Category: Uncategorized

Latest publication: The role of hydrogen in climate protection: quality rather than quantity

The German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU) published an English-language summary of the conclusions and recommendations of its statement on the role of hydrogen in climate protection that was first published in German this summer.  In its report, the SRU recommends that all efforts should be focused on the market ramp-up for green hydrogen made from wind and solar energy. Even for a transitional period, policy-makers should not support fossil-based hydrogen. Read More

New factsheet: Planetary Health, what we need to talk about?

The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) issued a factsheet, entitled “Planetary Health: What we need to talk about”. In this latest publication, the WBGU asks the question whether the prerequisites for healthy living are taken seriously enough? Or whether civilization systematically is jeopardizing health? Read More

29th EEAC Annual Conference: what did we discuss?

As a whole, the EEAC’s 29th Annual Conference addressed the twin challenges of sustainable development and the digital transformation. The digital transformation and artificial intelligence offer many exciting opportunities for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution of air, water, and soil, as well as health pandemics; educational needs; and other sustainability issues. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence enable us to collect and analyze information far more comprehensively and with a speed that is leading to major changes across sectors. Potentials for efficiency improvements, enhanced monitoring, and transparency of data are enormous. These opportunities have been embraced at the European level with the Green Deal, National Recovery and Resilience Policies, and the digitalization Agenda 2030.

At the same time, however, the conference pointed out various problems. Existing business models tied to digitization too often ignore privacy norms and basic ethics as their primary goal is increasing profits. There is a lack of integration of sustainability into digitalization policies and programs. Adam Smith’s free hand has led to very large ecological footprints. This reality calls for more integrative, collaborative, and participatory approaches so that the twin challenges can both be addressed. Inclusivity is critical to enhancing sustainability, both in urban and rural communities. Care must be taken to strengthen capacities, access, and skills for the digital and sustainability transitions.

Governance of the digital transformation should be broadly participatory, protect European norms of privacy and democracy, and advance sustainability. Controls are needed so that discrimination and abuses can be prevented, privacy protected (privacy by design) and distributive democracy promoted. Governance structures and processes will need monitoring and flexibility so that they can be improved over time and be robust against unforeseen developments. New frameworks and understandings are emerging at the European and national levels, but the work is just beginning and much more needs to be done to advance the twin transitions and European leadership in these areas that are so critical to our joint future.

Latest publication: Carbon Budgets for Ireland

A carbon budget represents the total amount of emissions that may be emitted in the State during a five-year period, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. It is calculated on an economy-wide basis. As part of its work, the Climate Change Advisory Council of Ireland (CCAC)  is responsible for proposing three five-year economy-wide carbon budgets, covering the periods 2021-2025, 2026-2030 and 2031-2035, to assist the State in achieving its national climate objectives and greenhouse gas emissions targets agreed by the European Union.

The first three carbon budgets cover the following five-year periods: 2021 to 2025, 2026 to 2030, and 2031 to 2035 (although the budget for the third period is provisional). All greenhouse gas emissions and all relevant sectors are included in the carbon budgets.

They are as follows:

  • 2021-2025: 295 Mt CO2 eq. an average of -4.8% for the first budget period.
  • 2026-2030: 200 Mt CO2 eq. an average of -8.3% for the second budget period.
  • 2031-2035: 151 Mt CO2 eq. an average of -3.5% for the third provisional budget.

 

carbon budgets figure 5

The above graph represents the proposed carbon budgets in the context of recent historic emissions, and the EPA “With Additional Measures” projections of emissions based on the implementation of the 2019 Climate Action Plan.

In 2018, Ireland’s emissions could be broken down by sector as follows:

 Ireland  EU
Energy 54.2% 82.3%
Industrial Processes 4.7% 9.4%
Agriculture 32.6% 11.0%
Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry 7.0% -6.4%
Waste 1.4% 3.7%

What happens next?

The carbon budget programme is presented to the Oireachtas by the Minister of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Once adopted by the Oireachtas, the Minister will use each carbon budget to prepare sectoral emissions ceilings for relevant sectors of the economy. On final agreement of these sectoral emissions ceilings by Government it will then be for sectors to determine which mitigation options are best placed to serve their needs in terms of delivering on their new commitments.

Every year, the Climate Change Advisory Council will undertake a review of progress made against these carbon budgets. The review will assess reductions achieved in GHG emissions, compliance with the carbon budget, and every sectoral emissions ceiling for that period.

The Council’s Technical Report on Carbon Budgets  sets out in more detail how these various considerations were taken into account.

Latest publication: Collaboration on Climate and Biodiversity

There is a sense of urgency for increased climate and biodiversity ambition and action in advance of the UN COP 26 and COP 15 meetings on climate and biodiversity, respectively.  This new report from the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), Collaboration on Climate and Biodiversity: Shared Island as a Catalyst for Renewed Ambition & Action, shows that this ambition can be better achieved through collaboration and working in partnership on common climate, biodiversity and sustainable development goals across the island of Ireland.

Forming part of a wider body of work on a Shared Island for the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister, red.), this NESC report examines the particular challenges and opportunities of climate change and biodiversity loss across the island, drawing on an extensive consultation with stakeholders, north and south.

In this report, the Council has identified that there is a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities; and of the need to accept that strengthening cooperation takes time and requires public engagement and participation. It also points to the deep, shared experience that provides a solid foundation to deliver on this ambition.

