Energy markets and climate change

Innovations mechanisms on energy markets are discussed, in particular valorization of energy products which invokes decarbonization of energy recourses. The valorization, meaning higher value of energy products, is expressed as electrification and entry of modern renewable energy based on geothermal, wind and solar resources, entailing distributed energy systems with storage and auxiliary technologies. Consumption of electricity on grid grows along with manifold higher unit cost of electricity compared to fuels, and the distributed energy systems expands even faster though it is many times costlier than electricity on grid. The valorization can be explained by adding valuable attributes to functionalities of energy products such as consumer convenience, autonomy, flexibility silence, cleanness, and it contributes to communities’ interest through local income and jobs. The decarbonization, meaning lower carbon or more electrons per resource mass, is expressed as lower energy-intensity of economies and substitution of coal and oil for gas and gas for renewable energy. Modern renewable energy grows faster than rival fossil fuels. It doubles every 3 to 4 years in several countries. The rivalry intensifies regarding the decreasing energy-intensity of economies in many countries, albeit slowly. Extrapolation of the annual average growth rates as trends for coming last twenty five years shows increase of income and slow increase of energy consumption along with emission reduction of carbon dioxide due to renewable energy by more than 50% compared to 2015. Trends on energy markets show that mitigation of climate change is possible

Innovative offices for smarter cities, including energy use and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions

Background: Concentration of knowledge work in cities generates innovations entailing economic development. This paper addresses the challenge of turning around the present trend of urban sprawl toward the concentrated knowledge work in cities. The assumption is that dislocation of office and residential housing entailing longer commuting mileage is the main cause of urban sprawl. Methods: The life cycle costs method is used for comparison of office systems. The present offices system is compared to the concentrated mega offices system outside cities, as well as the local and home offices within cities. The life cycle costs are assessed with statistical data on space, materials and energy, and information services. These are the main resources of the offices systems given labor and capital. Results: Commuting costs about 22% of the annual average wage and causes congestion, fragmentation of districts, health risks and pollution. These high costs can be reduced by changes in the office systems. The present office system with commuting adds 40% to the average labor costs. The innovative office systems reduce these costs by 15 to 28% of the present offices. Sensitivity analyses underpin the findings for nearly all urban conditions. The local office systems are particularly cost-effective. The local office system can also save nearly 78% energy and reduce 74% CO2 emission of the present offices along with less space use. Congestion, as well as fragmentation of communities and nature caused by commuting can be avoided. Conclusions: Some project developers invest in the distributed offices. Policies encourage such investments if they reallocate funds from infrastructure into refurbishing of the available housing and internalize the external effects of land use in the costs of real estate development. These policies increase smartness of cities, reduce energy use, and improve living qualities in cities

Public Participation in rural area water management: experiences from the North Sea countries in Europe

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) in effect since 2000, mandates public participation in water management. The directive's requirements are general, leaving it up to the EU Member States to determine how to address the issue. Using case studies, this paper discusses some of the benefits brought about by public participation in water management. The cases are part of a collaborative project involving rural regions in six countries bordering the North Sea, aimed at gaining experience in the implementation of the WFD in rural areas. The findings reveal that working together with key stakeholders and communities has two main outcomes: improved quality and plan effectiveness; and increased acceptance and ownership of plans, leading to successful implementation

The Legacy of Andries Nentjes

The aim of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the life and work of Professor Andries Nentjes, who passed away early 2019. As one of the founding fathers of environmental economics in the Netherlands, he contributed in particular to the international literature on market-based pollution control. We wish to honor the legacy of Andries Nentjes by outlining some highlights of his impressive academic research and by showcasing his active contributions to a more sustainable society

Wicked Water Systems: A Review of Challenges and Opportunities

The contemporary urban water system is under extreme pressure due to growing demand, climate change, and social inequality. Conventional methods to mitigating extreme water events have proven to be insufficient to safeguard our growing urban centers. Unless the competing demands and pressures of the urban water system are addressed in holistic manners, we will soon lack of access to good-quality water, and extreme water events will increasingly affect our metropoles, with most severe consequences for communities already living in marginal conditions. This chapter takes as point of departure that the future urban waterscape is a wicked problem in which actions taken to mitigate the problems are often inadequate and temporary, even when they are the result of the public debate and shared concern. The current urban water system has reached a critical threshold, but how can innovative urban water design or planning solutions be implemented when there is so much at stake? The chapter will address the urban waterscape, its contemporary challenges and what we can expect in future climate conditions. Furthermore, we will discuss contemporary solutions as well as highlight the sociopolitical, economic, and ecological barriers to their implementation. To illustrate the challenges as well as the range of solutions, we will present the algal blooms in Lake Erie, USA, as a case study. We will end with an elaboration on how to innovate in the case of wicked problems