A Transition to Which Bioeconomy? An Exploration of Diverging Techno-Political Choices

To date the concept of the bioeconomy - an economy based primarily on biogenic instead of fossil resources - has largely been associated with visions of "green growth" and the advancement of biotechnology and has been framed from within an industrial perspective. However, there is no consensus as to what a bioeconomy should effectively look like, and what type of society it would sustain. In this paper, we identify different types of narratives constructed around this concept and carve out the techno-political implications they convey. We map these narratives on a two-dimensional option space, which allows for a rough classification of narratives and their related imaginaries into four paradigmatic quadrants. We draw the narratives from three different sources: (i) policy documents of national and supra-national authorities; (ii) stakeholder interviews; and (iii) scenarios built in a biophysical modelling exercise. Our analysis shows that there is a considerable gap between official policy papers and visions supported by stakeholders. At least in the case of Austria there is also a gap between the official strategies and the option space identified through biophysical modelling. These gaps testify to the highly political nature of the concept of the bioeconomy and the diverging visions of society arising from it

Exploring the biophysical option space for feeding the world without deforestation

Safeguarding the world’s remaining forests is a high priority goal. We assess the biophysical option space for feeding the world in 2050 in a hypothetical zero deforestation world. We systematically combine realistic assumptions on future yields, agricultural areas, livestock feed and human diets. For each scenario, we determine whether the supply of crop products meets the demand and whether the grazing intensity stays within plausible limits. We find that many options exist to meet the global food supply in 2050 without deforestation, even at low crop-yield levels. Within the option space, individual scenarios differ greatly in terms of biomass harvest, cropland demand and grazing intensity, depending primarily on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of human diets. Grazing constraints strongly limit the option space. Without the option to encroach into natural or semi-natural land, trade volumes will rise in scenarios with globally converging diets, thereby decreasing the food self-sufficiency of many developing regions

Diverse types of knowledge on a plate: a multi-perspective and multi-method approach for the transformation of urban food systems towards sustainable diets

Urbanization processes are accompanied by growing global challenges for food systems. Urban actors are increasingly striving to address these challenges through a focus on sustainable diets. However, transforming food systems towards more sustainable diets is challenging and it is unclear what the local scope of action might be. Co-production of knowledge between science and non-science is particularly useful for analysing context-specific solutions and promise to result in more robust socio-economic, political and technical solutions. Thus, this paper aims to integrate different types and sources of knowledge to understand urban food systems transformation towards a more sustainable diet in Vienna; and, second, to analyse and reflect on the difficulties and ways forward to integrate diverse actors’ perspectives, multiple methods and epistemologies. We created different future scenarios that illustrate the synergies and trade-offs of various bundles of measures and the interactions among single dimensions of sustainable diets. These scenarios show that there is plenty of scope for local action, but co-ordination across diverse groups, interests, and types of knowledge is necessary to overcome lock-ins

Structure-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of a Lipocalin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Highlights: • Crystal structure of the malaria parasite lipocalin • Comparative analysis of lipocalin superfamily members in alveolate genomes • Localization of PfLipocalin to the parasitophorous vacuole and food vacuole • Reverse genetics reveal PfLipocalin function in oxidative damage control Summary: Proteins of the lipocalin family are known to bind small hydrophobic ligands and are involved in various physiological processes ranging from lipid transport to oxidative stress responses. The genome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a single protein PF3D7_0925900 with a lipocalin signature. Using crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering, we show that the protein has a tetrameric structure of typical lipocalin monomers; hence we name it P. falciparum lipocalin (PfLCN). We show that PfLCN is expressed in the intraerythrocytic stages of the parasite and localizes to the parasitophorous and food vacuoles. Conditional knockdown of PfLCN impairs parasite development, which can be rescued by treatment with the radical scavenger Trolox or by temporal inhibition of hemoglobin digestion. This suggests a key function of PfLCN in counteracting oxidative stress-induced cell damage during multiplication of parasites within erythrocytes

Bioenergy production and sustainable development: Science base for policymaking remains limited

The possibility of using bioenergy as a climate change mitigation measure has sparked a discussion of whether and how bioenergy production contributes to sustainable development. We undertook a systematic review of the scientific literature to illuminate this relationship and found a limited scientific basis for policymaking. Our results indicate that knowledge on the sustainable development impacts of bioenergy production is concentrated in a few well‐studied countries, focuses on environmental and economic impacts, and mostly relates to dedicated agricultural biomass plantations. The scope and methodological approaches in studies differ widely and only a small share of the studies sufficiently reports on context and/or baseline conditions, which makes it difficult to get a general understanding of the attribution of impacts. Nevertheless, we identified regional patterns of positive or negative impacts for all categories – environmental, economic, institutional, social and technological. In general, economic and technological impacts were more frequently reported as positive, while social and environmental impacts were more frequently reported as negative (with the exception of impacts on direct substitution of GHG emission from fossil fuel). More focused and transparent research is needed to validate these patterns and develop a strong science underpinning for establishing policies and governance agreements that prevent/mitigate negative and promote positive impacts from bioenergy production

