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The concept of urban sustainability is growing in urgency and salience for local urban governance, and indicator-based assessments represent a popular means for its operationalization. While much effort has been spent developing the technical aspects of these assessments, less attention has been given to research concerning their potential for influencing real-world urban governance processes. To address this issue, we put forward an assessment approach that systematically embeds the assessed indicators within their social and institutional contexts, thereby aiming to enhance the relevance of the assessment for local governance. Specifically, the contextual embedding is achieved through the analysis of ongoing controversies related to the assessed problem. We apply the approach to an assessment of the City of Geneva’s (Switzerland) housing system. As the case study demonstrates, the proposed assessment approach can elucidate a richer picture of the challenges identified in the assessment than a typical quantitative-only analysis of indicators. Therefore, it offers more complete support to local governance stakeholders for learning about and acting upon the problem under assessment. Overall, the work reported in this article aims to contribute to a productive alliance between sustainability assessment methodologies and urban governance stakeholders, thereby leading to more informed steering of cities towards sustainability.
Pekka Halla; Albert Merino-Saum; Claudia R. Binder. Contextually rich sustainability assessment for supporting local urban governance - connecting indicators to institutions and controversies. 2021, 1 .
AMA StylePekka Halla, Albert Merino-Saum, Claudia R. Binder. Contextually rich sustainability assessment for supporting local urban governance - connecting indicators to institutions and controversies. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StylePekka Halla; Albert Merino-Saum; Claudia R. Binder. 2021. "Contextually rich sustainability assessment for supporting local urban governance - connecting indicators to institutions and controversies." , no. : 1.
Enhancing the sustainability of cities is a timely, complex task. It involves the challenge of identifying the concerns and goals of different stakeholders in an inclusive manner and bringing into dialogue the various forms of knowledge and know-how that can address these concerns. At the moment, the lack of suitable concepts and methods for taking on this challenge limits our ability to conceive appropriate measures for promoting the sustainable development of cities. We propose three theses outlining the value of metaphors in tackling the challenge, demonstrated through the analysis of three prominent urban metaphors, and as an outcome, suggest three avenues for future work. With our contribution, we wish to encourage the construction of new approaches to urban sustainability based on transdisciplinary knowledge creation and the inclusive acknowledgement of different sustainability requirements.
Pekka Halla; Romano Wyss; Aristide Athanassiadis; Guillaume Drevon; Michael U. Hensel; Vincent Kaufmann; Shin Alexandre Koseki; Catalina Turcu; Ulli Vilsmeier; Claudia R. Binder. Using metaphors for addressing urban sustainability. 2021, 1 .
AMA StylePekka Halla, Romano Wyss, Aristide Athanassiadis, Guillaume Drevon, Michael U. Hensel, Vincent Kaufmann, Shin Alexandre Koseki, Catalina Turcu, Ulli Vilsmeier, Claudia R. Binder. Using metaphors for addressing urban sustainability. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StylePekka Halla; Romano Wyss; Aristide Athanassiadis; Guillaume Drevon; Michael U. Hensel; Vincent Kaufmann; Shin Alexandre Koseki; Catalina Turcu; Ulli Vilsmeier; Claudia R. Binder. 2021. "Using metaphors for addressing urban sustainability." , no. : 1.
The Circular Economy (CE) concept has recently gained momentum as a perspective to tackle global challenges such as resource scarcity and waste management. Multiple types of interventions have been proposed to support the transition towards a CE. This paper aims to (i) categorize CE interventions; (ii) analyze to what extent these intervention categories are considered when assessing CE interventions in a specific sector (Construction and Demolition; C&D); (iii) suggest indicators for the improvement of CE assessment tools in the context of a CE transition in the C&D sector. Through a literature review and expert interviews, we developed a systemic framework that categorizes CE interventions into four groups: Research and Realize, Implement, Support, and Enable, each considering the so-called 10R-strategies established in the CE field. To understand the relevance of these intervention categories in the C&D sector, we analyzed nine indicator sets (252 indicators) used for assessing circular interventions. The results show that the category of implementation of the R-strategies receives the greatest attention. However, though marginally, some assessments also consider those significant interventions that were categorized as Research and Realize, Enable, and Support. We argue that future assessments should incorporate these interventions, to encourage a systemic approach towards a CE transition. Independently from the sector analyzed, the framework can support actors involved in a CE transition, linking their contributions to the different categories of interventions and R-strategies, with a satisfactory balance of complexity and ease of application.
