| 1. |
- André, Hampus
(författare)
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“If less is more, how you keeping score?” Outlines of a life cycle assessment method to assess sufficiency
- 2024
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2673-4524. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is increasingly clear that reaching environmental sustainability requires not only efficiency (reduced environmental impact per functionality) but also sufficiency measures (reduced environmental impact through reduced or changed functionality). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely used tool to study environmental impacts related to consumption. However, because of the LCA convention of only comparing alternative products with equal functionality, it is currently inept as a method for assessing the environmental impacts of sufficiency measures. Against this background, this short paper aims to stimulate a discussion on how sufficiency measures can be assessed with LCA methodology. By analyzing the very few LCAs of explicit sufficiency measures in terms of the components of a functional unit (what function is provided, how much, for how long, and how well) features of a potential new branch of LCA methodology are outlined, called Sufficiency LCA. In Sufficiency LCA, product alternatives need to be similar enough so that the what component of the functional unit can be equal, while the other components, how much, how long, and how well, are allowed to be non-equal. Thus, a key feature of Sufficiency LCA concerns functional non-equivalence of compared product alternatives, which is not allowed or neglected in conventional LCA, but which could be allowed, acknowledged and quantified in Sufficiency LCA. Developing Sufficiency LCA could be critical considering that sufficiency measures are expected to be required, and that LCA is expected to be serviceable as decision-making support, in the transition toward environmental sustainability.
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| 2. |
- Annelin, Alice, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability in higher education : a sustainability competence support model
- 2024
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-4524. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- After several decades of work toward elevating sustainability education, many have called for a transformation of the education system to create timely action. Teachers, students, organizational leaders, and many other stakeholders have voiced their dissatisfaction with their experience of sustainability education. Some say we can do more to create real action for sustainable futures. We investigate what, how and why lectures across disciplines at universities in different countries work with sustainability education. We conduct interviews and dialogs with teachers across disciplines to uncover interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability education and how to move forward. The emerging reflections provide insights about transformations in the strategies and systems, and how to implement sustainability education. There is also a call for reuniting diverse intrapersonal and values thinking between stakeholders to support transformations in sustainability education. Furthermore, participants imagined the future as a creative space where collaboration across disciplines facilitates a student-centred transdisciplinary experience with real-world practice. This study provides insights into the mindset of teachers across disciplines and countries. A sustainability competence-based support model about the current sustainability education discourse is developed.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Barreiro-Gen, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Women in sustainability research: Examining gender authorship differences in peer-reviewed publications
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - Lausanne : Frontiers. - 2673-4524. ; :3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Higher education institutions (HEIs) have been undertaking considerable efforts to embed sustainability into their system; however, there have been limited studies on the incorporation of sustainability into research. In parallel, it has been found that women have an important role in contributing to sustainability since they are more engaged and have a more holistic perspective on sustainability than men. These two phenomena have resulted in limited studies about the contribution of women to sustainability research (i.e., in scientific publishing). A bibliometric analysis of more than 39,000 documents (with 147,090 authorships) was done to fill this gap, focusing on sustainability peer-review publications in Europe between 2015 and 2020. The results show that women's presence in sustainability research has been increasing during the last years; however, there are still few female authorship publications, even in fields that have been traditionally women-oriented. In addition, their publications have been less recognized by the scientific community. The results also show substantial gender differences in terms of author leadership, where female senior researchers are more likely to mentor female junior researchers than men. Female researchers tend to collaborate nationally, but they could improve their international collaboration since this can improve their research and impact. More support should be provided to female researchers to help foster women's sustainability engagement and holistic perspectives, reduce existing negative feedback loops, and increase positive ones. Achieving gender equality is sine qua non in achieving sustainable societies.
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| 5. |
- Bautista-Puig, Núria, Postdoc Researcher, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Unveiling the Research Landscape of Sustainable Development Goals and Their Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers: Major Trends in 2000–2017
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers. - 2673-4524. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have become the international framework for sustainability policy. Its legacy is linked with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), established in 2000. In this paper a scientometric analysis was conducted to: (1) Present a new methodological approach to identify the research output related to both SDGs and MDGs (M&SDGs) from 2000 to 2017, with the aim of mapping the global research related to M&SDGs; (2) Describe the thematic specialization based on keyword co-occurrence analysis and citation bursts; and (3) Classify the scientific output into individual SDGs (based on an ad-hoc glossary) and assess SDGs interconnections. Publications conceptually related to M&SDGs (defined by the set of M&SDG core publications and a scientometric expansion based on direct citations) were identified in the in-house CWTS Web of Science database. A total of 25,299 publications were analyzed, of which 21,653 (85.59%) were authored by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) or academic research centers (RCs). The findings reveal the increasing participation of these organizations in this research (660 institutions in 2000–2005 to 1,744 institutions involved in 2012–2017). Some institutions present both a high production and specialization on M&SDG topics (e.g., London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and World Health Organization); and others with a very high specialization although lower production levels (e.g., Stockholm Environment Institute). Regarding the specific topics of research, health (especially in developing countries), women, and socio-economic issues are the most salient. Moreover, it has been observed an important interlinkage in the research outputs of some SDGs (e.g., SDG11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and SDG3 “Good Health and Well-Being”). This study provides first evidence of such interconnections, and the results of this study could be useful for policymakers in order to promote a more evidenced-based setting for their research agendas on SDGs.
