| 1. |
- Emilsson (Gustafsson), Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Potential Benefits of Combining Environmental Management Tools in a Local Authority Context
- 2004
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. - 1464-3332 .- 1757-5605. ; 6:2, s. 131-151
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Today, there are many environmental management tools available to support integration of environmental perspectives in decision-making processes. However, a single tool is seldom the answer to all queries. This paper shows potential benefits of using a combination of different environmental management tools in a local authority context. Three environmental management tools used in Swedish local authorities are examined — Substance Flow Analyses (SFA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), and Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) — from mainly a theoretical point-of-view. The tools are positioned according to their key characteristics, and their individual contribution to environmental management in local authorities is explored. For the local authorities, a combination of tools allows decision-makers to integrate experience from individual projects to overall environmental management, which helps decision-makers to deal with some of the challenges that different environmentalmanagement situations require.
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| 2. |
- Nilsson, Måns, et al.
(författare)
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Analytical framework and tool kit for SEA follow-up
- 2009
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Ingår i: Environmental impact assessment review. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-9255 .- 1873-6432. ; 29:3, s. 186-199
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) research and applications have so far neglected the ex post stages of the process, also called SEA follow-up. Tool kits and methodological frameworks for engaging effectively with SEA follow-up have been conspicuously missing. In particular. little has so far been learned from the much more mature evaluation literature although many aspects are similar. This paper provides an analytical framework and tool kit for SEA follow-up. It is based on insights and tools developed within programme evaluation and environmental systems analysis. It is also grounded in empirical studies into real planning and programming practices at the regional level, but should have relevance for SEA processes at all levels. The purpose of the framework is to promote a learning-oriented and integrated use of SEA follow-up in strategic decision making. It helps to identify appropriate tools and their use in the process, and to systematise the use of available data and knowledge across the planning organization and process. It distinguishes three stages in follow-up: scoping, analysis and learning, identifies the key functions and demonstrates the informational linkages to the strategic decision-making process. The associated tool kit includes specific analytical and deliberative tools. Many of these are applicable also ex ante. but are then used in a predictive mode rather than on the basis of real data. The analytical element of the framework is organized on the basis of programme theory and "DPSIR" tools. The paper discusses three issues in the application of the framework: understanding the integration of organizations and knowledge; understanding planners' questions and analytical requirements; and understanding interests, incentives and reluctance to evaluate.
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| 6. |
- Finnveden, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Developing and evaluating new policy instruments for sustainable waste management
- 2012
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development (IJESD). - 1474-6778 .- 1478-7466. ; 11:1, s. 19-31
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to suggest a number of interesting policy instruments that can make the Swedish waste management system more sustainable. Approximately 60 suggestions for policy instruments were gathered through a number of workshops with stakeholders. These were further prioritised in a workshop with stakeholders and by the research team resulting in a list of 15 instruments: information to citizens and companies; tax on raw materials; weight-based waste collection fee; environmentally differentiated waste collection fee; waste minimisation in enterprises; 'Advertising brochures - yes, please!'; recycling certificates; developed collection systems; tax on incineration of waste from fossil fuels; tax on incineration of waste; including waste in green certificates for electricity production; tax on hazardous substances; labelling of goods with hazardous substances; improved control by authorities; differentiated VAT and ban on incineration of recyclable materials. Several policy instruments are needed that can complement each other.
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| 7. |
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| 10. |
- Moberg, Åsa, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of a total change from paper invoicing to electronic invoicing in Sweden
- 2008
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Electronic invoicing is a current alternative to traditional invoices distributed on paper.There are reasons to believe that electronic invoicing is environmentally preferable totraditional invoicing, as the production of paper and envelopes, the printing process andthe physical distribution can be avoided. However, there are additional needs for servers,etc. when electronic invoices are used. To assess the environmental performance of aproduct or a service or to compare two alternative ways of providing a service, a life cycleperspective should preferably be used. The study presented here is a screening life cycle assessment (LCA) aimed at assessingthe consequences of a complete transition from all paper invoicing to all electronicinvoicing in Sweden. Readily accessible data were used and the focus was on cumulativeenergy demand and emissions of greenhouse gases. The main purpose of the study wasto increase our knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of such a transition.An additional aim was to identify areas with a lack of data and major uncertainties. In an LCA, environmental impacts are related to the function provided by the product orservice studied. The function provided by invoices is to distribute information aboutpayment obligations from supplier to customer. This may be business-to business (B-to-B) or business-to-consumer (B-to-C). (läs vidare i rapporten)
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| 11. |
- Moberg, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Environmental impacts of electronic invoicing
- 2010
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Ingår i: Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal. - 1476-8917 .- 1478-8764. ; 7:2, s. 93-113
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change threatens ecosystems and health and may cause severe economic impacts. All sectors of society need to act. New solutions based on information and communication technology (ICT) have been proposed to enable action. One possible conversion is from paper invoices to electronic invoices. The aim of this article is to increase current knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of a possible total transition from all paper invoicing to all electronic invoicing in Sweden regarding cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. A screening life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed as a life cycle perspective should preferably be used when considering environmental impacts of products. The results of the study show that there are benefits from transition to electronic invoices regarding cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The magnitude of the benefits is mainly dependent on the amount of paper used for the traditional invoices and whether the electronic invoices are printed.