Valeria Superti; Cynthia Houmani; Claudia R. Binder. A systemic framework to categorize Circular Economy interventions: An application to the construction and demolition sector. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2021, 173, 105711 .
AMA StyleValeria Superti, Cynthia Houmani, Claudia R. Binder. A systemic framework to categorize Circular Economy interventions: An application to the construction and demolition sector. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2021; 173 ():105711.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValeria Superti; Cynthia Houmani; Claudia R. Binder. 2021. "A systemic framework to categorize Circular Economy interventions: An application to the construction and demolition sector." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 173, no. : 105711.
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element to all living beings but also a finite resource. P-related problems center around broken P cycles from local to global scales. This paper presents outcomes from the 9th International Phosphorus Workshop (IPW9) held 2019 on how to move towards a sustainable P management. It is based on two sequential discussion rounds with all participants. Important progress was reported regarding the awareness of P as finite mineable resource, technologies to recycle P, and legislation towards a circular P economy. Yet, critical deficits were identified such as how to handle legacy P, how climate change may affect ecosystem P cycling, or working business models to up-scale existing recycling models. Workshop participants argued for more transdisciplinary networks to narrow a perceived science-practice/policy gap. While this gap may be smaller in reality as illustrated with a Swiss example, we formulate recommendations how to bridge this gap more effectively.
Christian Stamm; Claudia R. Binder; Emmanuel Frossard; Philip M. Haygarth; Astrid Oberson; Alan E. Richardson; Christian Schaum; Oscar Schoumans; Kai M. Udert. Towards circular phosphorus: The need of inter- and transdisciplinary research to close the broken cycle. Ambio 2021, 1 -12.
AMA StyleChristian Stamm, Claudia R. Binder, Emmanuel Frossard, Philip M. Haygarth, Astrid Oberson, Alan E. Richardson, Christian Schaum, Oscar Schoumans, Kai M. Udert. Towards circular phosphorus: The need of inter- and transdisciplinary research to close the broken cycle. Ambio. 2021; ():1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristian Stamm; Claudia R. Binder; Emmanuel Frossard; Philip M. Haygarth; Astrid Oberson; Alan E. Richardson; Christian Schaum; Oscar Schoumans; Kai M. Udert. 2021. "Towards circular phosphorus: The need of inter- and transdisciplinary research to close the broken cycle." Ambio , no. : 1-12.
An integrative environmental behavior model was applied in an online survey to investigate the determinants of intentions to reduce personal air travel and corresponding perceived restrictions and options among participants in Switzerland (N = 1206). Flying habits emerged as the most powerful predictor of air travel intentions, followed by prescriptive social norms, general environmental attitudes, flight-specific personal norms, and acceptance of general justifications for environmentally negative behavior. The overall model achieved substantial explanative power (multiple R = 0.75). Availability of alternative means of transportation was most frequently mentioned as requirement for reducing personal flights, and participants proposed replacing physical business meetings with online formats. Trains were often proposed as alternative transportation mode; however, concerns regarding travel duration and price constrain their use. Faster connections, attractive pricing, and measures facilitating the enjoyment of lengthier travel times could help reduce the number of flights and contribute toward deceleration of life.
Ralph Hansmann; Claudia R. Binder. Reducing personal air-travel: Restrictions, options and the role of justifications. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 2021, 96, 102859 .
AMA StyleRalph Hansmann, Claudia R. Binder. Reducing personal air-travel: Restrictions, options and the role of justifications. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. 2021; 96 ():102859.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRalph Hansmann; Claudia R. Binder. 2021. "Reducing personal air-travel: Restrictions, options and the role of justifications." Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 96, no. : 102859.
With increasing urbanisation, new approaches such as the Circular Economy (CE) are needed to reduce resource consumption. In Switzerland, Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste accounts for the largest portion of waste (84%). Beyond limiting the depletion of primary resources, implementing recycling strategies for C&D waste (such as using recycled aggregates to produce recycled concrete (RC)), can also decrease the amount of landfilled C&D waste. The use of RC still faces adoption barriers. In this research, we examined the factors driving the adoption of recycled products for a CE in the C&D sector by focusing on RC for structural applications. We developed a behavioural framework to understand the determinants of architects’ decisions to recommend RC. We collected and analysed survey data from 727 respondents. The analyses focused on architects’ a priori beliefs about RC, behavioural factors affecting their recommendations of RC, and project-specific contextual factors that might play a role in the recommendation of RC. Our results show that the factors that mainly facilitate the recommendation of RC by architects are: a senior position, a high level of RC knowledge and of the Minergie label, beliefs about the reduced environmental impact of RC, as well as favourable prescriptive social norms expressed by clients and other architects. We emphasise the importance of a holistic theoretical framework in approaching decision-making processes related to the adoption of innovation, and the importance of the agency of each involved actor for a transition towards a circular construction sector.
