@article{Martinetal.2021, author = {Martin, Maria and ..., ... and ..., ... and Lorek, Sylvia and ..., ...}, title = {Ten new insights in climate science 2021: a horizon scan}, series = {Global Sustainability}, journal = {Global Sustainability}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press}, doi = {10.25974/fhms-16066}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-160666}, year = {2021}, abstract = {A synthesis is made of 10 topics within climate research, where there have been significant advances since January 2020. The insights are based on input from an international open call with broad disciplinary scope. Findings include: (1) the options to still keep global warming below 1.5 °C; (2) the impact of non-CO2 factors in global warming; (3) a new dimension of fire extremes forced by climate change; (4) the increasing pressure on interconnected climate tipping elements; (5) the dimensions of climate justice; (6) political challenges impeding the effectiveness of carbon pricing; (7) demand-side solutions as vehicles of climate mitigation; (8) the potentials and caveats of nature-based solutions; (9) how building resilience of marine ecosystems is possible; and (10) that the costs of climate change mitigation policies can be more than justified by the benefits to the health of humans and nature.}, language = {en} } @book{FuchsSahakianGumpertetal.2021, author = {Fuchs, Doris and Sahakian, Marlyne and Gumpert, Tobias and Gumpert, Antonietta and Maniates, Michael and Lorek, Sylvia and Graf, Antonia}, title = {Consumption Corridors - Living a Good Life within Sustainable Limits}, publisher = {Routledge}, address = {London}, isbn = {9780367748722}, doi = {10.25974/fhms-16057}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-160579}, publisher = {FH M{\"u}nster - University of Applied Sciences}, pages = {110}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Consumption Corridors: Living a Good Life within Sustainable Limits explores how to enhance peoples' chances to live a good life in a world of ecological and social limits. Rejecting familiar recitations of problems of ecological decline and planetary boundaries, this compact book instead offers a spirited explication of what everyone desires: a good life. Fundamental concepts of the good life are explained and explored, as are forces that threaten the good life for all. The remedy, says the book's seven international authors, lies with the concept of consumption corridors, enabled by mechanisms of citizen engagement and deliberative democracy. Across fve concise chapters, readers are invited into conversation about how wellbeing can be enriched by social change that joins "needs satisfaction" with consumerist restraint, social justice, and environmental sustainability. In this endeavour, lower limits of consumption that ensure minimal needs satisfaction for all are important, and enjoy ample precedent. But upper limits to consumption, argue the authors, are equally essential, and attainable, especially in those domains where limits enhance rather than undermine essential freedoms.}, language = {en} } @article{SahakianFuchsLoreketal.2021, author = {Sahakian, Marlyne and Fuchs, Doris and Lorek, Sylvia and DiGiulio, Antonietta}, title = {Advancing the concept of consumption corridors and exploring its implications}, series = {Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy}, journal = {Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy}, doi = {10.25974/fhms-16064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-160646}, year = {2021}, abstract = {As a salutogenic concept, "consumption corridors" aims to support what is necessary for sustainable wellbeing to be achieved in relation to the Earth system, with a deep consideration for justice and equity. Living in consumption corridors is a representation of everyday life whereby people live within limits, so that all people - now and in the future - can access what is needed to live a good life. In this special issue, a series of scholars and practitioners have come together to further develop the concept, engage with its ethodological implications, and relate it to consumption domains and policy implications. We begin by introducing how the concept emerged, in relation to the complexity of grappling with the societal transformations required for achieving more sustainable forms of consumption. We then present the different contributions, which demonstrate the importance of considering both maximum and minimum consumption standards, the relevance of human-need theories, as well as the difference between achieving wellbeing and the means necessary for doing so. We conclude by opening up to areas that merit further deliberation: how to relate consumption corridors to everyday-life dynamics, but also to the critical question of power relations at play in implementing consumption corridors.}, language = {en} } @article{LorekSpangenberg2019, author = {Lorek, Sylvia and Spangenberg, Joachim}, title = {Energy sufficiency through social innovation in housing}, series = {Energy Policy}, volume = {126, March 2019}, journal = {Energy Policy}, doi = {10.1016/j.enpol.2018.11.026}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-104638}, pages = {287 -- 294}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Experience shows that energy savings through energy efficiency measures are partly compensated by income growth, and partly by rebound effects. Therefore to be effective, efficiency measures have to be embedded in a concept of sufficiency which strives for limits and absolute reduction of energy consumption. While the sufficiency concept is not new, it only recently gained attention in the field of housing. This paper provides a basis for broader and more informed debates in policy and research on the potential of sufficiency considerations to contribute to the overall reduction of energy consumption in the residential sector. It recommends shifting the attention from energy consumption of buildings towards a concept of sustainable homes in which e.g. the size of the living area plays a crucial role. A further important aspect is the possibility to fulfil other basic needs like the provision with food, recreation and social contacts in the nearby environment. The paper describes first examples of housing projects guided by sufficiency criteria, depicts the potential roles of different actor groups and points towards some general policy recommendations.