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| 12. |
- Nilsson, Måns, et al.
(författare)
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Environmental integration and policy implementation : competing governance modes in waste management decision making
- 2009
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Ingår i: Environment and Planning. C, Government and Policy. - : SAGE Publications. - 0263-774X .- 1472-3425. ; 27:1, s. 1-18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research into environmental policy integration (EPI) has focused very much on coordination issues associated with the preparation of policies at national and international levels. We instead examine some challenges in implementing EPI at the local level. We look at legal and policy frameworks relating to environmental governance and actual waste management decision making in five Swedish cities. We observe an implementation gap between the high-level policy ambitions relating to environmental governance of the waste sector, as expressed in national policy frameworks, and the local-level decision-making procedures and outcomes. Several discrepancies are identified: between national waste policy and the local decision premises, between local waste planning and project decision making, between knowledge gathering and project decision making, and between the legal mechanism in the development consent process and the national environmental quality objectives framework. Our study indicates that the governance frameworks at different levels are quite different, and at least partly incompatible, which causes important coordination problems across levels. Sectoral developments towards an industrial marketisation of waste have rendered frameworks such as local waste plans obsolete. We also find that the more traditional and coercive forms of governing the sector, such as consent, bans, and taxes, are the ones that have steering power, whereas new procedures, such as management by objectives, lack sufficient institutional and cognitive support structures to be effective.
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| 13. |
- Noring, Maria, 1981-
(författare)
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Valuing ecosystem services - linking ecology and policy
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Ecosystem services constitute a precondition for human welfare and survival. This concept has also become increasingly popular among both scientists and policymakers. Several initiatives have been taken to identify and value ecosystem services. Several services are threatened, and it has been concluded that in order to better manage ecosystem services they need to be further investigated and valued. By measuring them using a common metric—monetary value—they can be more easily compared and included in decision-making tools. This thesis contributes to this goal by presenting values for several ecosystem services and also including them in decision-making tools.Starting with a discussion of the concept of ecosystem services, this thesis aims to present values for certain ecosystem services and to illustrate the use of these values in systems-analysis tools such as cost-benefit analyses (CBA) and a weighting set. Links between ecology, economics and policy are discussed within a broader framework of ecosystem services. Five papers are included, in which two contingent valuation studies (CV) have been used to find values for different ecosystem services. One valuation study is focused on the effects from tributyltin (TBT) in Swedish marine waters. In addition, a quantitative assessment framework has been developed in order to simplify analysis of environmental status, progress in environmental surveillance and the relevance of different measures. It is suggested that the framework should also be used when assessing the impacts of other substances affecting the environment. The second valuation study investigates the risk of an oil spill in northern Norway. The results have been included in two CBAs and a weighting set. The first CBA compares costs for remediation of polluted sediments, caused by TBT, with the benefits of reducing TBT levels. The second CBA compares costs and benefits for reducing the probability of an oil spill. The weighting set includes monetary values on a number of impact categories where marine toxicity is based on the valuation study on TBT. One study also examines the inclusion of environmental costs in life cycle costing (LCC) in different sectors in Sweden.Results show that respondents consider ecosystem values to be important. The values of Swedish marine waters and coastal areas outside Lofoten-Vesterålen in Norway have been identified and quantified in terms of biodiversity, habitat, recreation and scenery. In the Norwegian case, an ongoing debate on the issue of oil and gas exploration has had an impact on the number of protest bids found in the study.Based on the cost and benefits of limiting impacts on ecosystem services derived from the valuation studies, CBAs show that the suggested measures are most likely beneficial for society, and the results contribute to policy recommendations. A weighting set has been updated with new values through value transfer. The weighting set is compatible with LCA. The final study shows that companies and public organisations use environmental costs (internal and external) in a limited manner.In this thesis the ecosystem service concept is used both as an introduction and a guiding thread for the reader, as a way to frame the studies undertaken. The concept of ecosystem services can be useful, as it emphasises the importance of the services to humans. By finding and presenting values of ecosystem services, such services are more easily incorporated into decision-making.
