Post Carbon Pathways: Towards a Just and Resilient Post Carbon Future

A new report has been published that draws on in-depth interviews with leading international researchers, policy makers and activists on actions needed to drive the rapid implementation of large scale post carbon economy transition strategies. It is titled "Post Carbon Pathways: Towards a Just and Resilient Post Carbon Future. Learning from leading international post carbon economy researchers and policy makers".

Key messages are:

1. The probability and risks of global warming of four degrees or more are rapidly increasing. This is, however, an argument for visionary leadership and decisive action - not political paralysis and buck-passing.

2. The technological and economic roadmaps showing the actions we need to take to avoid catastrophic global warming are now widely understood. From Germany to California and from the United Kingdom to China the global momentum for implementation of large scale de-carbonisation strategies is rapidly accelerating.

3. The biggest roadblocks preventing implementation of large-scale de-carbonisation strategies at the speed required to prevent runaway climate change are political not technological. The key roadblocks are:

• Climate science denial
• The power of the fossil fuel industry and its allies
• Political paralysis
• Unsustainable consumption of energy and resources
• Path dependencies and outdated infrastructure
• Financial and governance constraints

4. The key actions needed to overcome these political roadblocks are:

• Clear understanding of the necessity and possibility of an emergency speed transition to a just and resilient post-carbon future

• Broad recognition of the potentially enormous social and economic benefits of switching investment from fossil fuels to energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon sequestration

• Game changing social and technological innovation

• Decisive leadership and skilful implementation by communities, business and government at every level of society.

Free up mental and physical space!

Fredrik Wass and Michael Kazarnowicz have started Crop100 - a cool initiative where they invite people to get rid of 100 products from their daily life during 1-year period and in this way get rid of clatter, free your mind and contribute to sustainable consumption. More information about the project can be found on their blog or from a DN article in Swedish “Gör dig av med 100saker under ett år”.

If you find it hard to find 100 things in your possession that you could get rid of, think about what you would take with you if your house was burning. See what others would take with them on "The burning house blog”.

Get inspired by the story of Graham Hill, whose space is small, but whose life is big.

1986 insights on problems with our consumption levels

Some people are much more insightful about societal problems than us, academics. Check out this fantastic standup routine by George Carlin about the value of 'Stuff' in our lives, which he has done in 1986 long before the problematics of consumption was on anyones agenda in sustainability circles.

A summary of this talk: "Have you noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff"...

Alternative Consumption on the Rise

A number of civic movements are emerging that question the premises of the current economic system, that investigate what makes people happy and that offer alternative ways of satisfying people needs. Read more about various examples ranging from the non-shopping trend, to "fix it up" and to collaborative consumption in a blog-post of the WolrdWatch Europe.

ÄR DU INTRESSERAD AV MAT, HÄLSA OCH MILJÖ?

Just nu pågår det ett forskningsprojekt vid Lunds universitet där vi undersöker butikens nuvarande och framtida roll i främjandet av mer hållbara matvanor. Vi söker intresserade konsumenter som vill delta i en diskussion med butiksägare från Skåne om nya möjligheter för butiker att stödja hållbara matvaror och livsstilar. Du behöver inte någon särskild kunskap om miljö och hållbarhet för att delta.

När: Onsdag, 17 april 2013 (kl. 9.30-12)

Var: Internationella Miljöinstitutet vid Lunds Universitet, Tegnersplatsen 4, Lund

Vi bjuder på lätt lunch efter diskussionen, samt fika under diskussionen. För dig som kommer med bus, tåg eller bil betalar vi reseersättning.

Vid frågor, hör gärna av dig till: Matthias Lehner,
046 222 02 18 (arbete),
076 233 85 44 (mobil),
matthias.lehner@iiiee.lu.se

webinar on Dispelling myths about sustainable consumption

Please join us in an Adobe Connect Meeting!