Valeria Superti; Cynthia Houmani; Ralph Hansmann; Ivo Baur; Claudia Binder. Strategies for a Circular Economy in the Construction and Demolition Sector: Identifying the Factors Affecting the Recommendation of Recycled Concrete. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4113 .
AMA StyleValeria Superti, Cynthia Houmani, Ralph Hansmann, Ivo Baur, Claudia Binder. Strategies for a Circular Economy in the Construction and Demolition Sector: Identifying the Factors Affecting the Recommendation of Recycled Concrete. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (8):4113.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValeria Superti; Cynthia Houmani; Ralph Hansmann; Ivo Baur; Claudia Binder. 2021. "Strategies for a Circular Economy in the Construction and Demolition Sector: Identifying the Factors Affecting the Recommendation of Recycled Concrete." Sustainability 13, no. 8: 4113.
Global sustainability relies on our capacity of understanding and guiding urban systems and their metabolism adequately. It has been proposed that bigger and denser cities are more resource-efficient than smaller ones because they tend to demand less infrastructure, consume less fuel for transportation and less energy for cooling/heating in per capita terms. This hypothesis is also called Brand’s Law. However, as cities get bigger, denser and more resource-efficient, they also get richer, and richer inhabitants consume more, potentially increasing resource demand and associated environmental impacts. In this paper, we propose a method based on scaling theory to assess Brand’s Law taking into account greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both direct (energy and fuels locally consumed) and indirect (embedded in goods and services) sources, measured as carbon footprint (CF). We aim at understanding whether Brand’s Law can be confirmed once we adopt a consumption-based approach to urban emissions. By analyzing the balance between direct and indirect emissions in a theoretical urban system, we develop a scaling theory relating carbon footprint and city size. Facing the lack of empirical data on consumption-based emissions for cities, we developed a model to derive emission estimations using well-established urban metrics (city size, density, infrastructure, wealth). Our results show that, once consumption-based CF is considered, Brand’s Law falls apart, as bigger cities have greater purchase power, leading to greater consumption of goods and higher associated GHG. Findings also suggest that a shift in consumption patterns is of utmost importance, given that, according to the model, each new monetary unit added to the gross domestic product (GDP) or to other income variables results in a more than proportional increase in GHG emissions. This work contributes to a broader assessment of the causes of emissions and the paradigm shift regarding the assumption of efficiency in the relationship of city size and emissions, adding consumption behavior as a critical variable, beyond Brand’s Law.
Joao Meirelles; Fabiano Ribeiro; Gabriel Cury; Claudia Binder; Vinicius Netto. More from Less? Environmental Rebound Effects of City Size. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4028 .
AMA StyleJoao Meirelles, Fabiano Ribeiro, Gabriel Cury, Claudia Binder, Vinicius Netto. More from Less? Environmental Rebound Effects of City Size. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (7):4028.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoao Meirelles; Fabiano Ribeiro; Gabriel Cury; Claudia Binder; Vinicius Netto. 2021. "More from Less? Environmental Rebound Effects of City Size." Sustainability 13, no. 7: 4028.
Worldwide, there is an urgent imperative to provide a housing supply that is environmentally sustainable as well as acceptable and desirable for its users. A holistic and integrative understanding of the relationship between households’ residential preferences and dwellings is needed to achieve this goal. This paper addresses this gap by conceptualizing and operationalizing housing as a system whose human and material behaviours are determined by its function. Following a qualitative literature review to identify what housing functions are and investigate their effects on the housing system, we explore the applicability of such functions in Swiss tenants’ residential mobility. Results show that multiple functions co-exist in the housing realm, each of which determines various human (i.e. residential preferences) and material (i.e. dwelling forms) behaviours that vary according to given societal and environmental structural elements (e.g. geography, culture). We also observe that housing functions potentially provide the missing link between the determinants of tenants’ residential mobility.
Anna Pagani; Claudia R. Binder. A systems perspective for residential preferences and dwellings: housing functions and their role in Swiss residential mobility. Housing Studies 2021, 1 -26.
