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The sustainable development goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015, succeeding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While the MDGs focused on improving well-being in the developing world, the 17 SDGs address all countries and aim at reconciling economic and social with ecological goals. We adopt a social ecology perspective and critically reflect on the SDGs’ potential for monitoring, supporting, and bringing about a transformation towards sustainability. Starting from a literature review on the SDGs, we link empirical findings from social ecology with analyses of SDG targets and indicators. First, we find that the SDGs fail to monitor absolute trends in resource use and thus prioritize economic growth over ecological integrity. Second, we discuss the contradictions between economic growth and sustainable resource use in early and late stages of industrialization processes and show that they are responsible for important trade-offs among SDG targets. Third, we analyze the transformative potential of the SDGs with a focus on the actors and institutions addressed to bring about transformative change. We find that the SDGs rely mainly on those institutions responsible for unsustainable resource use, and partly propose measures that even reinforce current trends towards less sustainability. Despite ascertaining limited transformative potential to the SDGs from an analytical perspective, we conclude by stressing the strategic relevance of the SDGs for visions, research, and practices of statt towards transformative change towards sustainability.
Nina Eisenmenger; Melanie Pichler; Nora Krenmayr; Dominik Noll; Barbara Plank; Ekaterina Schalmann; Marie-Theres Wandl; Simone Gingrich. The Sustainable Development Goals prioritize economic growth over sustainable resource use: a critical reflection on the SDGs from a socio-ecological perspective. Sustainability Science 2020, 15, 1101 -1110.
AMA StyleNina Eisenmenger, Melanie Pichler, Nora Krenmayr, Dominik Noll, Barbara Plank, Ekaterina Schalmann, Marie-Theres Wandl, Simone Gingrich. The Sustainable Development Goals prioritize economic growth over sustainable resource use: a critical reflection on the SDGs from a socio-ecological perspective. Sustainability Science. 2020; 15 (4):1101-1110.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNina Eisenmenger; Melanie Pichler; Nora Krenmayr; Dominik Noll; Barbara Plank; Ekaterina Schalmann; Marie-Theres Wandl; Simone Gingrich. 2020. "The Sustainable Development Goals prioritize economic growth over sustainable resource use: a critical reflection on the SDGs from a socio-ecological perspective." Sustainability Science 15, no. 4: 1101-1110.
This is a case study on a small mountainous island in the Aegean Sea with the policy goal of preparing it to become member of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. While the local community opted for such an identity very early on, there are a number of obstacles to be overcome. The multidisciplinary research is based upon a sociometabolic approach and focuses on two issues: The transformation of agriculture, mainly herding of sheep and goats, and the shift to tourism. The degradation of the landscape caused by extensive roaming of goats and sheep constitute one of the major sustainability challenges of the island. We analyze farmers’ opportunities and describe new initiatives to get out of this deadlock. The impacts of the transition to tourism are addressed from an infrastructural perspective: A shift from traditional stone buildings to bricks and concrete, the establishment of new roads and ports, and the challenges to water supply and wastewater removal, also with reference to the quality and amounts of wastes generated that need to be dealt with. The island has so far escaped mass tourism and attracts mainly eco-tourists who value its remoteness and wilderness. We discuss how to serve this clientele best in the future, and increase local job opportunities and income while maintaining environmental quality. Finally, we reflect upon emerging new forms of local collaboration and the impact of our research efforts on a sustainability transition that might be on its way.
Marina Fischer-Kowalski; Markus Löw; Dominik Noll; Panos Petridis; Nikolaos Skoulikidis. Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1932 .
AMA StyleMarina Fischer-Kowalski, Markus Löw, Dominik Noll, Panos Petridis, Nikolaos Skoulikidis. Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (5):1932.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarina Fischer-Kowalski; Markus Löw; Dominik Noll; Panos Petridis; Nikolaos Skoulikidis. 2020. "Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island." Sustainability 12, no. 5: 1932.
Sedentary extensive small ruminant farming systems are highly important for the preservation of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland. Both the abandonment of grazing and overgrazing have led to environmental degradation in many Mediterranean regions. On the Greek island of Samothrace, decades of overgrazing by sheep and goats has caused severe degradation of local ecosystems. The present study highlights the importance of regional contexts for national and EU agricultural policies in regard to sustainable development of sedentary extensive livestock systems. By utilizing the conceptual framework of socio-ecological systems research, we analyze the interdependencies of environmental, economic and social factors on a local island level. Results show that between 1929 and 2016, the livestock and land-use system of Samothrace transformed from a diverse system towards a simplified system, solely used for small ruminant production. Total livestock units increased from 2200 in 1929 to 7850 in 2002, declining to 5100 thereafter. The metabolic analysis conducted for the years 1993–2016 shows that 80–90% of the feed demand of small ruminants was covered by grazing, exceeding available grazing resources for at least a decade. The regional implementation of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) continues to support excessively high animal numbers, while farmers are highly dependent on subsidies and find themselves in an economic deadlock.