Global aspects of the socioeconomic carbon metabolism

Einige der grundlegenden Nachhaltigkeitsprobleme der Menschheit, darunter der Klimawandel, genauso wie ErnÃ$hrungs- und Energiesicherheit, sind eng verknÃpft mit Fragen zu KohlenstoffbestÃ$nden und FlÃssen im Erdsystem sowie deren Kontrolle und Transformation durch die Gesellschaft. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation werden bedeutende, jedoch bislang wenig erforschte Aspekte des sozioÃkonomischen Kohlenstoffmetabolismus auf globaler Ebene untersucht, wobei hierzu verschiedene in der Sozialen Ãkologie und verwandten Feldern entwickelte Konzepte den Rahmen bilden. Der sozioÃkonomische Metabolismus, als zentrales Konzept der Sozialen Ãkologie, wird als theoretischer Hintergrund verwendet, um verschiedene, sozial kontrollierte Komponenten des globalen Kohlenstoffkreislaufs integriert darzustellen. Den zentralen Teil dieser Arbeit, der einer allgemeinen Einleitung folgt, bilden vier empirische Studien: (1) Eine umfassende AbschÃ$tzung der globalen Ernte, Verwendung und des Handels von Biomasse fÃr das Jahr 2000. Die Daten zur Biomasseernte umfassen dabei die genutzte und ungenutzte Entnahme von Biomasse und werden fÃr elf Weltregionen prÃ$sentiert. Es zeigt sich, dass das das Ausmaà der Biomassenutzung pro Kopf in einer Region vor allem von der BevÃlkerungsdichte, der Zusammensetzung der Pro-Kopf-ErnÃ$hrung und dem Nutztiersystem abhÃ$ngt. (2) Eine globale Quantifizierung der in anthropogenen Vegetationsfeuern verbrannten Biomasse fÃr das Jahr 2000, prÃ$sentiert auf LÃ$nderebene. Die Studie zeigt, dass durch menschlich verursachte Vegetationsfeuer induzierte FlÃsse im Vergleich zu anderen KohlenstoffflÃssen hoch relevant sind. Die regionale Verbreitung der mit anthropogenen Vegetationsfeuern verbundenen KohlenstoffflÃsse wird im Rahmen der Funktion von Vegetationsfeuern im Wanderfeldbau und der Weidewirtschaft diskutiert. (3) Eine AbschÃ$tzung globaler sozioÃkonomischer KohlenstoffbestÃ$nde und entsprech zwischen 1900 und 2008, einschlieÃlich Kohlenstoff in Holzprodukten, Bitumen, Plastik, GetreidebestÃ$nden, ViehbestÃ$nden und Menschen. Basierend auf diesen Daten wird eine AbschÃ$tzung der durch das Wachstum der sozioÃkonomischen KohlenstoffbestÃ$nde verursachten Kohlenstoffsenke prÃ$sentiert und als mÃgliche Option zur EindÃ$mmung des Klimawandels diskutiert. Sowie (4) eine SchÃ$tzung des globalen Bioenergiepotentials fÃr das Jahr 2050, basierend auf einem Bilanzierungsmodell fÃr Biomasse, das ErnÃ$hrung, Viehbestand, Landwirtschaft und Bioenergieszenarien konsistent integriert. Bei der AbschÃ$tzung der Bioenergiepotentiale wird die ErnÃ$hrungssicherheit priorisiert und die SensitivitÃ$t von ErnÃ$hrungszusammensetzung, landwirtschaftlichen FlÃ$chenertrÃ$gen, Ausweitung des Ackerlands und Klimawandel bestimmt, die zeigen, dass insbesondere die ErnÃ$hrungszusammensetzung das Potential in hohem MaÃe beeinflusst. Die empirischen Studien, die den Kern dieser Dissertation bilden, tragen auf empirischer und methodischer Ebene zu einem besseren VerstÃ$ndnis des sozioÃkonomischen Metabolismus bei, der das Bindeglied zwischen der Gesellschaft und dem globalen Kohlenstoffkreislauf bildet. Sie zeigen, dass ein integrierter Blick auf das Zusammenspiel zwischen KohlenstoffbestÃ$nden und -FlÃssen wesentlich fÃr ein besseres VerstÃ$ndnis von Themen rund um Klimawandel, ErnÃ$hrungs- und Energiesicherheit ist.Some of humanities most vital sustainability issues, such as climate change and food as well as energy security, are intimately linked to the stocks and flows of carbon within the earth system and its control and transformation by society. This thesis explores important and so far understudied aspects of the socioeconomic carbon metabolism on a global scale, using different concepts and methods developed in Social Ecology and related fields. The socioeconomic metabolism as a core concept of Social Ecology is used as framework to integrate different socially controlled components of the global carbon cycle. The central part of this thesis that follows a general introduction comprises four empirical studies: (1) A comprehensive assessment of global socioeconomic biomass harvest, use and trade for the year 2000. The biomass harvest covers used and unused extraction and distinguishes 11 world regions. It is shown that the level of biomass used per capita in a region strongly relates to the population density, per capita diets and the livestock system. (2) A global quantification of biomass burnt in anthropogenic vegetation fires for the year 2000, presented at the country level. The study indicates that biomass burnt in human induced vegetation fires is significant on a global level, when compared with other carbon flows. The regional prevalence of carbon flows linked to anthropogenic vegetation fires is discussed in the context of the function of vegetation fires in swidden cultivation and pastoralism. (3) An assessment of global socio-economic carbon stocks and the corresponding carbon in- and outflows from 1900 to 2008, including carbon in wood products, livestock, humans, bitumen, plastic and cereals. Based on this data, an estimate of the annual carbon sink caused by an increase of socioeconomic carbon stocks is presented and discussed as a possible climate change mitigation option. And finally (4) an estimate of global bioenergy potentials in 2050, based on a biomass balance model that integrates food, livestock, agriculture and bioenergy scenarios. The estimate follows a "food first" approach and assesses sensitivities of the biomass potential to future developments of diets, agricultural yields, cropland expansion and climate change, which shows that in particular diets strongly influence bioenergy potentials. These studies, which form the core of this thesis, contribute to a better understanding of the socioeconomic metabolism, as a link between society and the global carbon cycle, on a conceptual as well as on an empirical and methodological level. They show that an integrated view on the interplay between carbon stocks and flows is vital for a better understanding of issues revolving around climate change, food security and energy security.Christian LaukAbweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersKlagenfurt, Alpen-Adria-Univ., Diss., 2012OeBB(VLID)241520