AMA StyleAnna Pagani, Claudia R. Binder. A systems perspective for residential preferences and dwellings: housing functions and their role in Swiss residential mobility. Housing Studies. 2021; ():1-26.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnna Pagani; Claudia R. Binder. 2021. "A systems perspective for residential preferences and dwellings: housing functions and their role in Swiss residential mobility." Housing Studies , no. : 1-26.
A survey of 1206 participants investigated determinants of positive environmental behaviors (PEBs) in Switzerland. Based on a principle component analysis on data for 23 different PEBs, three behavior types were distinguished: (i) public sphere PEBs with politically mediated impacts; (ii) socially salient private “lighthouse” PEBs that convey a pro-environmental message; and (iii) less socially salient private PEBs. An environmental behavior model identified general environmental knowledge and attitudes as the strongest predictors of PEBs, followed by green self-identity, justifications, assumed consequences, prescriptive social norms, gender, age, and perceived behavioral control (PBC), respectively. To promote sustainability-oriented behaviors and achieve corresponding societal and economic changes, the identified psychological factors need to be promoted by education and communication strategies as well as complementary measures ranging from policy changes to technology development and systems design. Green self-identity turned out to be significantly more influential for private PEBs than for public sphere PEBs, whereas prescriptive social norms and environmental knowledge were more important for public sphere PEBs. These findings indicate that promoting different types of sustainability-oriented behaviors may require distinct strategies. Public sphere PEBs may be enhanced well by conveying social practices and norms, whereas the promotion of a pro-environmental green self-identity may increase private sphere PEBs effectively.
Ralph Hansmann; Claudia R. Binder. Determinants of Different Types of Positive Environmental Behaviors: An Analysis of Public and Private Sphere Actions. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8547 .
AMA StyleRalph Hansmann, Claudia R. Binder. Determinants of Different Types of Positive Environmental Behaviors: An Analysis of Public and Private Sphere Actions. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (20):8547.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRalph Hansmann; Claudia R. Binder. 2020. "Determinants of Different Types of Positive Environmental Behaviors: An Analysis of Public and Private Sphere Actions." Sustainability 12, no. 20: 8547.
Today, the centrality of cities in the global sustainability challenge is widely acknowledged, and numerous initiatives have been developed worldwide for monitoring and comparing the sustainability performance of urban areas. However, the escalating abundance of indicators makes it difficult to understand what really counts in urban sustainability and how to properly select the most suitable indicators. By methodically collecting and mapping the diversity of available indicators, our work aims to elucidate the emphases, as well as the gaps, that exist in the way urban sustainability is currently translated into metrics, and to draw instructive lessons to support the development of future indicator sets. Representing the most comprehensive study ever performed in the field, this analysis relies on both an innovative research approach entailing multi- and cross-typological systematic analysis of indicators and an extensive data sample comprising 67 indicator sets (for a total of 2847 indicators) from academia and practice. The findings highlight the most frequent indicators in urban sustainability measurement initiatives, and demonstrate the prominence of social issues (e.g., quality of life, access to services, consumer behaviour, employment) and to a lesser extent, of environmental stakes. In contrast, urban sustainability indicator sets generally pay marginal attention to political questions (e.g., participation, policies, institutional settings), gender issues and distributional concerns. From a systemic point of view, the analysis reveals the strong emphasis placed on the status of actual and potential resources as well as the satisfaction of current needs. The study further highlights seven key lessons on how to deal with three typical tensions faced during indicator selection processes: (i) parsimony vs. comprehensiveness; (ii) context-specificity vs. general comparability; and (iii) complexity vs. simplicity. The directly implementable recommendations proposed herein will support both scholars and practitioners in the design of future urban sustainability measurement initiatives.
A. Merino-Saum; P. Halla; V. Superti; A. Boesch; C.R. Binder. Indicators for urban sustainability: Key lessons from a systematic analysis of 67 measurement initiatives. Ecological Indicators 2020, 119, 106879 .
AMA StyleA. Merino-Saum, P. Halla, V. Superti, A. Boesch, C.R. Binder. Indicators for urban sustainability: Key lessons from a systematic analysis of 67 measurement initiatives. Ecological Indicators. 2020; 119 ():106879.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Merino-Saum; P. Halla; V. Superti; A. Boesch; C.R. Binder. 2020. "Indicators for urban sustainability: Key lessons from a systematic analysis of 67 measurement initiatives." Ecological Indicators 119, no. : 106879.