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| 14. |
- Poulikidou, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Empirical study on integration of environmental aspects into product development : processes, requirements and the use of tools in vehicle manufacturing companies in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 81, s. 34-45
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An empirical study was conducted on integration of environmental aspects and requirements into four vehicle manufacturing companies in Sweden. The aim was to gain insights into how Design for Environment (DfE) is organised in these companies and, thus help bridge the gap between methodological development and practice. The processes for identifying and integrating environmental aspects into product development, the type of environmental requirements considered and the use of different types of DfE tools were investigated through semi-structured interviews.Despite similarities regarding the type of environmental requirements considered and the major drivers for these, the companies studied have adopted different ways to identify and integrate environmental requirements into their product development process and use DfE tools to differing extents. Such variations reflect differences in the success and maturity levels of the DfE practices adopted. When compared to success factors mentioned in the existing literature, the study concluded that some components needed for efficient integration of environmental aspects into the product development process of all participating companies are lacking. Some of the companies had a greater need for measures that would increase systematic integration of environmental requirements during design decisions. Others first need to establish the processes (in terms of people and use of supporting tools) that could enable such integration.
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| 15. |
- Poulikidou, Sofia
(författare)
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Integration of Design for Environment in the vehicle manufacturing industry in Sweden : Focus on practices and tools
- 2013
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Design for Environment (DfE) promotes the systematic consideration of environmental aspects during product design and development. Despite the maturity of concepts and tools in literature, efficient implementation in industries is reported to be low. A need to bridge this gap is identified with studies that look on DfE practices as well as the use and potential of DfE tools.This thesis is part of a research project that investigates DfE practices and the use of tools during vehicle design and development. The aim is to investigate the ways that environmental constraints can be efficiently integrated into product development processes thus assist in improving the environmental performance of products from a life cycle perspective. The scope of the study includes four vehicle manufacturing companies in Sweden. The development and utilization of tools has been also investigated aiming to increase the opportunities for effective use within this product category. Case study methodology, research interviews and literature reviews constitute the research strategy followed in this work.The empirical results presented in this thesis indicated that vehicle manufacturing companies in Sweden are continually working to improve the environmental performance of their products and meet legal and costumer demands. Despite similarities regarding the type of environmental requirements considered, the companies studied have adopted different ways to identify and integrate environmental requirements into their product development process and use DfE tools to different extents. Such variations reflect differences in the success and maturity levels of the DfE practices adopted.A need for increased and more systematic use of tools is identified for all studied companies and especially for analytical tools. Results from the literature review showed that a variety of tools are available that have the potential to support vehicle design processes. However, only a few cover a broad set of aspects identified to be relevant from a vehicle design perspective. For DfE tools to become effective and be used during product development, they need to cover aspects that are relevant for the company and product designers. A need towards the development of tools that assist vehicle or product designers in general, to make informed and comprehensive choices based on a variety of requirements associated to the product, is identified.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Stenlund Nilsson, Jenny, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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The scope of municipal energy plans in a Swedish region : A review of energy and environmental issues in the plans
- 2003
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Swedish legislation requires municipalities to produce an energy plan. Each municipal government is required to prepare and maintain a plan for the supply, distribution, and use of energy. Legislation also requires an assessment of the environmental impacts of any activities before implementation. Whether municipal energy plans have contributed to or preferably controlled the development of local energy systems has been a subject for debate. In the research project "Strategic Environmental Assessment of Local Energy Systems", financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, the municipal energy plan as a tool for developing local energy systems is studied. In this study, twelve municipal energy plans from Östergötland County in southern Sweden have been analysed. Different kinds of municipalities are represented in this county. The analysis has been based on a number of questions in different categories assessing energy system characteristics, environmental impact assessment and aims, the planning process, and goals for the plans. This report reviews the contents of all the energy plans in this first study.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Tyskeng Bruhn-Tysk, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Environmental impact assessment : a tool for sustainable development? A case study of biofuelled energy plants in Sweden
- 2002
