In the past few decades, geochemically scarce metals have become increasingly relevant for emerging technologies in domains such as energy supply and storage, information and communication, lighting or transportation, which are regarded as cornerstones in the transition towards a sustainable post-fossil society. Accordingly, the supply risks of scarce metals and possible interventions towards their more sustainable use have been subject to an intense debate in recent studies. In this article, we integrate proposed intervention options into a generic life cycle framework, taking into account issues related to knowledge provision and to the institutional setting. As a result, we obtain a landscape of intervention fields that will have to be further specified to more specific intervention profiles for scarce metals or metals families. The envisioned profiles are expected to have the potential to reduce action contingency and to contribute to meeting the sustainability claims often associated with emerging technologies.

The regional level is essential for the use of renewable energies since on this level national political goals are harmonized with implementation activities. Hence, regional strategies can, we argue, be useful. Yet, these strategies must be tailored to meet a variety of contextual conditions. Within this study, we identified natural and socio-economic conditions that need to be considered when developing regional strategies for Energiewende. Focusing on these conditions, we conducted a multivariate statistical analysis of all 412 German districts (Landkreise). We identified nine energy context types characterized by different renewable energy potentials and socio-economic conditions. We propose to develop one generic regional energy transition strategy for each of the energy context types. These can serve as a governance tool that operationalizes and allocates national Energiewende goals according to regional contextual conditions. Moreover, the energy context types may support regional decision makers by allowing them to prioritize steps in the transition process, to establish networks with, and to learn from, similar regions.

Kommunalverwaltungen stehen vor der Herausforderung, Nachhaltigkeit ganzheitlich in Verwaltungsaufbau und -abläufe zu integrieren. Unser Ansatz zur kommunalspezifischen Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung wurde in zwei deutschen Städten entwickelt. Er beschreibt, welche Handlungsoptionen es gibt und wie Verwaltungen die zu ihrer Gemeinde und Situation passenden auswählen können.Local government plays an important role in operationalizing and implementing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. To reach these goals, local administrations, as key stakeholders, should be promoted. Despite numerous promising attempts and approaches, public administrations still face great challenges in integrating sustainability goals into their actions. In this article, we present an approach for developing a municipality-specific form of sustainability management. This focuses on 14 key areas and involves a five-step procedure for successful implementation. Based on the results of two case studies in the German cities of Freiburg im Breisgau and Hansestadt Lüneburg, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of this approach in fostering sustainable municipalities.