A survey of 620 Swiss households was conducted to investigate the determinants of purchases of organic fruits and vegetables and identify subjectively perceived requirements for more environmentally friendly and healthier food consumption. An integrative behavior model incorporating various psychological and socio-structural variables was applied to explain the ratio of organic vs. non-organic purchases. The theory of planned behavior was considered fundamental for the development of this integrative model, and supplementary variables were included, accounting for moral justifications, education level, income, and further aspects. The resulting model accounted for 42% of the variance of organic food consumption. Financial and environmental justifications for purchasing non-organic food resulted as the most important predictors, followed by recent consumption changes, health-related aspects of attitudes and social norms, perceived behavioral control, environmental values, income, and education level. The participants considered more knowledge and information and having more money at their disposal to be important requirements for achieving more environmentally friendly and healthier food consumption. Furthermore, they considered having more time to prepare meals oneself as particularly important to achieving healthier food consumption.
Ralph Hansmann; Ivo Baur; Claudia R. Binder. Increasing organic food consumption: An integrating model of drivers and barriers. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 275, 123058 .
AMA StyleRalph Hansmann, Ivo Baur, Claudia R. Binder. Increasing organic food consumption: An integrating model of drivers and barriers. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 275 ():123058.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRalph Hansmann; Ivo Baur; Claudia R. Binder. 2020. "Increasing organic food consumption: An integrating model of drivers and barriers." Journal of Cleaner Production 275, no. : 123058.
In the context of an initiative to become a carbon neutral campus, an online survey (N = 1864) of students, scientists, and administrative and technical staff of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) was conducted to measure pro-environmental behaviors and potentially influential factors. Female gender, age, and position (from bachelor’s student, master’s student, doctoral student, postdoc/senior scientist to professor) showed a significant positive correlation with positive behaviors as measured by a pro-environmental behavior scale developed for this study. Excluded from the academic position ranking were the members of technical and administrative staff, who displayed the highest level of pro-environmental behavior. Furthermore, the level of pro-environmental behavior was generally higher among members of strongly environmentally-oriented university subsections as compared to other sections. Based on previous research and theories on environmental behavior, such as the theory of planned behavior, a predictive model including psychological, structural, and demographic variables was developed and accounted for 44% of the variance of pro-environmental behavior scores. Among psychological variables, the strongest positive influence was observed for green self-identity. Willingness to sacrifice, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and perceived effects were also significantly positively related to positive behavior. Future behavioral decision-making models should consider these variables accordingly. The position of the participants was significantly positively correlated with green self-identity, suggesting positive education and socialization effects, but negatively correlated with perceived behavioral control, pointing to practical constraints coincident with professional seniority.
Ralph Hansmann; Rafael Laurenti; Tarik Mehdi; Claudia R. Binder. Determinants of pro-environmental behavior: A comparison of university students and staff from diverse faculties at a Swiss University. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 268, 121864 .
AMA StyleRalph Hansmann, Rafael Laurenti, Tarik Mehdi, Claudia R. Binder. Determinants of pro-environmental behavior: A comparison of university students and staff from diverse faculties at a Swiss University. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 268 ():121864.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRalph Hansmann; Rafael Laurenti; Tarik Mehdi; Claudia R. Binder. 2020. "Determinants of pro-environmental behavior: A comparison of university students and staff from diverse faculties at a Swiss University." Journal of Cleaner Production 268, no. : 121864.
Farmers can manage their crops and farms better if they can communicate their experiences, both positive and negative, with each other and with experts. Digital agriculture using internet communication technology (ICT) may facilitate the sharing of experiences between farmers themselves and with experts and others interested in agriculture. ICT approaches in agriculture are, however, still out of the reach of many farmers. The reasons are lack of connectivity, missing capacity building and poor usability of ICT applications. We decided to tackle this problem through cost-effective, easy to use ICT approaches, based on infrastructure and services currently available to small-scale producers in developing areas. Working through a participatory design approach, we developed and tested a novel technology. GeoFarmer provides near real-time, two-way data flows that support processes of co-innovation in agricultural development projects. It can be used as a cost-effective ICT-based platform to monitor agricultural production systems with interactive feedback between the users, within pre-defined geographical domains. We tested GeoFarmer in four geographic domains associated with ongoing agricultural development projects in East and West Africa and Latin America. We demonstrate that GeoFarmer is a cost-effective means of providing and sharing opportune indicators of on-farm performance. It is a potentially useful tool that farmers and agricultural practitioners can use to manage their crops and farms better, reduce risk, increase productivity and improve their livelihoods.