}, language = {en} } @article{SpangenbergLorek2019, author = {Spangenberg, Joachim and Lorek, Sylvia}, title = {Sufficiency and consumer behaviour: from theory to policy}, series = {Energy Policy}, volume = {129, June 2019}, journal = {Energy Policy}, doi = {10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.013}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-104648}, pages = {1070 -- 1079}, year = {2019}, abstract = {It is increasingly obvious that for safeguarding environmental sustainability, eco-efficiency measures will need to be complemented by sufficiency, in particular by strong sustainable consumption. The Theory of Planned Behaviour TPB and Social Practice Theory SPT offer different views on consumer behaviour, and on ways to change it. This paper briefly describes the challenges, discusses the applicability of both theories and their meaningfulness for policy recommendations. We suggest an approach combining results of both bodies of theory, complemented by ideas from political economy, to substantiate the Prism of Sustainable Consumption we introduce as a heuristic sufficiency policy tool. It is useful to identify affordability criteria for change in each dimension, as the basis for deriving suggestions for effective policy interventions. We conclude that (i) effective interventions are possible, (ii) they have to address several dimensions of affordability simultaneously, and (iii) the sufficiency policy space prism can be a useful tool in structuring planned interventions.}, language = {en} } @article{TrottaSpangenbergLorek2018, author = {Trotta, Gianluca and Spangenberg, Joachim and Lorek, Sylvia}, title = {Energy efficiency in the residential sector: identification of promising policy instruments and private initiatives among selected European countries}, series = {Energy Efficiency}, volume = {December 2018, vol. 11}, journal = {Energy Efficiency}, number = {8}, doi = {10.1007/s12053-018-9739-0}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-104617}, pages = {2111 -- 2135}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Improving residential energy efficiency is widely recognized as one of the best strategies for reducing energy demand, combating climate change and increasing security of energy supply. However, progress has been slow to date due to a number of market and behavioural barriers that have not been adequately addressed by energy efficiency policies and programmes. This study is based on updated findings of the European Futures for Energy Efficiency Project that responds to the EU Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-15 theme 'Secure, clean and efficient energy'. This article draws on five case studies from selected European countries - Finland, Italy, Hungary, Spain, and the UK - and evaluates recent energy efficiency developments in terms of indicators, private initiatives, and policy measures in the residential sector. Our analysis shows that the UK government has implemented a better range of policies, coupled with initiatives from the private sector, aimed at improving energy efficiency. However, its existing conditions appear to be more problematic than the other countries. On the other hand, the lack of effective and targeted policies in Finland resulted in increased energy consumption, while in Hungary, Spain and Italy some interesting initiatives, especially in terms of financial and fiscal incentives, have been found.}, language = {en} } @article{AlfredssonBentssonSzejnwaldBrownetal.2018, author = {Alfredsson, Eva and Bentsson, Magnus and Szejnwald Brown, Halina and Eisenhour, Cindy and Lorek, Sylvia and Stevis, Dimitris and Vergragt, Philip}, title = {Why achieving the Paris Agreement requires reduced overall consumption and production}, series = {Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy}, volume = {14}, journal = {Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy}, number = {1}, issn = {1548-7733}, doi = {10.1080/15487733.2018.1458815}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-106448}, pages = {1 -- 5}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Technological solutions to the challenge of dangerous climate change are urgent and necessary but to be effective they need to be accompanied by reductions in the total level of consumption and production of goods and services. This is for three reasons. First, private consumption and its associated production are among the key drivers of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, especially among highly emitting industrialized economies. There is no evidence that decoupling of the economy from GHG emissions is possible at the scale and speed needed. Second, investments in more sustainable infrastructure, including renewable energy, needed in coming decades will require extensive amounts of energy, largely from fossil sources, which will use up a significant share of the two-degree carbon budget. Third, improving the standard of living of the world's poor will consume a major portion of the available carbon allowance. The scholarly community has a responsibility to put the issue of consumption and the associated production on the research and policy agenda.