ER - Artigos em revistas internacionais
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- Design for Sustainability Tools: Definition and criteria towards practical usePublication . Vicente, José; Camocho, DavidABSTRACT: The evolution of design to meet the growing sustainability challenges has led to the development of knowledge expressed in different approaches, principles and strategies. To be able to operationalize this knowledge, several design for sustainability (DfS) tools have been created. However, these tools have not been the target of massive and systematic practical use by designers, nor have they been the subject of many studies that allow analyzing, classifying and understanding their capabilities in a real context to improve application rates. With the end goal of supporting designers in using DfS tools more systematically, this research work aims to establish two essential foundations that can lay the ground for the practical selection and application of tools in the future: 1) a clear and comprehensive definition of what constitutes a DfS tool from the designer's perspective, including its scope and boundaries; 2) a list, hierarchization, and evaluation of criteria for classifying, organizing, and selecting tools based on project and designer needs. The methodology used in this research incorporates three main methods: 1) literature review to establish the state-of-the-art, basis for constructing a definition of DfS tool and for identifying and selecting criteria; 2) survey for designers to validate the main components of the DfS tool definition; 3) value analysis methodology for classifying and valuing the classification criteria by designers. Based on this process, it was possible to construct a comprehensive definition of what a DfS tool is and to establish and organize a set of criteria that can facilitate the classification and organization of tools. This allows for better identification of their characteristics, demands and functionalities to align the tools with the design process and its needs.
- Demand-side strategies key for mitigating material impacts of energy transitionsPublication . Creutzig, Felix; Simoes, Sofia; Leipold, Sina; Berrill, Peter; Azevedo, Isabel; Edelenbosch, Oreane; Fishman, Tomer; Haberl, Helmut; Hertwich, Edgar; Krey, Volker; Lima, Ana Teresa; Makov, Tamar; Mastrucci, Alessio; Milojevic-Dupont, Nikola; Nachtigall, Florian; Pauliuk, Stefan; Silva, Mafalda; Verdolini, Elena; Van Vuuren, Detlef; Wagner, Felix; Wiedenhofer, Dominik; Wilson, CharlieABSTRACT: As fossil fuels are phased out in favour of renewable energy, electric cars and other low-carbon technologies, the future clean energy system is likely to require less overall mining than the current fossil-fuelled system. However, material extraction and waste flows, new infrastructure development, land-use change, and the provision of new types of goods and services associated with decarbonization will produce social and environmental pressures at localized to regional scales. Demand-side solutions can achieve the important outcome of reducing both the scale of the climate challenge and material resource requirements. Interdisciplinary systems modelling and analysis are needed to identify opportunities and trade-offs for demand-led mitigation strategies that explicitly consider planetary boundaries associated with Earth's material resources. The material-intensive transition to low-carbon energy will impose environmental and social burdens on local and regional communities. Demand-side strategies can help to achieve higher well-being at lower levels of energy or material use, and an interdisciplinary approach in future research is essential.
- How can green hydrogen from North Africa support EU decarbonization? Scenario analyses on competitive pathways for tradePublication . Pinto, Maria Cristina; Simoes, Sofia; Fortes, PatriciaABSTRACT: The carbon-neutrality target set by the European Union for 2050 drives the increasing relevance of green hydrogen as key player in the energy transition. This work uses the JRC-EU-TIMES energy system model to assess opportunities and challenges for green hydrogen trade from North Africa to Europe, analysing to what extent it can support its decarbonization. An important novelty is addressing uncertainty regarding hydrogen economy development. Alternative scenarios are built considering volumes available for import, production costs and transport options, affecting hydrogen cost-effectiveness. Both pipelines and ships are modelled assuming favourable market conditions and pessimistic ones. From 2040 on, all available North African hydrogen is imported regardless of its costs. In Europe this imported hydrogen is mainly converted into synfuels and heat. The study aims to support policymakers to implement effective strategies, focusing on the crucial role of green hydrogen in the decarbonization process, if new competitive cooperations are developed.