Biomass consumed in anthropogenic vegetation fires: Global patterns and processes

Human-induced vegetation fires destroy a large amount of biomass each year and thus constitute an important fraction of the human interference with the energy flows of terrestrial ecosystems. This paper presents a quantification of the biomass burned in large-scale as well as small-scale human-induced vegetation fires at the country level for the year 2000. The amount of biomass burned in large scale fires is estimated combining information on the amount of biomass destroyed by large vegetation fires each year, derived by remote sensing, with estimates about the fraction induced by human activities. For biomass flows resulting from shifting cultivation, no comprehensive information is available at the global scale. Therefore, this flow was modelled on the basis of data on the area subjected to shifting cultivation and assumptions about the typical length of the cropping and fallow periods and the amount of biomass destroyed in each rotation cycle. The results show that the amount of biomass consumed in anthropogenic vegetation fires ranges between 3.5 and 3.9 billion tons dry matter per year (Pg dm/yr), a considerable amount when compared to the global socioeconomic biomass harvest of 12 Pg dm/yr. One third of the biomass consumed in anthropogenic fires each year, 1.0-1.4 Pg dm, results from shifting cultivation. Anthropogenic fires are most important in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (2202 Tg dm/yr), Latin America (795 Tg dm/yr), South-Eastern Asia (336 Tg dm/yr) and Central Asia (157 Tg dm/yr), whereas in regions dominated by industrialized countries, anthropogenic vegetation fires play a minor role. Due to the lack of consistent and spatially explicit data for the year 2000, these numbers do not include agricultural residues burned in the field. The inclusion of residue burning in the year 1985 would increase the total biomass consumed by 0.45 Pg dm to a total of between 4.0 and 4.4 Pg dm/yr. The paper shows that the current geographic pattern of biomass burning can be explained by a combination of natural factors, such as the type of the potential vegetation, and socioeconomic factors, such as population density and the degree of industrialization of a region, which ultimately determine the application of vegetation fires in land use management. It is expected that the magnitude of anthropogenic vegetation fires will decrease in absolute and relative terms, mainly due to population growth and the diffusion of modern land use technologies, which more and more replace the function of vegetation fires as a land management tool.Biomass burning Land use Human-induced vegetation fires Shifting cultivation Biomass flows Biomass metabolism HANPP

Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies

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