To take these opportunities forward, the Council would welcome the development of a shared and inspiring vision for integrated climate and biodiversity action across the island, through a joint statement of common purpose.

The report also illustrates the shared opportunities that exist to develop a sustainable island such as the circular and bio-economy, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, marine and coastal climate adaptation and impact, and valuing networks for nature. Read More

New event: Towards Planetary Health, three consecutive webinars on 14, 21 and 28 October 2021

The EEAC Network, in collaboration with the Advisory Council for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia, is organising three consecutive webinars on the concept of Planetary Health. This series of webinars will take place on the mornings of 14 October, 21 October and 28 October.

The webinar series, entitled “Towards Planetary Health”, will allow the EEAC Network to contribute to widening the understanding of the concept of planetary health, and will offer policy advisers, policymakers and other interested parties a deeper understanding of the importance of the current threats to Planetary Health and the need to take action at national, subnational and local levels.

Due to the importance that the EEAC Network attaches to Planetary Health, the webinar will be open not only to its members, but also to a wider constituency. Read More or Register right away.

Latest publications: recent work by the Advisory Council on Sustainable Development of Catalonia

Ten Recommendations for a coastal integrated management in Catalonia

On 9th September 2021, The Advisory Council on Sustainable Development of Catalonia (CADS) presented the report “The Coastline on the Edge. Recommendations for an integrated management of the Catalan coast”. The report proposes tools that shape a framework of integrated policies for the transformation towards sustainability, making it compatible with the blue economy.

The report proposes 10 recommendations that include several possible actions. They focus on a wide range of topics including the creation of a Coastal Conservatory with a similar scope as the French “Conservatoire du littoral”; the regulation of tourism in overexploited areas; promoting fiscal greening with the review of the ultimate destination of the tourism tax for conservation purposes or studying the creation of a tax for secondary residences; the restoration of hydromorphological dynamics on rivers to ensure sediment inputs in coastal areas; and the re-dimensioning and reformulation of certain critical infrastructures for climate adaptation.

The publication’s lead authors include Dr Puri Canals-Ventín and Dr Carles Ibáñez-Martí, members of CADS. The report is the final result of a strategic thinking process that included a series of public debates considering the quadruple helix. Throughout the process, CADS gathered expert and scientific site-specific knowledge on coastal management in Catalonia and surrounding environments. At the moment the report is only available in Catalan.

Ten top priorities for sustainable development in Catalonia

An opinion on the top ten priorities for sustainable development in Catalonia was approved by CADS in July 2021. This is the first of a series of rankings that CADS will issue annually, identifying the main challenges to achieve sustainable development as a call to action to the Government and to the whole of society. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic and amid global change, the top priorities that CADS focuses on in 2021 are: 1) climate change and 2) biodiversity loss, 3) slow decarbonisation of the economy, 4) poverty and 5) access to housing, 6) school dropout rate, 7) childhood vulnerability, 8) gender equality, ( industrial weakness to deliver goods and technology for sustainability transition and 10) the gap between urban and rural areas. The ranking will be delivered to the Government and will be available on the CADS website in Catalan and English.

Last articles of the special issue on the 2030 Agenda of IDEES, the online magazine on contemporary issues published by the Government of Catalonia

Since September 2020, CADS has coordinated the special issue of the IDEES online magazine published by the Centre for Contemporary Studies, an in-house think tank of the Government of Catalonia. Along one year, this monograph has offered approaches and reflexions in order to set how to speed up the path towards sustainable development through the view of leading world experts.

This special issue of the IDEES journal was launched end of September 2021 with the release of new articles regarding to:

–   The future of Oceans and Seas, by Mr Rémi Parmentier, a founding member of Greenpeace International and Director of The Varda Group.

–   Biodiversity and Ecosystem services, by members of the Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications (CREAF).

–   The need to accelerate the Transition towards the Circular Economy, by Dr Jordi Oliver Solà, Executive Director of Inèdit.

–   Water challenges, by Dr Ignasi Rodríguez Roda, senior researcher at the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA).

–   An Epilogue by the edition coordinators

The monograph, entitled ‘The 2030 Agenda: transforming the world in response to a planetary emergency’ is published in Catalan, Spanish and English.

 

Latest publications: Recent work by the Federal Council for Sustainable Development (FRDO-CFDD)

In this item, some of the latest opinions by the Federal Council for Sustainable Development in Belgium (FRDO-CFDD) are listed. The original opinions are available in French and Dutch.

The council has issued an opinion on the preliminary draft of the federal government’s sustainable development  plan. The government should present a final plan in the autumn of 2021. The council also issued an opinion on a study of Belgium’s implementation of the SDGs.

In addition to its work on the SDGs, the FRDO-CFDD recently published an opinion on the federal implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive II, an opinion on the federal government’s action plan for the circular economy, and an advice on transport fuels from renewable sources.

Latest publication: A Well-Being Framework for Ireland

Covid-19 has had profound impacts on societal and economic well-being. As Ireland begins to recover from the pandemic, progress will need to be understood beyond traditional measures of economic growth. Ireland has committed to developing new measures of well-being and progress, and the latest  report by the Irish National Economic and Social Council presents findings from a consultation designed to ensure that the well-being framework is shaped by the priorities of citizens and stakeholders.