- Mapping circular economy practices for steel, cement, glass, brick, insulation, and wood: a review for climate mitigation modelingPublication . Lima, Ana Teresa; Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Lu, Zheng; Mao, Ruichang; Kunther, Wolfgang; Rode, Carsten; Slabik, Simon; Hafner, Annette; Sameer, Husam; Dürr, Hans H.; Flörke, Martina; Lowe, Benjamin H.; Aloini, Davide; Zerbino, Pierluigi; Simoes, SofiaABSTRACT: Circular economy (CE) practices pave the way for the construction sector to become less material- and carbon-intensive. However, for CE quantification by climate mitigation models, one must first identify the CE practices along a product (or material) value chain. In this review, CE practices are mapped for the value chain of 6 construction materials to understand how these practices influence and can be considered in climate mitigation modelling. The main sub-categories of steel, cement, glass, clay-brick, insulation materials, and wood were used to identify which Rs are currently addressed at the lab and industrial scales: refuse, reduce, rethink, repair, reuse, remanufacture, refurbish, repurpose, recycle, and recover. The CE practices were reviewed using scientific repositories and grey literature, validated by European-wide stakeholders, and mapped across the life-cycle stages of the six materials – extraction, manufacturing, use, and end-of-life (EoL). The mapping was limited to the manufacturing and EoL stages because materials could be identified at these stages (the extraction phase pertains to resources, and the use phase to a product, for example, buildings). All reviewed CE practices identified at the industrial scale were quantified at the European level. For example, EoL reinforcement steel is 1–11 % reused and 70–95 % recycled; manufacturing CEM I is up to 60 % reduced; remanufacturing flat glass is 26 % remanufactured while less than 5 % EoL flat glass is recycled. A major barrier to closed-loop recycling is the need for sorting and separation technologies. Open-loop recycling synergies are found at the industrial scale between, for example, flat glass and glass wool value chains. Climate mitigation models are proposed to be augmented to include these practices requiring an explicit link between building use and the other construction materials' value chain stages.
- European patterns of local adaptation planning : a regional analysisPublication . Buzási, Attila; Simoes, Sofia; Salvia, Monica; Eckersley, Peter; Geneletti, Davide; Pietrapertosa, Filomena; Olazabal, Marta; Wejs, Anja; Hurtado, Sonia De Gregorio; Spyridaki, Niki-Artemis; Csete, Mária; Torres, Efrén Feliu; Rižnar, Klavdija; Heidrich, Oliver; Grafakos, Stelios; Reckien, DianaABSTRACT: While European regions face a range of different climate hazards, little is known about how these differences affect local climate adaptation planning. We present an analytical framework for evaluating local climate adaptation plans (LCAPs) and apply it to 327 cities in 28 countries across different European regions. To do this, we use statistical methods to identify regional clusters based on overall plan quality, impacts, vulnerable population groups, and sectors addressed by LCAPs. By comparing both geographic and statistical clusters, we found (1) significant spatial heterogeneity across European cities but (2) higher average plan quality scores and more consistent strategies across cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Notably, we found no regional differences regarding (a) the climate impacts and vulnerable communities identified in plans: (b) the most commonly addressed impacts, which were urban temperature and changing precipitation patterns; and (c) the residents that cities identified as most vulnerable, namely older people, women, infants, and the sick. Our study provides a spatial analysis of European LCAPs to uncover regional policy perspectives on local climate adaptation issues. Such approaches can effectively inform broader EU, national and regional strategies that aim to support local adaptation planning in a context of multi-level governance.
- Advancing participatory energy systems modellingPublication . McGookin, Connor; Süsser, Diana; Xexakis, Georgios; Trutnevyte, Evelina; McDowall, Will; Nikas, Alexandros; Koasidis, Konstantinos; Few, Sheridan; Andersen, Per Dannemand; Demski, Christina; Fortes, Patricia; Simoes, Sofia; Bishop, Christopher; Rogan, Fionn; Ó Gallachóir, BrianABSTRACT: Energy system models are important tools to guide our understanding of current and future carbon dioxide emissions as well as to inform strategies for emissions reduction. These models offer a vital evidence base that increasingly underpins energy and climate policies in many countries. In light of this important role in policy formation, there is growing interest in, and demands for, energy modellers to integrate more diverse perspectives on possible and preferred futures into the modelling process. The main purpose of this is to ensure that the resultant policy decisions are both fairer and better reflect people's concerns and preferences. However, while there has been a focus in the literature on efforts to bring societal dimensions into modelling tools, there remains a limited number of examples of well-structured participatory energy systems modelling processes and no available how-to guidance. This paper addresses this gap by providing good practice guidance for integrating stakeholder and public involvement in energy systems modelling based on the reflections of a diverse range of experts from this emergent field. The framework outlined in this paper offers multiple entry points for modellers to incorporate participatory elements either throughout the process or in individual stages. Recognising the messiness of both fields (energy systems modelling and participatory research), the good practice principles are not comprehensive or set in stone, but rather pose important questions to steer this process. Finally, the reflections on key issues provide a summary of the crucial challenges and important areas for future research in this critical field.