}, language = {en} } @article{BengtssonAlfredssonCohenetal.2018, author = {Bengtsson, Magnus and Alfredsson, Eva and Cohen, Maurie and Lorek, Sylvia and Schroeder, Patrick}, title = {Transforming systems of consumption and production for achieving the sustainable development goals: moving beyond efficiency}, series = {Sustainability Science}, volume = {13}, journal = {Sustainability Science}, number = {6}, doi = {10.1007/s11625-018-0582-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-106615}, pages = {1533 -- 1547}, year = {2018}, abstract = {The United Nations formulated the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in 2015 as a comprehensive global policy framework for addressing the most pressing social and environmental challenges currently facing humanity. In this paper, we analyse SDG 12, which aims to ''ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.'' Despite long-standing political recognition of this objective, and ample scientific evidence both on its importance and on the efficacy of various ways of promoting it, the SDGs do not provide clear goals or effective guidance on how to accomplish this urgently needed transformation. Drawing from the growing body of research on sustainable consumption and production (SCP), the paper identifies two dominant vantage points—one focused on promoting more efficient production methods and products (mainly through technological improvement and informed consumer choice) and the other stressing the need to consider also overall volumes of consumption, distributional issues, and related social and institutional changes. We label these two approaches efficiency and systemic. Research shows that while the efficiency approach contains essential elements of a transition to sustainability, it is by itself highly unlikely to bring about sustainable outcomes. Concomitantly, research also finds that volumes of consumption and production are closely associated with environmental impacts, indicating a need to curtail these volumes in ways that safeguard social sustainability, which is unlikely to be possible without a restructuring of existing socioeconomic arrangements. Analysing how these two perspectives are reflected in the SDGs framework, we find that in its current conception, it mainly relies on the efficiency approach. On the basis of this assessment, we conclude that the SDGs represent a partial and inadequate conceptualisation of SCP which will hamper implementation. Based on this determination, this paper provides some suggestions on how governments and other actors involved in SDGs operationalisation could more effectively pursue SCP from a systemic standpoint and use the transformation of systems of consumption and production as a lever for achieving multiple sustainability objectives.}, language = {en} } @article{LaamanenWahlenLorek2018, author = {Laamanen, Mikko and Wahlen, Stefan and Lorek, Sylvia}, title = {A moral householding perspective on the sharing economy}, series = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, volume = {202}, journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.224}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-106917}, pages = {1220 -- 1227}, year = {2018}, abstract = {In this paper, we scrutinise the sharing economy from a moral householding perspective and evaluate the moral justifications for a sustainable form of the sharing economy. We consider the emergence of normative moral justifications through householding practices that rest on local mobilisation of people in defence of communities and commitments against the adverse impacts of neoliberal market capitalism. Our perspective draws on Karl Polanyi's conceptualisation of householding, that is, autarchic, communistic provision in a closed community. Using timebanking as an example, we illustrate how a moral sharing economy can be mobilised in collective battles against the current neoliberal system of economic crisis. We contribute to the amassing sharing economy literature emphasising a central, yet missing element of the current discourse: householding as practices creating self-sufficiency and autonomy as well as combining both kin and stranger.}, language = {en} } @article{FuchsDiGiulioGlaabetal.2016, author = {Fuchs, Doris and Di Giulio, Antonietta and Glaab, Katharina and Lorek, Sylvia and Maniates, Michael and Princen, Thomas and Ropke, Inge}, title = {Power: the missing element in sustainable consumption and absolute reductions research and action}, series = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, volume = {132}, journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production}, doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.006}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:836-opus-106438}, pages = {298 -- 307}, year = {2016}, abstract = {In this essay, we aim to demonstrate the value of a power lens on consumption and absolute reductions. Specifically, we illuminate what we perceive to be a troublesome pattern of neglect of questions of power in research and action on sustainable consumption and absolute reductions. In pursuit of our objectives, we delineate how many of the informal and implicit "theories of social change" of scholars and activists in sustainable consumption and sustainable development fail to address power in a sufficiently explicit, comprehensive and differentiated manner and how that failure translates into insufficient understandings of the drivers of consumption and the potential for and barriers to absolute reductions. Second, we develop the contours of a power lens on sustainable consumption. Third, we illustrate the value of such a power lens, with a particular focus on the case of meat consumption.}, language = {en} }