The Global Research Forum in Western Europe
Several policies have been instituted, of relevance to EU climate change policy and thus to the promotion of sustainable production and consumption, in Western Europe. Some of the key EU-wide policies include the European Directive 2009/28-33 (European Council, 2009), which stipulates the aim of attaining by 2020: a 20% reduction in GHG emissions, a 20% increase in the share of primary energy from renewable energy sources, and a 20% reduction in energy use compared to the primary energy level in 2005. Prior to this EU-wide initiative, individual nation state policies flowed from the international agreements made at conventions such as at the Earth Summit in Rio, 1992 and at Kyoto, 1997. Of course there are also the targets, policies and initiatives of regions and localities within the EU.
There have been mixed results. For example the period 1990-2008 saw reductions in EU greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors except transport; however, a significant amount of this reduction was occurred in the former East Germany, rather than in Western Europe, as noted by the European Energy Agency (EEA, 2011). The EEA also noted that significant emission reductions occurred in France and the United Kingdom during the early 1990s, particularly in the energy industries but that the reductions achieved by the United Kingdom were linked to what has become known as the ‘dash for gas’. This was the switch from using solid fuels such as coal as inputs to the process of generating electricity to using gaseous fuels instead. Greater energy efficiency and adoption of renewable energy sources were lesser contributors to reduced emissions. The improvement in emissions performance was also negated by increases in greenhouse gas emissions in some Western European countries, in particular Spain and Italy. A cause for concern remains relating to the non-achievement of targets for reductions in energy use, which on current trends look as if they will be missed by a long way.
In terms of activities designed to address these issues, a number of initiatives have sought to improve matters across both Western and Eastern Europe, such as instruments and directives to promote sustainable procurement and eco-labelling, an eco-innovation action plan and an environmental management audit scheme. On research, EU Framework funding contributed to setting up the ‘SCORE’ project on sustainable consumption and research exchanges (2005-07), out of which SCORAI (Europe) emerged. A number of contributors to SCORAI (Europe) also participate in the activities of the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and projects such as ‘INCONTEXT’, ‘CRISP’ and ‘LoCAW’.
There have been mixed results. For example the period 1990-2008 saw reductions in EU greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors except transport; however, a significant amount of this reduction was occurred in the former East Germany, rather than in Western Europe, as noted by the European Energy Agency (EEA, 2011). The EEA also noted that significant emission reductions occurred in France and the United Kingdom during the early 1990s, particularly in the energy industries but that the reductions achieved by the United Kingdom were linked to what has become known as the ‘dash for gas’. This was the switch from using solid fuels such as coal as inputs to the process of generating electricity to using gaseous fuels instead. Greater energy efficiency and adoption of renewable energy sources were lesser contributors to reduced emissions. The improvement in emissions performance was also negated by increases in greenhouse gas emissions in some Western European countries, in particular Spain and Italy. A cause for concern remains relating to the non-achievement of targets for reductions in energy use, which on current trends look as if they will be missed by a long way.
In terms of activities designed to address these issues, a number of initiatives have sought to improve matters across both Western and Eastern Europe, such as instruments and directives to promote sustainable procurement and eco-labelling, an eco-innovation action plan and an environmental management audit scheme. On research, EU Framework funding contributed to setting up the ‘SCORE’ project on sustainable consumption and research exchanges (2005-07), out of which SCORAI (Europe) emerged. A number of contributors to SCORAI (Europe) also participate in the activities of the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and projects such as ‘INCONTEXT’, ‘CRISP’ and ‘LoCAW’.
Regional Highlights
UPCOMING SCORAI EUROPE WORKSHOPS
September, 2014 SCORAI workshop, London
Indicative title/content: Interaction between Sustainable Consumption and Production. Co-design, interaction between sustainable consumption and production, user innovation, methodological developments, new roles for researchers and activists
Primary organiser: Audley Genus, Kingston University
Date tbc 2014 SCORAI Europe workshop, University of Lausanne and University of Berne Switzerland
Indicative title/content: Can we be Interdisciplinary and do we truly want to be? ‘Sustainable Consumption’ at the nexus of Social and Environmental sciences
Primary organisers: Marlyne Sahakian at UNIL Industrial Ecology Group and others
September, 2014 SCORAI workshop, London
Indicative title/content: Interaction between Sustainable Consumption and Production. Co-design, interaction between sustainable consumption and production, user innovation, methodological developments, new roles for researchers and activists
Primary organiser: Audley Genus, Kingston University
Date tbc 2014 SCORAI Europe workshop, University of Lausanne and University of Berne Switzerland
Indicative title/content: Can we be Interdisciplinary and do we truly want to be? ‘Sustainable Consumption’ at the nexus of Social and Environmental sciences
Primary organisers: Marlyne Sahakian at UNIL Industrial Ecology Group and others
An international workshop on “Structural Prerequisites for Sustainable Societies and the Good Life – Taking the Sustainable Consumption Lens Seriously” took place at the University of Muenster on March 21-22, 2013. The workshop inquired into the possibilities and conditions of a common vision of a Good Life, the structural changes needed to allow the societal development and pursuit of such a vision, and the most promising political intervention points on behalf of a societal transformation towards sustainable consumption and the Good Life. Debate centred also especially on the relevance of power in sustainable consumption research and governance and the potential and limits for a diffusion and main-streaming of local or regional sustainable initiatives. Visit the Conference Website to read more.
The Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCORAI) convened a one-day workshop, prior to the 2012 European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP). The workshop was held on May 1, 2012 in Bregenz, Austria with the theme “Sustainable Consumption During Times of Crisis.” This workshop was the first Trans-Atlantic SCORAI workshop. Proceedings of the workshop can be found here: http://scorai.org/wp-content/uploads/SCORAI-20Europe-20-20Proceedings-20Bregenz-20May-2020121.pdf
Papers and Case Studies
Genus, A (Forthcoming) “Co-inquiry’ for environmental sustainability: a review of the UK Beacons for public engagement”, Environment and Planning C
Genus, A (2012) “Changing the Rules? Institutional Innovation and the Diffusion of Microgeneration”, Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 24, 7, pp. 711-727.
Genus, A. (2012) “The governance of technological transitions: the case of renewable energy”, in: Gerardo Marletto (ed.),Creating a Sustainable Economy. An Institutional/ Evolutionary Approach to Environmental Policy, Routledge: London, Chapter 9, pp. 177-201.
Ivory, C. and A. Genus (2010) “Symbolic consumption, signification and the ‘lock-out’ of electric cars 1885-1914”, Business History, 52, 7, pp. 1107-1122.
Genus, A. and A-M Coles (2008) “Rethinking the Multi-level Perspective of Technological Transitions”, Research Policy, 37, 9, pp. 1436-1445.
Genus, A (2012) “Changing the Rules? Institutional Innovation and the Diffusion of Microgeneration”, Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 24, 7, pp. 711-727.
Genus, A. (2012) “The governance of technological transitions: the case of renewable energy”, in: Gerardo Marletto (ed.),Creating a Sustainable Economy. An Institutional/ Evolutionary Approach to Environmental Policy, Routledge: London, Chapter 9, pp. 177-201.
Ivory, C. and A. Genus (2010) “Symbolic consumption, signification and the ‘lock-out’ of electric cars 1885-1914”, Business History, 52, 7, pp. 1107-1122.
Genus, A. and A-M Coles (2008) “Rethinking the Multi-level Perspective of Technological Transitions”, Research Policy, 37, 9, pp. 1436-1445.