When:  Tuesday 22 January, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
or the same content
When:  Tuesday 12 February, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Time Zone:  (GMT+01:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna

Successful strategies for promoting sustainable consumption require a good understanding of human behaviour but most policymakers and other leaders don’t have time to become experts in consumer decision making! The academic research on how to promote sustainable lifestyles is complex and comes from a range of disciplines from psychology and sociology to behavioural economics and many more. As a result, many of us rely on “common knowledge” and assumptions about consumer behaviour, which may be only partially true or sometimes not true at all.

This webinar presents the preliminary results of the project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, which aims to uncover existing scientific evidence on consumption and to give policy makers a deeper understanding of the knowledge on consumption behaviour in a more accessible format – thereby challenging the myths and enabling more effective policy making.
We have so far conducted meta-analysis of existing scientific evidence and interviewed a range of policymakers in the Nordic region to learn more about how the academic research findings fit with the experience of those designing and implementing local, national and Nordic-level policies.

This webinar discusses such “myths” about consumption behavior as:
•    Green consumption is the solution to unsustainable patterns and levels of consumption.
•    If everyone does a little we will achieve a lot.
•    More information leads to sustainable behaviour.
•    Consumption policies are too controversial and will not be accepted by the public.
…and others.

In addition to presenting our learning to date, we would also like to hear what you think: which myths are familiar to you, which issues are challenging for your work area, do you strongly agree or disagree with any of the findings?  You will have the possibility to write your comments and questions during the webinar and we will have some time to answer at least some of them.

We are looking forward to seeing you online!
Please feel free to forward this invitation to people who you think might be interested.

To join the meeting: log in as Guest, write your name
https://connect.sunet.se/scmyths/

Feel free to email us whether you are planning to attend!
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Project team
Oksana Mont, Kate Power, Eva Heiskanen, Helka.Kuusi
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Urban visions and challenges

The Lund University Urban Arena is organising a full-day workshop ‘Urban Visions and Challenges’ during which a range of eminent speakers representing academia and experts in governance and planning will provide their views on the following issues in urban development for sustainability:

• What experience and examples do we have of effective local governance for urban sustainability?
• How do we define a sustainable, resilient, low-carbon and dense city?
• To what extent are processes for sustainability innovations urban and regional?
• Will the Öresund region be able to live up to the expectations on being a forerunner in sustainable urban development?

Programme

08.30 Registration and coffee

09.00 Introduction and Welcome Lena Neij, coordinator for the Lund University Urban Arena

Future urban areas – dense and attractive, or what? David Sim, Gehl Architects

Local environmental governance Janette Webb, professor, Institute of Governance,
School of Social and Political Science,University of Edinburgh.

Sustainable cities – challenges and visions for sustainable urban development in Sweden
Peter Örn, chairman, Delegationen för Hållbara städer

Sustainable cities – challenges and visions for sustainable urban development in
the Öresund region Katarina Pelin, Head of Environment Department, City of Malmö,
Chairman Urban Transition Öresund

12.30 Lunch 

13.30 Urban Visions and Challenges
In a series of 5 minutes reflections by prominent Lund University researchers, we will be
updated on current perspectives on the visions and challenges on sustainable urban transformation: Prof Tom Rye (Transport and Roads), Dr Catharina Sternudd (Urban Design), prof Annika Carlsson-Kanyama (Environmental and Energy Systems Studies), prof Hans Hansson (Water Resources Engineering), etc.

14.30-16.00 Panel Discussion: What are the key questions for further development and research?
 
Workshop location: Lund University, Hörsalen, Stora Algatan 4
Registration: mail your name, title, place of work and contact information (cell
phone number and mailing address) along with any dietary restrictions or other special needs, to nora.smedby@iiiee.lu.se. Please note that number of participants is limited. 
Last date of registration: Tuesday, November 7 to nora.smedby@iiiee.lu.se
Fee: the workshop including lunch is free of charge and open to all. However, no-show for registered participants will be charged with a fee of 500 SEK.