Anton Eitzinger; James Cock; Karl Atzmanstorfer; Claudia R. Binder; Peter Läderach; Osana Bonilla-Findji; Mona Bartling; Caroline Mwongera; Leo Zurita; Andy Jarvis. GeoFarmer: A monitoring and feedback system for agricultural development projects. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 2019, 158, 109 -121.
AMA StyleAnton Eitzinger, James Cock, Karl Atzmanstorfer, Claudia R. Binder, Peter Läderach, Osana Bonilla-Findji, Mona Bartling, Caroline Mwongera, Leo Zurita, Andy Jarvis. GeoFarmer: A monitoring and feedback system for agricultural development projects. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2019; 158 ():109-121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnton Eitzinger; James Cock; Karl Atzmanstorfer; Claudia R. Binder; Peter Läderach; Osana Bonilla-Findji; Mona Bartling; Caroline Mwongera; Leo Zurita; Andy Jarvis. 2019. "GeoFarmer: A monitoring and feedback system for agricultural development projects." Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 158, no. : 109-121.
In Europe, socio-technical energy systems in urban areas undergo fundamental changes. First, liberalization changed the pre-existing, stabilized governance structure; second, decarbonization goals and the increasing share of renewables in energy production changed the technological structure and led to decentralization; third, digitalization, recently opens up entirely new technical and managerial opportunities to design decentralized, renewable and diversified urban energy systems. While these fundamental transition processes are providing phaszinating social and technical innovations and new opportunities, the energy system still is a critical infrastructure which needs to remain functional and resilient to provide crucial public services - while undergoing change. For the social and technical resilience of urban energy systems in federalist states, the so called urban utility companies play a crucial role. These public firms, which are owned by the city, provide the urban system with all public services (energy, water, mobility, waste management) and manage all the critical infrastructures (grids, production sites). In our contribution, we first present a theoretical concept, to operationalize and analyze resilience of socio-technical systems in transitions. The concept builds on two core attributes of resilience: diversity and connectivity, for which we propose an indicator set encompassing three fundamental diversity properties—variety, balance and disparity—and three basic connectivity properties —average path length, degree centrality and modularity. Subsequently, we apply this concept to the case of urban energy systems and question, which role the urban utility companies play for its social and technical resilience. Thereby, we build not only on our theoretical considerations but also on empirical evidence from large cities in Switzerland and Germany (Geneva, Zürich, Basel, Munich, Cologne and Hannover). In so doing we provide rich insights on urban energy system resilience and self-governance in urban infrastructure management, which can be applied to planning practices and policy making.
Susan Mühlemeier; Romano Wyss; Claudia Binder. Rusty dinosaurs or phoenix from the ashes? Investigating the role of urban utility companies for the resilience of socio-technical energy systems in transition. Proceedings of IFoU 2018: Reframing Urban Resilience Implementation: Aligning Sustainability and Resilience 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleSusan Mühlemeier, Romano Wyss, Claudia Binder. Rusty dinosaurs or phoenix from the ashes? Investigating the role of urban utility companies for the resilience of socio-technical energy systems in transition. Proceedings of IFoU 2018: Reframing Urban Resilience Implementation: Aligning Sustainability and Resilience. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSusan Mühlemeier; Romano Wyss; Claudia Binder. 2018. "Rusty dinosaurs or phoenix from the ashes? Investigating the role of urban utility companies for the resilience of socio-technical energy systems in transition." Proceedings of IFoU 2018: Reframing Urban Resilience Implementation: Aligning Sustainability and Resilience , no. : 1.
Finding ways to understand, analyze, and manage sustainability transitions is a fundamental challenge for sustainability science. In this paper, we show how we can substantially deepen our understanding of factors that determine the success of sustainability transitions by combining two key concepts from the resilience literature—stability and adaptability—with a dynamic understanding of the progress of socio-technical transitions. We propose a conceptual perspective for sustainability transitions, the resilience of sustainability transitions (RST) concept, which integrates progress, stability, and adaptability as key dimensions to comprehend the dynamics of sustainability transitions. In a case analysis of the energy transition process in the Austrian region of Weiz-Gleisdorf, we apply the concept. In doing so, we illustrate how RST thinking helps identify and understand crucial elements that influence the dynamics of a sustainability transition process.
Thorsten Schilling; Romano Wyss; Claudia R. Binder. The Resilience of Sustainability Transitions. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4593 .
AMA StyleThorsten Schilling, Romano Wyss, Claudia R. Binder. The Resilience of Sustainability Transitions. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (12):4593.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThorsten Schilling; Romano Wyss; Claudia R. Binder. 2018. "The Resilience of Sustainability Transitions." Sustainability 10, no. 12: 4593.
