Cell-free synthesis of cytochrome c

Cytochrome c is a peripheral membrane protein, attached to the cytoplasmic surface of the inner mito-chondrial membrane [l-4]. It is coded for by a nuclear gene and translated on cytoplasr@c ribosome

Integrated multidimensional sustainability assessment of energy system transformation pathways

Sustainable development embraces a broad spectrum of social, economic and ecological aspects. Thus, a sustainable transformation process of energy systems is inevitably multidimensional and needs to go beyond climate impact and cost considerations. An approach for an integrated and interdisciplinary sustainability assessment of energy system transformation pathways is presented here. It first integrates energy system modeling with a multidimensional impact assessment that focuses on life cycle-based environmental and macroeconomic impacts. Then, stakeholders’ preferences with respect to defined sustainability indicators are inquired, which are finally integrated into a comparative scenario evaluation through a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), all in one consistent assessment framework. As an illustrative example, this holistic approach is applied to the sustainability assessment of ten different transformation strategies for Germany. Applying multi-criteria decision analysis reveals that both ambitious (80%) and highly ambitious (95%) carbon reduction scenarios can achieve top sustainability ranks, depending on the underlying energy transformation pathways and respective scores in other sustainability dimensions. Furthermore, this research highlights an increasingly dominant contribution of energy systems’ upstream chains on total environmental impacts, reveals rather small differences in macroeconomic effects between different scenarios and identifies the transition among societal segments and climate impact minimization as the most important stakeholder preferences

Sustainability assessments of energy scenarios: citizens’ preferences for and assessments of sustainability indicators

Background: Given the multitude of scenarios on the future of our energy systems, multi-criteria assessments are increasingly called for to analyze and assess desired and undesired effects of possible pathways with regard to their environmental, economic and social sustainability. Existing studies apply elaborate lists of sustainability indicators, yet these indicators are defined and selected by experts and the relative importance of each indicator for the overall sustainability assessments is either determined by experts or is computed using mathematical functions. Target group-specific empirical data regarding citizens’ preferences for sustainability indicators as well as their reasoning behind their choices are not included in existing assessments. Approach and results: We argue that citizens’ preferences and values need to be more systematically analyzed. Next to valid and reliable data regarding diverse sets of indicators, reflections and deliberations are needed regarding what different societal actors, including citizens, consider as justified and legitimate interventions in nature and society, and what considerations they include in their own assessments. For this purpose, we present results from a discrete choice experiment. The method originated in marketing and is currently becoming a popular means to systematically analyze individuals’ preference structures for energy technology assessments. As we show in our paper, it can be fruitfully applied to study citizens’ values and weightings with regard to sustainability issues. Additionally, we present findings from six focus groups that unveil the reasons behind citizens’ preferences and choices. Conclusions: Our combined empirical methods provide main insights with strong implications for the future development and assessment of energy pathways: while environmental and climate-related effects significantly influenced citizens’ preferences for or against certain energy pathways, total systems and production costs were of far less importance to citizens than the public discourse suggests. Many scenario studies seek to optimize pathways according to total systems costs. In contrast, our findings show that the role of fairness and distributional justice in transition processes featured as a dominant theme for citizens. This adds central dimensions for future multi-criteria assessments that, so far, have been neglected by current energy systems models

Integrated Multidimensional Sustainability Assessment of Energy System Transformation Pathways

Sustainable development embraces a broad spectrum of social, economic and ecological aspects. Thus, a sustainable transformation process of energy systems is inevitably multidimensional and needs to go beyond climate impact and cost considerations. An approach for an integrated and interdisciplinary sustainability assessment of energy system transformation pathways is presented here. It first integrates energy system modeling with a multidimensional impact assessment that focuses on life cycle‐based environmental and macroeconomic impacts. Then, stakeholders’ preferences with respect to defined sustainability indicators are inquired, which are finally integrated into a comparative scenario evaluation through a multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA), all in one consistent assessment framework. As an illustrative example, this holistic approach is applied to the sustainability assessment of ten different transformation strategies for Germany. Applying multi‐criteria decision analysis reveals that both ambitious (80%) and highly ambitious (95%) carbon reduction scenarios can achieve top sustainability ranks, depending on the underlying energy transformation pathways and respective scores in other sustainability dimensions. Furthermore, this research highlights an increasingly dominant contribution of energy systems’ upstream chains on total environmental impacts, reveals rather small differences in macroeconomic effects between different scenarios and identifies the transition among societal segments and climate impact minimization as the most important stakeholder preferences

Sustainability assessments of energy scenarios: citizens' preferences for and assessments of sustainability indicators