Dominik Noll; Christian Lauk; Veronika Gaube; Dominik Wiedenhofer. Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies. Sustainability 2020, 12, 762 .
AMA StyleDominik Noll, Christian Lauk, Veronika Gaube, Dominik Wiedenhofer. Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (3):762.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDominik Noll; Christian Lauk; Veronika Gaube; Dominik Wiedenhofer. 2020. "Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies." Sustainability 12, no. 3: 762.
Dominik Noll; Dominik Wiedenhofer; Alessio Miatto; Simron Singh. The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island’s dilemma. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2019, 150, 1 .
AMA StyleDominik Noll, Dominik Wiedenhofer, Alessio Miatto, Simron Singh. The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island’s dilemma. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2019; 150 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDominik Noll; Dominik Wiedenhofer; Alessio Miatto; Simron Singh. 2019. "The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island’s dilemma." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 150, no. : 1.
Connectivity and affluence provide communities on small islands with opportunities and challenges. Both factors drive the expansion of material stocks which in turn determines future waste generation. For islands with limited waste treatment options an effective waste management strategy is inevitable. For the Greek island of Samothraki, construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents a new phenomenon. The advent of tourism, EU funding, labor migration and the construction of a new port in the 1960s led to an expansion of the built environment unprecedented on the island. As a consequence, new types and expanding quantities of CDW put the island community increasingly in the need for action. The European Waste Framework Directive, reinforced in 2018 with the Circular Economy Package, demands from EU member states at least 70% recycling and recovery rate of CDW until 2020. In this study, a mixed methods approach enabled the integration of data from official statistics, field surveys and interviews into a dynamic stock-driven model for different infrastructure and buildings types on Samothraki from 1971 to 2016. Our results show that the material stock expanded from 175 t/cap to 350 t/cap in the given period, leading to a 15-fold increase of annual CDW generation. With a recycling rate of only 14%, the island is currently far away from meeting the recycling and recovery targets of the EU-WFD. This study provides a systematic and dynamic analysis for developing policy and management options on reducing, re-using and recycling of CDW on islands where waste treatment options are limited.
Dominik Noll; Dominik Wiedenhofer; Alessio Miatto; Simron Jit Singh. WITHDRAWN: The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island's dilemma. Resources, Conservation & Recycling: X 2019, 1 .
AMA StyleDominik Noll, Dominik Wiedenhofer, Alessio Miatto, Simron Jit Singh. WITHDRAWN: The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island's dilemma. Resources, Conservation & Recycling: X. 2019; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDominik Noll; Dominik Wiedenhofer; Alessio Miatto; Simron Jit Singh. 2019. "WITHDRAWN: The expansion of the built environment, waste generation and EU recycling targets on Samothraki, Greece: An island's dilemma." Resources, Conservation & Recycling: X , no. : 1.
Tamara Fetzel; Panos Petridis; Dominik Noll; Simron Singh; Marina Fischer-Kowalski. Reaching a socio-ecological tipping point: Overgrazing on the Greek island of Samothraki and the role of European agricultural policies. Land Use Policy 2018, 76, 21 -28.
AMA StyleTamara Fetzel, Panos Petridis, Dominik Noll, Simron Singh, Marina Fischer-Kowalski. Reaching a socio-ecological tipping point: Overgrazing on the Greek island of Samothraki and the role of European agricultural policies. Land Use Policy. 2018; 76 ():21-28.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTamara Fetzel; Panos Petridis; Dominik Noll; Simron Singh; Marina Fischer-Kowalski. 2018. "Reaching a socio-ecological tipping point: Overgrazing on the Greek island of Samothraki and the role of European agricultural policies." Land Use Policy 76, no. : 21-28.
Panos Petridis; Marina Fischer-Kowalski; Simron J. Singh; Dominik Noll. The role of science in sustainability transitions: citizen science, transformative research, and experiences from Samothraki island, Greece. Island Studies Journal 2017, 12, 115 -134.
AMA StylePanos Petridis, Marina Fischer-Kowalski, Simron J. Singh, Dominik Noll. The role of science in sustainability transitions: citizen science, transformative research, and experiences from Samothraki island, Greece. Island Studies Journal. 2017; 12 (1):115-134.
Chicago/Turabian StylePanos Petridis; Marina Fischer-Kowalski; Simron J. Singh; Dominik Noll. 2017. "The role of science in sustainability transitions: citizen science, transformative research, and experiences from Samothraki island, Greece." Island Studies Journal 12, no. 1: 115-134.