In this paper, we apply an indicator-based approach to measure the resilience of energy regions in transition to a case study region in Austria. The indicator-based approach allows to determine the resilience of the transition of regional energy systems towards higher shares of renewables and potentially overall higher sustainability. The indicators are based on two core aspects of resilience, diversity and connectivity. Diversity is thereby operationalized by variety, disparity and balance, whereas connectivity is operationalized by average path length, degree centrality and modularity. In order to get a full picture of the resilience of the energy system at stake throughout time, we apply the measures to four distinct moments, situated in the pre-development, take-off, acceleration and stabilization phase of the transition. By contextually and theoretically embedding the insights in the broader transitions context and empirically applying the indicators to a specific case, we derive insights on (1) how to interpret the results in a regional context and (2) how to further develop the indicator-based approach for future applications.
Romano Wyss; Susan Mühlemeier; Claudia R. Binder. An Indicator-Based Approach for Analysing the Resilience of Transitions for Energy Regions. Part II: Empirical Application to the Case of Weiz-Gleisdorf, Austria. Energies 2018, 11, 2263 .
AMA StyleRomano Wyss, Susan Mühlemeier, Claudia R. Binder. An Indicator-Based Approach for Analysing the Resilience of Transitions for Energy Regions. Part II: Empirical Application to the Case of Weiz-Gleisdorf, Austria. Energies. 2018; 11 (9):2263.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRomano Wyss; Susan Mühlemeier; Claudia R. Binder. 2018. "An Indicator-Based Approach for Analysing the Resilience of Transitions for Energy Regions. Part II: Empirical Application to the Case of Weiz-Gleisdorf, Austria." Energies 11, no. 9: 2263.
In the field of sustainability, scholars, and policy-makers herald the transformative power of participation in knowledge production. However, a discrepancy between these expectations and the limited understanding of the complex interactions constituting participation processes can be observed. With the aim of critically analysing these complex interactions, this paper develops a conceptual perspective on participation as a relational space which is formed in the interplay of structures and processes. This perspective is applied to the analysis of empirical literature in sustainability research, development research, and science and technology studies. The literature review guided by the proposed conceptualisation systematically draws together the rich experience with participation in knowledge production. Elements constituting participation spaces along the dimensions ‘structures’ and ‘actors’ are identified and discussed in relation to ‘processes’ of space-making: (i) (in)coherences with reference system, (ii) resources, (iii) timing, (iv) expectations, (v) mutual trust, and (vi) worldviews and values. Power relations are found to pervade the three dimensions. Enhanced conceptual-analytical clarity of the elements constituting participation spaces provides a differentiated basis for discussing the transformative power of participatory knowledge production. By stimulating reflexivity on the making of participation, this approach contributes to better understanding when spaces of participation have the capacity to become spaces of transformation.
Livia Fritz; Claudia Binder. Participation as Relational Space: A Critical Approach to Analysing Participation in Sustainability Research. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2853 .
AMA StyleLivia Fritz, Claudia Binder. Participation as Relational Space: A Critical Approach to Analysing Participation in Sustainability Research. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (8):2853.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLivia Fritz; Claudia Binder. 2018. "Participation as Relational Space: A Critical Approach to Analysing Participation in Sustainability Research." Sustainability 10, no. 8: 2853.
Global economies have been characterised by a large dependency of material inflows from natural stocks, an exponential growth of material stock-in-use in the built environment, and the extensive disposal of waste material outflows to anthropogenic sinks. In this context, the concept of the circular economy has emerged, promising to circulate the stock-in-use of materials and transforming output waste material flows back into useful resources while promoting job and value creation. These promises have drawn the attention and interest of policymakers and industry, and gained popularity across society. Despite its apparent emergent legitimacy and diffusion, a few essential adjustments still need to be addressed so that circular economy initiatives can actually deliver on their promises without leading to negative unintended effects. First, a complete entanglement with the existing formal economy is fundamentally needed; this implies valuing the preservation of natural stocks and pricing material input flows adequately. Secondly, a recognition of its socio-economic embeddedness is essentially necessary. The decision-making of societal actors affects material configuration, which in turn affects societal actors; this important feedback loop needs to be explicitly taken into account in circular economy initiatives. The aim of this short communication paper is to explore these pervasive challenges in a broad context of sustainable physical resource management. An integrative framework for recognising the socio-economic embeddedness of the circular economy in practice and the role of the formal economic system in realising its ambitions is proposed.
