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- Englund, Oskar, 1982, et al.
(author)
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Meeting Sustainability Requirements for SRC Bioenergy: Usefulness of Existing Tools, Responsibilities of Involved Stakeholders, and Recommendations for Further Developments
- 2012
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In: Bioenergy Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1939-1242 .- 1939-1234. ; 5:3, s. 606-620
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Short rotation coppice (SRC) is considered an important biomass supply option for meeting the European renewable energy targets. This paper presents an overview of existing and prospective sustainability requirements, Member State reporting obligations and parts of the methodology for calculating GHG emissions savings within the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and shows how these RED-associated sustainability criteria may affect different stakeholders along SRC bioenergy supply chains. Existing and prospective tools are assessed on their usefulness in ensuring that SRC bioenergy is produced with sufficient consideration given to the RED-associated criteria. A sustainability framework is outlined that aims at (1) facilitating the development of SRC production systems that are attractive from the perspectives of all stakeholders, and (2) ensuring that the SRC production is RED eligible. Producer manuals, EIAs, and voluntary certification schemes can all be useful for ensuring RED eligibility. However, they are currently not sufficiently comprehensive, neither individually nor combined, and suggestions for how they can be more complementary are given. Geographical information systems offer opportunities for administrative authorities to provide stakeholders with maps or databases over areas/fields suitable for RED-eligible SRC cultivation. However, proper consideration of all relevant aspects requires that all stakeholders in the SRC supply chain become engaged in the development of SRC production systems and that a landscape perspective is used.
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- Sandin, Per, et al.
(author)
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Technology neutrality and regulation of agricultural biotechnology
- 2018
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In: Professionals in food chains: ethics, rules and responsibility. EurSafe 2018, Vienna, Austria 13 – 16 June 2018 / edited by: Svenja Springer, Herwig Grimm. - Wageningen, Netherlands : Wageningen Academic Publishers. - 9789086863211
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Agricultural biotechnology, in particular genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is subject to regulation in many areas of the world, not least in the European Union (EU). A number of authors have argued that those regulatory processes are unfair, costly, and slow and that regulation therefore should move in the direction of increased ‘technology neutrality’. The issue is becoming more pressing, especially since new biotechnologies such as CRISPR increasingly blur the regulatory distinction between GMOs and non-GMOs. This paper offers a definition of technology neutrality, uses the EU GMO regulation as a starting point for exploring technology neutrality, and presents distinctions between variants of the call for technology neutral GMO regulation in the EU.
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- Sandin, Per, et al.
(author)
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Technology Neutrality in European Regulation of GMOs
- 2022
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In: Ethics, Policy & Environment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2155-0085 .- 2155-0093. ; 1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objections to the current EU regulatory system on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in terms of high cost and lack of consistency, speed and scientific underpinning have prompted proposals for a more technology-neutral system. We sketch the conceptual background of the notion of ‘technology neutrality’ and propose a refined definition of the term. The proposed definition implies that technology neutrality of a regulatory system is a gradual and multidimensional feature. We use the definition to analyze two regulatory reform proposals: One proposal from the Netherlands for improving the exemption mechanism for GMOs under Directive 2001/18/EC, and one from the Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board, outlining a new stratified risk assessment procedure. While both proposals offer some degree of improved technology neutrality in some dimensions compared to current EU regulation, in some extents and dimensions, they do not. We conclude that proposals for more technology-neutral regulation of GMOs need, first, to make explicit to what extent and in what dimensions the proposal improves neutrality and, second, to present arguments supporting that these specific improvements constitute desirable policy change against the background of objections to current policy.
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- Sundblad, Eva-Lotta, 1956, et al.
