Improved resource efficiency and cascading utilisation of renewable materials

In light of various environmental problems and challenges concerning resource allocation, the utilisation of renewable resources is increasingly important for the efficient use of raw materials. Therefore, cascading utilisation (i.e., the multiple material utilisations of renewable resources prior to their conversion into energy) and approaches that aim to further increase resource efficiency (e.g., the utilisation of by-products) can be considered guiding principles. This paper therefore introduces the Special Volume “Improved Resource Efficiency and Cascading Utilisation of Renewable Materials”. Because both research aspects, resource efficiency and cascading utilisation, belong to several disciplines, the Special Volume adopts an interdisciplinary perspective and presents 16 articles, which can be divided into four subjects: Innovative Materials based on Renewable Resources and their Impact on Sustainability and Resource Efficiency, Quantitative Models for the Integrated Optimisation of Production and Distribution in Networks for Renewable Resources, Information Technology-based Collaboration in Value Generating Networks for Renewable Resources, and Consumer Behaviour towards Eco-friendly Products. The interdisciplinary perspective allows a comprehensive overview of current research on resource efficiency, which is supplemented with 15 book reviews showing the extent to which textbooks of selected disciplines already refer to resource efficiency. This introductory article highlights the relevance of the four subjects, presents summaries of all papers, and discusses future research directions. The overall contribution of the Special Volume is that it bridges the resource efficiency research of selected disciplines and that it presents several approaches for more environmentally sound production and consumption

WoodCircus, Underpinning the vital role of the forest-based sector in the Circular Bioeconomy. D2.2 Resource Efficiency, Side Streams and Value Chain Analysis – WP2 Final Report

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Towards a sustainable biomass strategy: what we know and what we should know

The paper reviews the current knowledge on the use of biomass for non-food purposes, critically discusses its environmental sustainability implications, and describes the needs for further research, thus enabling a more balanced policy approach. The life-cylce wide impacts of the use of biomass for energy and material purposes derived from either direct crop harvest or residuals indicate that biomass based substitutes have a different, not always superior environmental performance than comparable fossil based products. Cascading use, i.e. when biomass is used for material products first and the energy content is recovered from the end-of-life products, tends to provide a higher environmental benefit than primary use as fuel. Due to limited global land resources, non-food biomass may only substitute for a certain share of non-renewables. If the demand for non-food biomass, especially fuel crops and its derivates, continues to grow this will inevitably lead to an expansion of global arable land at the expense of natural ecosystems such as savannas and tropical rain forests. Whereas the current aspirations and incentives to increase the use of non-food biomass are intended to counteract climate change and environmental degradation, they are thus bound to a high risk of problem shifting and may even lead to a global deterioration of the environment. Although the balanced approach of the European Union's biomass strategy may be deemed a good principle, the concrete targets and implementation measures in the Union and countries like Germany should be revisited. Likewise, countries like Brazil and Indonesia may revisit their strategies to use their natural resources for export or domestic purposes. Further research is needed to optimize the use of biomass within and between regions. -- Der Beitrag wertet die vorliegenden Erkenntnisse über den Einsatz von Non-Food Biomasse aus. Er diskutiert kritisch die damit verbundenen ökologischen Nachhaltigkeitswirkungen und beschreibt die Forschungsaufgaben, die gelöst werden müssen, um einen ausgewogeneren Politikansatz zu ermöglichen. Die lebenszyklusweiten Umweltbelastungen des energetischen und stofflichen Einsatzes von Biomasse als Roh- oder Reststoffe zeigen, dass Biomasse basierte Produkte andere, nicht immer bessere Umweltauswirkungen aufweisen als fossil basierte. Eine kaskadenförmige Nutzung, bei der Biomasse zunächst materiell für Ge- und Verbrauchsprodukte eingesetzt wird, deren Energiegehalt am Ende ihrer Einsatzphase genutzt wird, ist tendenziell mit einer höheren Umweltentlastung verbunden als der primär energetische Einsatz. Auf Grund der begrenzten globalen Landflächen kann Non-Food Biomasse nur einen gewissen Anteil an nichterneuerbaren Ressourcen ersetzen. Wenn die Nachfrage nach Non-Food Biomasse und ihren Derivaten, speziell nach Biokraftstoffen, weiter ansteigt, wird dies zwangsläufig zu einer Ausdehnung der globalen Ackerfläche zu Lasten von natürlichen Ökosystemen wie Savannen und tropischen Regenwäldern führen. Wenngleich die gegenwärtigen Hoffnungen und Anreize zum verstärkten Einsatz von Non-Food Biomasse darauf abzielen, dem Klimawandel entgegenzuwirken und die Umweltsituation zu verbessern, sind sie daher mit einem großen Risiko verbunden, Probleme zu verlagern und die globale Umweltsituation sogar noch zu verschlechtern. Obwohl der ausgewogene Ansatz der Biomassestrategie der Europäischen Union als ein gutes Prinzip gelten kann, so sollten die konkreten Ziele und Umsetzungsmaßnahmen in der Union und in Ländern wie Deutschland überprüft werden. In gleicher Weise mögen Länder wie Brasilien und Indonesien ihre Strategie zur Nutzung ihrer natürlichen Ressourcen für den Export oder im Inland überprüfen. Weitere Forschungsarbeiten sind nötig, um den Einsatz von Biomasse innerhalb und zwischen den Regionen zu optimieren.

