| 1. |
- Creutzig, F., et al.
(author)
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Bioenergy and climate change mitigation: an assessment
- 2015
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In: GCB Bioenergy. - : Wiley. - 1757-1707 .- 1757-1693. ; 7:5, s. 916-944
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bioenergy deployment offers significant potential for climate change mitigation, but also carries considerable risks. In this review, we bring together perspectives of various communities involved in the research and regulation of bioenergy deployment in the context of climate change mitigation: Land-use and energy experts, land-use and integrated assessment modelers, human geographers, ecosystem researchers, climate scientists and two different strands of life-cycle assessment experts. We summarize technological options, outline the state-of-the-art knowledge on various climate effects, provide an update on estimates of technical resource potential and comprehensively identify sustainability effects. Cellulosic feedstocks, increased end-use efficiency, improved land carbon-stock management and residue use, and, when fully developed, BECCS appear as the most promising options, depending on development costs, implementation, learning, and risk management. Combined heat and power, efficient biomass cookstoves and small-scale power generation for rural areas can help to promote energy access and sustainable development, along with reduced emissions. We estimate the sustainable technical potential as up to 100EJ: high agreement; 100-300EJ: medium agreement; above 300EJ: low agreement. Stabilization scenarios indicate that bioenergy may supply from 10 to 245EJyr(-1) to global primary energy supply by 2050. Models indicate that, if technological and governance preconditions are met, large-scale deployment (>200EJ), together with BECCS, could help to keep global warming below 2 degrees degrees of preindustrial levels; but such high deployment of land-intensive bioenergy feedstocks could also lead to detrimental climate effects, negatively impact ecosystems, biodiversity and livelihoods. The integration of bioenergy systems into agriculture and forest landscapes can improve land and water use efficiency and help address concerns about environmental impacts. We conclude that the high variability in pathways, uncertainties in technological development and ambiguity in political decision render forecasts on deployment levels and climate effects very difficult. However, uncertainty about projections should not preclude pursuing beneficial bioenergy options.
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| 2. |
- Creutzig, F., et al.
(author)
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Designing a virtuous cycle: Quality of governance, effective climate change mitigation, and just outcomes support each other
- 2023
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In: Global Environmental Change-Human and Policy Dimensions. - 0959-3780. ; 82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Climate change mitigation is mostly assessed through the lens of technologies and policy instruments. However, governance and social capital are crucial factors in complex social systems and may be relevant in the formation of effective climate policies. Here, we investigate the role of quality of governance (QoG), social capital, and equality as preconditions for enacting climate policies. Relying on indicators of social systems at nation state level, we investigate relationships with Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Structural Equation Models (SEM). We find that quality of governance, measured as impartiality, underpins social capital and interpersonal trust, equality and effective climate mitigation policies, indicated by the level of carbon pricing. Impartiality and social capital are necessary conditions for climate policies. Socio-economic inequalities reduce trust and political engagement, and thus compromise the overarching goal of climate change mitigation. Evidence from complementary literature indicates that fairly implemented climate policies could foster a virtuous cycle that further improves quality of governance, and thus the capacity for implementing strong climate policies. Our results demonstrate that impartial governance and resulting social capital form the underpinnings of effective climate policies.
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| 3. |
- Pritchard-Jones, K, et al.
(author)
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The state of research into children with cancer across Europe : new policies for a new decade
- 2011
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In: ecancermedicalscience. - : Ecancer Global Foundation. - 1754-6605. ; 5, s. 210-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Overcoming childhood cancers is critically dependent on the state of research. Understanding how, with whom and what the research community is doing with childhood cancers is essential for ensuring the evidence-based policies at national and European level to support children, their families and researchers. As part of the European Union funded EUROCANCERCOMS project to study and integrate cancer communications across Europe, we have carried out new research into the state of research in childhood cancers. We are very grateful for all the support we have received from colleagues in the European paediatric oncology community, and in particular from Edel Fitzgerald and Samira Essiaf from the SIOP Europe office. This report and the evidence-based policies that arise from it come at a important junction for Europe and its Member States. They provide a timely reminder that research into childhood cancers is critical and needs sustainable long-term support.
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| 4. |
- Creutzig, Felix, et al.
(author)
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Upscaling urban data science for global climate solutions
- 2019
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In: Global Sustainability. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 2059-4798. ; 2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Non-technical summary Manhattan, Berlin and New Delhi all need to take action to adapt to climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While case studies on these cities provide valuable insights, comparability and scalability remain sidelined. It is therefore timely to review the state-of-the-art in data infrastructures, including earth observations, social media data, and how they could be better integrated to advance climate change science in cities and urban areas. We present three routes for expanding knowledge on global urban areas: mainstreaming data collections, amplifying the use of big data and taking further advantage of computational methods to analyse qualitative data to gain new insights. These data-based approaches have the potential to upscale urban climate solutions and effect change at the global scale. Technical summary Cities have an increasingly integral role in addressing climate change. To gain a common understanding of solutions, we require adequate and representative data of urban areas, including data on related greenhouse gas emissions, climate threats and of socio-economic contexts. Here, we review the current state of urban data science in the context of climate change, investigating the contribution of urban metabolism studies, remote sensing, big data approaches, urban economics, urban climate and weather studies. We outline three routes for upscaling urban data science for global climate solutions: 1) Mainstreaming and harmonizing data collection in cities worldwide; 2) Exploiting big data and machine learning to scale solutions while maintaining privacy; 3) Applying computational techniques and data science methods to analyse published qualitative information for the systematization and understanding of first-order climate effects and solutions. Collaborative efforts towards a joint data platform and integrated urban services would provide the quantitative foundations of the emerging global urban sustainability science.
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| 5. |
- Robledo-Abad, Carmenza, et al.
(author)
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Bioenergy production and sustainable development: science base for policy-making remains limited
- 2017
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In: Global Change Biology Bioenergy. - : Wiley. - 1757-1693 .- 1757-1707. ; 9:3, s. 541-556
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 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 policy-making. 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.
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