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Ingår i: Environmental Impact Assessment Review. - 0195-9255. ; 22:2, s. 129-144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Properly performed, environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a useful tool for promoting sustainable development because it includes many components that can help facilitate intragenerational and intergenerational equity. In a case study, environmental impact statements (EISs) for Swedish biofuelled energy plants are analysed to see whether they include components vital to meet intra- and intergenerational equity, such as assessing local and global impacts, use of resources, public influence on project development, and alternative project design. The analysis shows that the environmental aspects of sustainable development on a local level are only partly met by EIA. However, global effects and effects on the management of natural resources are not assessed, excluding aspects that may affect future generations. Based on this, and since no concerns for sustainable development on a societal level were found, it is concluded that EIA practice in Sweden may not, to a full extent, serve as a tool to promote sustainable development
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Tyskeng Bruhn-Tysk, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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The aspect of natural resources in environmental impact statements for Swedish Bioenergy Plants
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. - London, UK : Imperial College Press. - 1464-3332 .- 1757-5605. ; 4:1, s. 67-82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- According to Swedish environmental legislation, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has to be made when planning energy plants. The EIA has to include the effects of the proposed project on natural resource management; however, a review of the environ-mental impact statements for proposed energy plants reveals that the scope of the assessment seldom includes this aspect. This may be due to several reasons, such as the scope of the legal requirements, which do not include sustainable resource extraction but focus on local issues linked to the energy plant. In order to widen the scope of EIAs to include the management of natural resources, it is suggested that other tools for environmental systems understanding such as life-cycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA) can improve the basis for decision-making by providing ways to map resource flows of proposed projects and by including environmental aspects not connected with the energy plant itself.
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| 29. |
- Tyskeng, Sara, 1974-
(författare)
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Environmental assessments of projects and local plans in the energy and waste sectors in Sweden : Practice and potential for improvement
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Early perspectives on environmental issues have in general focussed on local pollution from specific sources. However, in past decades there has been a shift in society’s perspective on environmental management towards a focus on diffuse sources of pollution and long-term and global environmental issues. A systems approach to environmental issues has also been suggested in order to avoid overlooking important environmental issues. In this thesis, the potential of two Swedish legally regulated decision-making processes, the development permission process and the local planning process in the energy and waste sectors, to meet these emerging perspectives on environmental issues is explored. The results in this thesis show that in practice the potential of the development permission process to include the emerging perspectives on environmental issues for this process has been rather low in the past, since the environmental assessments reports submitted with the applications for development permission focus to a large extent on local and technical issues. This means that environmentally relevant issues such as global and long-term impacts and resource management issues tend to have been disregarded. However,studies of more recently made assessment reports reveal that such ssues are beginning to emerge to some extent. Furthermore, the public adds to the potential for this decision-making process, as it tends todiscuss the project from a systems perspective as well. The thesis further suggests that the institutional context of the decision-making process impedes the potential to include the emerging perspectives in some respects. For example, present legislative rules and guidelines do not include the new perspectives on environmental issues and do not allow decision-making authorities to take such issues into account. The thesis also shows that the local planning processes do not have the potential - in practice - to include environmental issues from wide perspectives. The local plans tend to focus on environmental issues from a local and technical perspective and do only to some extent include wider perspectives. It is further indicated that the interests and power of the actors within the planning processes are important factors influencing which perspectives are applied when the plan is made. To increase the potential for the local planning process to meet the demands for wider perspectives on environmental issues, the thesis therefore suggests that it is important to raise the status of local energy and waste management plans so they can have an actual impact on the development of the local technical systems. Finally, in order to increase the potential for both of the two formal decision-making processes studied in this thesis, linking the two decision-making processes would enable local planners, project developers and decision-making authorities to address impacts from a wider perspective. Linking the two processes would leave only local and project-oriented environmental issues to be discussed within the project development permission process, and the local planning process could focus on the environmental impacts of a local energy system and proposed energy projects from wider perspectives. The two processes would therefore be able to take all environmental issues relevant from a systems perspective into account.
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