Given the multitude of scenarios on the future of our energy systems, multi-criteria assessments are increasingly called for to analyze and assess desired and undesired effects of possible pathways with regard to their environmental, economic and social sustainability. Existing studies apply elaborate lists of sustainability indicators, yet these indicators are defined and selected by experts and the relative importance of each indicator for the overall sustainability assessments is either determined by experts or is computed using mathematical functions. Target group‑specific empirical data regarding citizens' preferences for sustainability indicators as well as their reasoning behind their choices are not included in existing assessments. We argue that citizens' preferences and values need to be more systematically analyzed. Next to valid and reliable data regarding diverse sets of indicators, reflections and deliberations are needed regarding what different societal actors, including citizens, consider as justified and legitimate interventions in nature and society, and what considerations they include in their own assessments. For this purpose, we present results from a discrete choice experiment. The method originated in marketing and is currently becoming a popular means to systematically analyze individuals' preference structures for energy technology assessments. As we show in our paper, it can be fruitfully applied to study citizens' values and weightings with regard to sustainability issues. Additionally, we present findings from six focus groups that unveil the reasons behind citizens preferences and choices. Our combined empirical methods provide main insights with strong implications for the future development and assessment of energy pathways: while environmental and climate-related effects significantly influenced citizens preferences for or against certain energy pathways, total systems and production costs were of far less importance to citizens than the public discourse suggests. Many scenario studies seek to optimize pathways according to total systems costs. In contrast, our findings show that the role of fairness and distributional justice in transition processes featured as a dominant theme for citizens. This adds central dimensions for future multi-criteria assessments that, so far, have been neglected by current energy systems models

Sektorale Roadmap Naturraum: Handlungspfade und Handlungsempfehlungen auf dem Weg zu einer klimaangepassten und resilienten Metropolregion Bremen-Oldenburg im Nordwesten

Die sektorale Roadmap gibt Empfehlungen und zeigt Handlungsoptionen auf, die zu einer klimaangepassten und resilienten Entwicklung im Naturraum der Metropolregion Bremen-Oldenburg beitragen kann. Die Roadmap beschreibt zunächst die für den Naturraum relevanten regionalen Veränderungen des Klimas (Kap. 2). Anschließend werden die Ergebnisse der Vulnerabilitätsanalyse für den Naturraum dargestellt (Kap. 3). Kapitel 4 enthält die Kernaussagen der in ‚nordwest2050‘ entwickelten „Vision 2050“ für das Handlungsfeld Naturraum. Im Sinne der Handlungsorientierung werden schließlich in Kapitel 5 kurzfristige Handlungsempfehlungen für den Zeithorizont 2020 und mittel- und langfristige Handlungspfade für den Zeitraum 2020 bis 2050 und darüber hinaus benannt und erläutert

Vision 2050 für einen klimaangepassten und resilienten Raum der Metropolregion Bremen-Oldenburg im Nordwesten

Die Vision 2050 von 'nordwest2050‘ beschreibt eine gewünschte Zukunftsvorstellung, wie ein resilienter und klimaangepasster Raum der Metropolregion Bremen-OIdenburg im Jahr 2050 aussehen soll. Die Vision 2050 dient als Orientierungsrahmen, um langfristige Strategien und Maßnahmen auf dem Weg in eine klimaangepasste und resiliente Zukunft erarbeiten zu können. Bearbeitete Themenfelder sind: Regionale Governance, Raum- und Regionalplanung, Geschlechtergerechtigkeit, Konsum / Bildung / Wertewandel, Energieversorgung, Ernährungswirtschaft, Hafenwirtschaft / Logistik, Küstenschutz, Naturraum, Tourismus / Naherholung, Gesundheit / Demografie sowie Alltag / Wohnen / Arbeiten / Freizeit

Klimaangepasste Flächennutzung in der Metropolregion Bremen- Oldenburg: Transformation und Management unter Unsicherheit

Der Klimawandel wird Auswirkungen auf Art, Umfang und Intensität der Landnutzung und auf die Qualität von Böden haben. Nicht alle diese Auswirkungen sind jedoch hinreichend quantifizier- und räumlich-zeitlich verortbar. Anpassungsstrategien können unter diesen Bedingungen nur unter hoher Unsicherheit getroffen werden. Wichtig ist daher die Entwicklung von Verfahren und Methoden, mit denen Entscheidungen über Landnutzungen in Richtung mehr Nachhaltigkeit unterstützt werden können und die geeignet sind, den Akteuren auch Handlungsoptionen aufzuzeigen. Der nordwest2050-Werkstattbericht Nr. 25 stellt ein Konzept vor, das auf dem Ansatz der Ökosystemdienstleistungen basiert. Es erlaubt eine integrierte Bewertung der Nutzungsentscheidungen und soll einen Beitrag zu klimaangepassten Landnutzungen leisten. Anhand eines Beispiels aus der Metropolregion Bremen-Oldenburg werden der konzeptionelle Rahmen dieses Konzepts sowie sich daraus ergebende mögliche Handlungsoptionen für Flächeneigner bei der Integration von Klimaanpassungserfordernissen in die Entscheidung über Flächennutzungen erläutert. Deutlich wird dabei, dass eine stärkere und systematische Berücksichtigung der Ökosystemdienstleistungen einen zentralen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der regionalen Anpassungskapazitäten an den Klimawandel leisten kann