Can procurement affect design performance?

There is an emerging view in the construction industry that better performance or better value for money can be achieved by integrating teamwork for planning, design and construction of building projects. There are though, two opposing perspectives regarding how changes in traditional design practices should occur. Advocates of sustainable construction in North America posit that it is a matter of evolving processes, moving from a sequential to an iterative approach to design, whereas the British government supports the view that a change in how projects are procured is required to transform the context that dictates relationships among the members of the team. The objective of the research is to study the influence of procurement on the performance of integrated design teams. It analyses, through case studies representing these two perspectives, the influence of procurement on the performance of integrated teams. The research is conclusive in that it is the context created by contractual relationship, and not the process set up for conducting integrated design, that most influence team efficiency. It demonstrates that traditional procurement processes reinforce socio-cognitive barriers that hinder team efficiency. It also illustrates how new procurement modes can transform the dynamics of relationships between the client and the members of the supply chain, and have a positive impact on team performance

The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries: Issues, Terminology, Principles, Institutional Foundations, Implementation and Outlook

Ecosystems are complex and dynamic natural units that produce goods and services beyond those of benefit to fisheries. Because fisheries have a direct impact on the ecosystem, which is also impacted by other human activities, they need to be managed in an ecosystem context. The meaning of the terms 'ecosystem management', 'ecosystem based management', 'ecosystem approach to fisheries'(EAF), etc., are still not universally defined and progressively evolving. The justification of EAF is evident in the characteristics of an exploited ecosystem and the impacts resulting from fisheries and other activities. The rich set of international agreements of relevance to EAF contains a large number of principles and conceptual objectives. Both provide a fundamental guidance and a significant challenge for the implementation of EAF. The available international instruments also provide the institutional foundations for EAF. The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries is particularly important in this respect and contains provisions for practically all aspects of the approach. One major difficulty in defining EAF lies precisely in turning the available concepts and principles into operational objectives from which an EAF management plan would more easily be developed. The paper discusses these together with the types of action needed to achieve them. Experience in EAF implementation is still limited but some issues are already apparent, e.g. in added complexity, insufficient capacity, slow implementation, need for a pragmatic approach, etc. It is argued, in conclusion, that the future of EAF and fisheries depends on the way in which the two fundamental concepts of fisheries management and ecosystem management, and their respective stakeholders, will join efforts or collide

The influence of a collaborative procurement approach using integrated design in construction on project team performance

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to study the influence of procurement on the performance of integrated design teams. Design/methodology/approach – The research paradigm is based on Russian socio-constructivist approach to activity theory. Activity theory, as opposed to natural or social science, is a design science approach that focuses on the context aspect of project. A triangulation of qualitative research methods is used to investigate the dynamic of integrated teams in two different procurement contexts. Findings – The paper is conclusive regarding the influence of procurement on team efficiency. It demonstrates that traditional procurement processes reinforce socio-cognitive barriers that hinder team efficiency. It also illustrates how new procurement modes can transform the dynamic of relationships between the client and the members of the supply chain, and have a positive impact on teamperformance. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates first that problems with integrated design team efficiency are related to context and not process – they are not technical but socio-cognitive; second that fragmented transactional contracting increases socio-cognitive barriers that hinder integrated design team performance; third that new forms of relational contracting may help to mitigate socio-cognitive barriers and improve integrated design team performance, fourth that changing the context through procurement does not address the problem of obsolete design practices. Originality/value – The paper brings together theories of production in lean construction and social learning as a rival approach to traditional project management theory for demonstrating the importance of context on team performance

The transition towards a sustainable energy system in Europe: What role can North Africa's solar resources play?

Securing energy supply and speeding up the transition towards a reliable, sustainable, low-carbon energy system are among the major current and future challenges facing Europe. Importing dispatchable solar electricity from North Africa is considered as a potential and attractive option. Nevertheless, as things currently stand, the European Commission focuses mainly on the exploitation of the existing wind power potential in the North Sea, largely ignoring the solar power potential in the Sahara region of North Africa. After discussing the major challenges and issues facing Europe to achieve the assigned ambitious objectives, the paper emphasises the importance of North Africa's solar resources in helping Europe to successfully address the challenge of decarbonising its electricity system, in particular with regards to the security of supply and sustainability. Within these two major challenges, the paper explores the issues of access, barriers and opportunities. The paper highlights why the EU’s energy and climate goals will not be achievable without adequate grid expansion and grid-scale energy storage facilities, as well as other innovative measures to manage demand and ensure a secure energy supply. In this respect, the paper shows how the import of dispatchable electricity from North Africa via specific HVDC links could play a key role in helping the EU achieve its energy targets in a cost effective way without recourse to significant investments in transmission infrastructure and storage facilities. The paper then attempts to identify and analyze the main barriers that continue to inhibit the export of solar electricity from North Africa to Europe. Finally, to make the project more attractive and achievable in the near future, the paper proposes a systematic approach for setting up energy import scenarios. A promising import scenario is presented where energy import via Italy is shown to be a more viable and effective solution than via Spain.Peer reviewe