(author)
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Social analys – en havsrelaterad samhällsanalys. Underlagsrapport för Sveriges inledande bedömning i havsmiljöförordningen
- 2012
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Havsmiljöförordningen, SFS 2010:1341, (HMF) ingår i en strategi för en ekosystembaserad förvaltning och ett hållbart nyttjande av havsmiljön som avses i Havsmiljödirektivet (2008/56/EG). Förordningen syftar till att upprätthålla eller nå en god miljöstatus i havsmiljön. Enligt HMF ska Havs- och vattenmyndigheten se till att det görs en inledande bedömningen av havsmiljön i de svenska delarna av de två förvaltningsområdena Nordsjön och Östersjön (13 § - 16 §). Den inledande bedömningen, som ska vara avslutad den 15 juli 2012 och rapporteras till Europeiska kommissionen senast den 15 oktober samma år, ska ligga till grund för fastställande av god miljöstatus, miljömål och miljöövervakningsprogram samt utarbetande av åtgärdsprogram för att nå uppsatta mål. I den inledande bedömningen ingår att utföra en ekonomisk och social analys, den förra kan delas in i två delar där den första syftar till att analysera nyttjandet av havsområdet och den andra delen att beskriva kostnaderna av att miljön i havsområdena försämras (HMF, 13 §, p.4 samt Havsmiljödirektivet, Artikel 8.1c). Det primära syftet med den sociala analysen i den inledande bedömningen är att skapa en bild av förutsättningarna för det kommande arbetet med att uppnå direktivets syften, dvs. god miljöstatus (GES, artikel 9). Analysen ska också tjäna som underlag vid utformningen av miljömål (artikel 10) som sedermera kommer att ligga till grund för åtgärdsprogram och styrmedel (artikel 13). Bedömningen inbegriper en analys av hur olika grupper i samhället kan beröras av havets nyttjande, havsrelaterade miljöproblem och deras åtgärdande. I denna studie lanseras en metod att genomföra en sådan analys. Metoden inbegriper en tankemodell som består av komponenterna Indirekta drivkrafter, Direkta drivkrafter, Påverkan/tillstånd/effekt i miljön, Effekt i samhället och Respons med. Modellen används tillsammans med en frågemall för att kartlägga aktörer och drivkrafter. Fallstudier avseende tre miljöproblem - selektivt överfiske av torsk samt oönskad spridning av kvicksilver och fosfor - visar att ett stort antal aktörer är inblandade såväl indirekt som direkt. Dessutom verkar aktörerna på olika nivåer: lokalt/regionalt, nationellt och internationellt. Varje miljöproblem behöver sin egen analys och har egna förutsättningar. Studien visar att den information som behövs för att besluta om åtgärder är relativt omfattande. Avvägningen av vilken mängd information som är tillräcklig och som bör övervakas i framtiden kan ha stor påverkan på utvecklingen i samhället och i miljön. Slutligen lämnas förslag på hur framtida havsmiljörelaterade samhällsanalyser kan genomföras.
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- Englund, Oskar, 1982
(author)
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On Sustainability of Biomass for Energy and the Governance Thereof
- 2016
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Due to concerns about climate change, energy security, and resource scarcity, non- renewable resources are increasingly being displaced by biomass. As with most human activities, the production of biobased products can be associated with negative impacts. Primarily, this relates to the biomass supply systems, i.e., agriculture and forestry, which currently are major causes of biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystem services. Developing sustainable production systems when transitioning from non-renewable resources to biomass is imperative. This thesis aims to clarify the meaning of sustainability in the context of biomass for bioenergy, and contribute to our understanding of how different forms of governance can promote sustainably sourced biomass for bioenergy. The thesis is based on five appended papers: Paper I analyses to what extent, where, and under what conditions oil palm for biodiesel in Brazil can be produced profitably, and what risks and opportunities that can be associated with introducing large-scale oil palm production in Brazil. Paper II lays the foundation for understanding how new biomass production can be introduced into landscapes while supporting rather than compromising the ability of the landscape to supply other ecosystem services. Paper III describes different forms of governance and shows how these can play different roles in promoting sustainable bioenergy in different countries. Paper IV focuses on how short rotation coppice production systems are affected by EU policy and how different governance forms can assist in adapting production systems to conform to the corresponding sustainability requirements. Finally, Paper V assesses how sustainability certification (private governance) addresses biodiversity conservation and contributes to our understanding of possible improvements.
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- Munthe, Christian, 1962
(author)
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Precautionary Principle
- 2013
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In: International Encyclopedia of Ethics. - Chichester : Blackwell. - 9781444367072 ; , s. 4031-4039
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Following the statement in the United Nations' Rio Declaration of 1992 that countries should apply a “precautionary approach” in policymaking on environmental and technological issues, the notion of a precautionary principle (PP) has gained ground in worldwide policymaking and regulation, thus catching the interest of ethics scholars. Although seldom explained in much detail, and resulting in quite different policy results in different countries and areas (O'Riordan et al. 2001; Sandin 1999; Trouwborst 2002; Zander 2010), PP is generally understood as a norm urging or permitting policymakers to take preventive action in the face of unknown, uncertain, or probable dangers, motivated by the experience of how seemingly valuable and promising practices may lead to seriously adverse consequences in spite of lack of solid evidence to this effect (Sandin 1999). In ethics debate, this idea has been applied not only to matters regarding the large-scale introduction and use of technology (e.g., regarding energy production, transport and communication, nano- or biotechnology, and so on) (see Biotechnology; Nanotechnology, Ethics of) with possible ensuing impact on the natural environment connecting to the notion of sustainability (see Sustainability), but also, for example, to abortion (see Abortion), medical genetics, embryo experimentation (see Embryo Research), the treatment of animals (see Animal Experimentation), terrorism (see Terrorism), and general research ethics (see Research Ethics) (Munthe 2011). Many of these applications advocate strong conclusions in spite of the fact that PP or its normative justification have not been made very clear. At the same time, PP has been the subject of criticism, much of which boils down to three points: lack of clarity, lack of practicality, and/or ethical implausibility. Curiously, these critical points have often been made in conjunction, in spite of the fact that a clear sense of what PP means seems necessary for backing up the other two objections.
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