p. 3

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Resource efficiency and decoupling – inextricably linked

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Resource Extraction

Biotic: Water,

Biomass, Fish

Abiotic:

Metals, Minerals, Fossil Fuels

Production Waste Disposal Air Soil Water Ecosystems Atmosphere

Socio-economic system Environment

Distribution Recycling Flows Environmental Impacts Resource Flows Consumption and use

Life-cycle of resource use; adapted from UNEP (2011): 122

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Resource efficiency and decoupling – inextricably linked

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  • Integration of socio-economic and environmental aspects
  • Resource Efficiency key for successful sustainable development
  • But:
  • Policy agenda needs sharpening
  • How to achieve decoupling?
  • Decoupling as accepted/acceptable goal?

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How to achieve decoupling? – a few relevant questions

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  • relative or absolute decoupling?
  • Science calls for absolute decoupling (e.g. PolRess, UNEP), policy

less “ambitious”on that (EREP manifesto, Roadmap, ProgRess)

  • decoupling against which base-year?
  • Science calls for year 2000 as base-year for targets in 2050
  • All or only specific resources / impacts to focus on?
  • Roadmap’ resource focus vs. ProgRess resource focus
  • Targets to set? Which?

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How to achieve decoupling? – need for targets

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Only few quantitative targets in the resource efficiency context

  • 2020-objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy
  • reducing CO2-emissions by 20%,
  • increase share of renewable energy sources

in final energy consumption to 20%; increase energy efficiency by 20%

  • 2020 objective of Germany’s Sustainable Development

Strategy

  • doubling raw abiotic material productivity

(vs. 1994)

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Resource efficiency and decoupling – target needs

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Scientifically important target would be to achieve

  • 10t TMC abiotic per capita by 2050
  • data for 2008 show 43 t TMC abiotic per capita
  • reduction of 77% needed

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How to achieve decoupling? – focus on resource use and impacts

EEA (2013a): 57

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How to achieve decoupling? – focus on resource use and impacts

EEA (2013a): 57

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How to achieve decoupling? – focus on resource use and impacts

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Main consumption areas

  • Food (and lodging)
  • Housing
  • Mobility

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How to achieve decoupling? – Policy priorities

Extraction Waste Production Distribution Use RESOURCE FLOW Sale

Reuse and recycling of resources Extracting within sustainable thresholds Substituting resource use

RESOURCE EFFICIENT ECONOMY

Reducing demand Reducing resource inputs Reducing waste and losses Using resources that protect or improve the environment Using resources in a way that results in less environmental impacts

Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – drivers of inefficient resource use

Diets Lack of knowledge of sustainable food

Low awareness of environmental impacts INEFFICIENCY DRIVERS CAUSES

Preference Availability of diversified food

Eating habits

Consumerism

Lack of display of the information Social norms Advertisings Excessive choice Demographic growth Culture Convenience and time constraints Taste Household composition Urbanisation Easy access to the market Income

Food

Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – drivers of inefficient resource use

Tan et al. (2013)

Excessive heat demand

User behaviour

  • High indoor temperatures
  • Leaving appliances on

when not needed

Inefficient heating products and systems Poor building design / insulation

Low awareness of energy consumption Lack of information

  • f energy

performance Poor choice of heating technology and products Principle agent High investment costs Low energy costs

Standards Comfort

INEFFICIENCY DRIVERS CAUSES

Housing

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How to achieve decoupling? – drivers of inefficient resource use

Mobility

Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – drivers of inefficient resource use

RESOURCE USE

DRIVERS

SOCIO- ECONOMIC TECHNOLOGICAL & INFRASTUCTURAL INSTITUTIONAL & ORGANISATIONAL BIO- PHYSICAL POLICY & REGULATORY BEHAVIOURAL & INFORMATIONAL

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

BARRIERS

RESOURCE INEFFICIENCY

DRIVERS Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – focus on inefficiencies and drivers

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Role of paradigms The framework of ideas and beliefs by which an individual interprets the world and interacts with it. Donella Meadows in the “The Global Citizen” Your paradigm is so intrinsic to your mental process that you are hardly aware of its existence, until you try to communicate with someone with a different paradigm’. Kilbourne’s 2002 survey found that: “paradigm level issues were at the heart of the environmental crises” (p. 195)

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The Paradigm System

Scientific paradigms Society Social paradigms Discourses Analytical tools Policies Society Social norms, values and behaviour Politics

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Vanner (2012)

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How to achieve decoupling? – influencing consumer behaviour

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EEA (2013b): 12

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How to achieve decoupling? – policy priorities

Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – policy priorities

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INDIRECT DRIVERS MODERATING DRIVERS PROXIMATE DRIVERS rising income population growth socio-economic conditions consumption and production patterns bio-physical conditions supply security trade patterns infrastructure design economic benefits management/governance procedures investments/financing resource prices legal-administrative environmental awareness knowledge/information paradigms, etc.

Tan et al. (2013)

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How to achieve decoupling? – reframing concepts

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How to achieve decoupling? – reframing concepts

  • Efficiency – Consistency – Sufficiency (Enquete-Kommission, p.

770 et sqq.)

  • Efficiency – technological progress, increased productivity
  • Consistency – harmonising natural and economic processes (circular

economy)

  • Sufficiency – challenging lifestyles and consumption patterns
  • Beyond GDP: Well-being instead of economic growth
  • Material well-being
  • Social well-being and participation
  • Ecological well-being

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Thank you for your attention.

  • Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Ecologic Institute, Pfalzburger Str. 43-44, D-10717 Berlin

  • Tel. +49 (30) 86880-0, Fax +49 (30) 86880-100

martin.hirschnitz-garbers@ecologic.eu www.ecologic.eu