The EnTrak system : supporting energy action planning via the Internet

Recent energy policy is designed to foster better energy efficiency and assist with the deployment of clean energy systems, especially those derived from renewable energy sources. To attain the envisaged targets will require action at all levels and effective collaboration between disparate groups (e.g. policy makers, developers, local authorities, energy managers, building designers, consumers etc) impacting on energy and environment. To support such actions and collaborations, an Internet-enabled energy information system called 'EnTrak' was developed. The aim was to provide decision-makers with information on energy demands, supplies and impacts by sector, time, fuel type and so on, in support of energy action plan formulation and enactment. This paper describes the system structure and capabilities of the EnTrak system

Finnish Multinational Corporations and the Process of Cascading the Sustainability Identity and Targets Across the Company : How This Impacts Their External Online Communication Internationally?

Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are responding to global megatrends by designing sustainability as core of their DNA. Thus, MNCs are basing their corporate identity, values and principles to sustainability agenda. The previous research has recognised the important role, which communication plays in cascading the sustainability identity. However, there is a research gap in studying the process of cascading the sustainability identity and targets across the MNCs, and how this impacts their external online communication internationally. Therefore, this study is providing a framework for the process. The framework is evaluated and modified by utilizing the findings from the empirical data. For the study is selected four Finnish B2B MNCs in primary industries with sustainability at core design of their DNA. The study suggests that case companies have a strong link between sustainability corporate strategy and corporate brand identity. The case companies’ sustainability identities are also strongly integrated into their online communication. Additionally, diversity is key characteristic in MNC’s business sustainability management, as the case companies have adopted a mix of local and global business sustainability practices. Finally, the study contributes to previous research of MNCs’ online communication strategies by confirming that MNCs aim to integrate or even standardize their sustainability online communication internationally, but despite their efforts subsidiaries’ sustainability communication may vary.Monikansalliset yritykset vastaavat kansainvälisiin megatrendeihin ottamalla vastuullisuuden tärkeäksi osaksi strategiaansa ja sitä, kuka he ovat yrityksenä. Tällöin yritykset perustavat yrityksen identiteetin, arvot ja toimintaperiaatteet vastuullisuusagendalle. Aiempi tutkimus on tunnistanut viestinnän tärkeän roolin vastuullisen yritysidentiteetin jalkauttamisessa. Nykyisessä tutkimuksessa on kuitenkin aukko tutkimukselle, joka selvittäisi vastuullisen identiteetin ja vastuullisuustavoitteiden jalkauttamista monikansallisissa yrityksissä ja, miten tämä vaikuttaa heidän ulkoiseen verkkoviestintäänsä kansainvälisesti. Sen vuoksi tämä tutkimus tarjoaa viitekehyksen kyseiselle prosessille. Viitekehystä arvioidaan ja muokataan empiirisen tutkimuksen perusteella. Tutkimukseen on valittu neljä suomalaista monikansallista teollisuusyritystä, joille vastuullisuus on tärkeä osa heidän strategiaansa. Tutkimuksessa löydetään, että vastuullisella yritysstrategialla ja yrityksen brändi-identiteetillä on voimakas yhteys. Vastuullinen identiteetti on myös vahvasti integroitu tutkittujen yritysten verkkoviestintään. Lisäksi tutkittujen yritysten vastuullisuuden johtaminen kansainvälisesti vaihtelee ja yritykset ovat omaksuneet sekä paikallisia että globaaleja strategioita. Lopuksi tutkimus tukee aiempien vastuullisuusverkkoviestinnän tutkimuksia vahvistamalla, että monikansalliset yritykset pyrkivät yhtenäistämään ja jopa standardoimaan vastuullisuusverkkoviestintänsä kansainvälisesti, mutta tästä huolimatta tytäryhtiöiden vastuullisuusviestinnässä on eroavaisuuksia

Global Risks 2014, Ninth Edition.

The Global Risks 2014 report highlights how global risks are not only interconnected but also have systemic impacts. To manage global risks effectively and build resilience to their impacts, better efforts are needed to understand, measure and foresee the evolution of interdependencies between risks, supplementing traditional risk-management tools with new concepts designed for uncertain environments. If global risks are not effectively addressed, their social, economic and political fallouts could be far-reaching, as exemplified by the continuing impacts of the financial crisis of 2007-2008