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| 6. |
- Bjurström, Erik
(författare)
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Doctrines for occupational health and safety
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2673-4524. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The balance between structure and handling uncertainty through mindfulnessremains a riddle in occupational health and safety. In a similar vein, therelationship between strategy, business models, management control, and itsinfluence on actual practice is still poorly understood. Hence, the notion ofdoctrines is here suggested as a new way of talking about these tensions, asa middle-way between abstract models and routines on the one hand, andactual mindful practices on the other. What becomes clear in this explorationis that the tension between structural abstractions on the one side andthe concrete everyday, and possibly mindful, practice on the other are notonly theoretical and practical concerns, but touches on the fundamentalintelligibility of human action.
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| 7. |
- Boström, Magnus, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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Could practices of reduced consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic facilitate transformative change for sustainability? Experiences from Sweden and Ireland
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-4524.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic implied a disruption of several consumer practices, which offers an opportunity to explore experiences and possibilities to switch toward more sustainable lifestyles with reduced consumption. This article asks if there is long-term transformative potential toward more sustainable and climate friendly consumption practices embedded in these new experiences. By the use of qualitative interviews, the article explores learning experiences gained by “mainstream” consumers in Sweden and Ireland. A theoretical framework consisting of five themes, also related to previous COVID-19 research, guide the analysis of empirical findings: 1) desired objects; 2) confirmation of social relations by non- or alternative consumption; 3) temporal and spatial aspects; 4) de-normalization of mass consumption; 5) new competences and social support. Findings suggest that the long-term lifestyle transformation possibilities are not vast, but neither are they insignificant. Various positive experiences, with implications for reduced/alternative consumption, can be stored in collective memories even if several consumer practices bounce back to “normal” after the pandemic. Based on the findings, the long-term transformative potential is discussed through the lenses of transformative learning, reflectivity, and adaptative abilities. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable and reduced consumption, including literature on degrowth, suciency, and downsizing.
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| 8. |
- Boström, Magnus, 1972-
(författare)
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Take the Opportunity Afforded by the COVID-19 Experiences : Progressive Non-growth Policies for Sustainable Lifestyles
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-4524. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant restrictions on lifestyles and consumption everywhere. Many consumer practices have been disrupted due to the shutting down of economic and social activities, limiting of mobility in public places, closing of shopping centers and non-essential stores, and closing of borders. These restrictions have had a significant impact on climate emissions. Much public and scholarly attention has been given to the question of whether the pandemic also offers a window of opportunity for long-term sustainability transformation. The article elaborates on this issue by specifically discussing progressive non-growth policies for sustainable lifestyles and reduced consumption. What potential for long-term transformative change results from lifestyle changes like these? How can societies be restructured to take advantage of the experiences from the pandemic? Bottom-up drivers and possibilities for top-down enforcement are both important to consider. The article limits its focus to top-down policy measures with transformative potential related to sustainable lifestyles (reduced consumption) by summarizing and discussing some key policy lessons identified in recent COVID-19 literature. It considers the need to address likely rebound effects and the vested interests in bouncing practices back toward the previous unsustainable “normality.” The argument is generally inspired by post-growth and degrowth perspectives, as the dominant pro-growth, neo-liberal doctrines are seen as unable to transform societies and guide them onto sustainable paths.
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| 9. |
- Brambila-Macias, Sergio, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Design support needs to realize more effective and resource-efficient offerings : A comparison among large companies and small and medium enterprises
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - Lausanne : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-4524. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In an economic paradigm where companies think that more is better and resources are considered infinite, waste, pollution, and environmental degradation are often the result. This can, in turn, be addressed by companies focusing on offerings that are both effective and resource efficient. However, this type of offerings can be more uncertain and complex due to multiple factors such as multiple actors and conflicting objectives taking place at once. Dedicated design support for the relatively new offerings will be helpful for designers in industry. Large and small companies could benefit from the dedicated design support to successfully realize these types of offerings. However, the type of support they might need is not clear. Differences and similarities among large and small companies could guide researchers in providing more reliable support. Therefore, the aim of this research is to present differences and similarities of design support needs among large companies and small and medium enterprises. This is carried out through semi-structured interviews and follow-up meetings. The results show that differences include a formal product realization process for large companies and an informal or no process for smaller ones. Similarities point at design support for better communication and management of their offerings with regard to lead time as well as lifecycle and strategic thinking for decision making. The conclusions highlight the importance for researchers to provide design support that purposefully addresses specific needs.
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| 10. |
- Callmer, Åsa, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Caring and striving : toward a new consumer identity in the process of consumption reduction
- 2024
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-4524. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adoption of sufficiency-oriented lifestyles is an important part of curbing overconsumption, yet many individuals who try to reduce their consumption volumes experience social difficulties. Combining the perspectives of care and sufficiency-oriented lifestyle changes, this article aims to contribute to the understanding of why such social obstacles occur, how they might be counteracted and in what ways social relations instead may facilitate consumption reduction. Starting from an interview study with 25 Swedish consumption reducers, this article builds on a processual theory of consumer identity and the perspective of care to explore how care and consumption are (re) negotiated in the different stages of reduction. The results highlight the different aspects of care involved in consumption reduction – from motivations for change to negotiations toward a more holistic understanding of care – and show that consumption reduction in many ways is an ongoing process of both caring and striving. By emphasizing how care is renegotiated in a gradual construction of a caring consumer identity, this article discusses the importance of maintaining a sensitivity to the multi-faceted nature of care, acknowledging it both as a source of difficulties and as a key driver for sufficiency-oriented lifestyle changes.
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