Rafael Laurenti; Jagdeep Singh; Björn Frostell; Rajib Sinha; Claudia R. Binder. The Socio-Economic Embeddedness of the Circular Economy: An Integrative Framework. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2129 .
AMA StyleRafael Laurenti, Jagdeep Singh, Björn Frostell, Rajib Sinha, Claudia R. Binder. The Socio-Economic Embeddedness of the Circular Economy: An Integrative Framework. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (7):2129.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRafael Laurenti; Jagdeep Singh; Björn Frostell; Rajib Sinha; Claudia R. Binder. 2018. "The Socio-Economic Embeddedness of the Circular Economy: An Integrative Framework." Sustainability 10, no. 7: 2129.
A transition towards a circular economy of phosphorus (P) in Switzerland is a multi-faceted challenge as P use is subject to a variety of influencing factors comprising policy interventions, consumption trends, or technological innovations on different spatial scales. Therefore, scenarios for P use that take into account both the social and the technical dimension of change are needed for investigating possible pathways of a transition towards more sustainable P futures. Drawing on the multi-level perspective of transition theory, we develop scenarios on the landscape level, i.e., a balanced and healthy human diet, on the regime level, i.e., P recovery from sewage sludge (ash) and meat and bone meal, and on the niche level, i.e., urine separation. Based on the P system of the year 2015, we assess the quantitative implications of the scenarios for the Swiss P system. While scenario 1 mainly affects the agricultural system by reducing the overall P throughput, scenario 2 significantly changes P use in waste management, because P losses to landfills and cement plants decrease and the production of secondary P increases. Scenario 3 shows little quantitative impact on the national P system. From a qualitative transition perspective, however, urine separation entails fundamental socio-technical shifts in the wastewater system, whereas P recovery from sewage sludge (ash) represents an incremental system adaptation. The combination of flow- and transition-oriented research provides more general insights into how a circular economy of P can be reached. Furthermore, the analysis of P recycling scenarios reveals that transition processes in Switzerland are embedded in a global resource economy. Thus, a sole focus on concepts of national P self-sufficiency and the reduction of Switzerland’s P import dependency tend to fall short when analysing the economisation of secondary P materials in the face of transnational resource flows and markets.
Michael Jedelhauser; Jonas Mehr; Claudia R. Binder. Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 2: Socio-Technical Scenarios. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1980 .
AMA StyleMichael Jedelhauser, Jonas Mehr, Claudia R. Binder. Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 2: Socio-Technical Scenarios. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (6):1980.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMichael Jedelhauser; Jonas Mehr; Claudia R. Binder. 2018. "Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 2: Socio-Technical Scenarios." Sustainability 10, no. 6: 1980.
Current phosphorus (P) use in European countries is highly dependent on mineral P imports and not sustainably managed. In order to identify and implement measures for sustainable P management, a comprehensive understanding of national P flows and stocks and their temporal dynamics is essential. We conduct a substance flow analysis (SFA) of the Swiss P system of the year 2015, and study the dynamics of the national P system by looking into its development since 1989. Furthermore, we investigate how political-legislative interventions affected the P system during this period. The results show that between 1989 and 2015, the P efficiency in Swiss agriculture increased from 59% to 94%, mainly due to a considerable reduction of fertilization in the agricultural subsystem. At the same time, Switzerland's P import dependency decreased from 33% to 24% between 1989 and 2002 because of a reduction of mineral fertilizer import and use. Between 2002 and 2015, the import dependency stagnated because further improvements in P use efficiency in agriculture were outweighed by a decrease of P recycling and an increase of P losses in the waste management system. By embedding these temporal dynamics in their political-legislative context, we found that top-down interventions such as incentives for a balanced nutrient budget in agriculture, restrictions of the use of animal by-products in the agri-food system or the ban of direct sewage sludge recycling in agriculture significantly affected and shaped the national P system. Our analysis provides profound quantitative and qualitative insights into past and present P management in Switzerland and is followed by part 2 of the paper, where we analyze possible future pathways of P management.
Jonas Mehr; Michael Jedelhauser; Claudia R. Binder. Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 1: Current State and Historical Developments. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1479 .
AMA StyleJonas Mehr, Michael Jedelhauser, Claudia R. Binder. Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 1: Current State and Historical Developments. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (5):1479.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJonas Mehr; Michael Jedelhauser; Claudia R. Binder. 2018. "Transition of the Swiss Phosphorus System towards a Circular Economy—Part 1: Current State and Historical Developments." Sustainability 10, no. 5: 1479.