- The CO2NSTRUCT European project: Modelling the role of Circular Economy in construction value chains for a carbon-neutral EuropePublication . Oikonomou, Theoni I.; Karytsas, Spyridon; Karytsas, Constantine; Simoes, Sofia; Calvo, Oscar Seco; Egido, M.N. Sánchez; Castro, S. Soutullo; Zerbino, Pierluigi; Aloini, Davide; Genovese, Andrea; Bimpizas-Pinis, Meletios; Slabik, Simon; Lima, Ana TeresaABSTRACT: Linear climate mitigation models look into aggregated economic sectors and model greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disregarding downstream value chains, making particular sectors accountable for downstream (or upstream) GHG emissions. Hence, the present climate mitigation models inconsistently account for indirect GHG emissions; underrepresent upstream and downstream value chains; do not address Circular Economy (CE) practices; do not cover resource consumption, thus not considering materials' circularity. To provide curated policy support for decision-making for carbon neutrality and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), models need to shift from linear to circular. To achieve this, a link between energy-climate mitigation modelling and cradle-to-cradle assessment CE analytical tools must be established. This is the core issue covered in the CO2NSTRUCT Horizon project (2022-2026). CO2NSTRUCT proposes a framework to supplement the well-established JRC-EU-TIMES model, using a highly comprehensive technological representation with CE measures. The framework will apply CE measures to the value chain of six carbon-intensive construction materials (i.e., cement, steel, brick, glass, wood, and insulation materials) and will provide new components to the JRC-EU-TIMES model, including citizen behaviour; societal impacts; rebound effects; supply and value chains. The results will be used for policy approaches integrating CE into climate change mitigation actions.
- Design for Circular Economy in a Strong Sustainability ParadigmPublication . Sousa Rocha, Cristina; Antunes, Paula; Partidário, Paulo JorgeABSTRACT: Given the strategic role of design when addressing societal changes and its prominence in the circular economy (CE) discourse and practice during the past decade, a plethora of tools and methods is nowadays available to support organizations in the transition from a linear model of production to a circular one. The need for an intersection of CE, corporate sustainability, strategic design and strong sustainability is gaining momentum. Considering (a) the critical voices pointing out several limitations to the CE concept, (b) the call for linking CE to a strong sustainability paradigm and (c) the implementation mechanisms for an effective contribution to sustainable development, the focus of this research is to address the gap in CE and circular design frameworks due to missing elements therein for its successful implementation, using a Delphi method approach. Our results strongly suggest that the current CE and circular design concepts and practices are insufficient to meet the challenge of addressing strong sustainability, and new models are needed. To conclude, a new definition of design for CE in a strong sustainability paradigm and a first approach to the main elements of the new model assisted by guiding principles are proposed.
- Quality of urban climate adaptation plans over timePublication . Reckien, Diana; Buzási, Attila; Olazabal, Marta; Spyridaki, Niki-Artemis; Eckersley, Peter; Simoes, Sofia; Salvia, Monica; Pietrapertosa, Filomena; Fokaides, Paris; Goonesekera, Sascha M.; Tardieu, Léa; Balzan, Mario V.; de Boer, Cheryl L.; Hurtado, Sonia De Gregorio; Feliu, Efren; Flamos, Alexandros; Foley, Aoife; Geneletti, Davide; Grafakos, Stelios; Heidrich, Oliver; Ioannou, Byron I.; Krook-Riekkola, Anna; Matosović, Marko; Orru, Hans; Orru, Kati; Paspaldzhiev, Ivan; Rižnar, Klavdija; Smigaj, Magdalena; Csete, Mária; Viguie, Vincent; Wejs, AnjaABSTRACT: Defining and measuring progress in adaptation are important questions for climate adaptation science, policy, and practice. Here, we assess the progress of urban adaptation planning in 327 European cities between 2005 and 2020 using three 'ADAptation plan Quality Assessment' indices, called ADAQA-1/ 2/ 3, that combine six plan quality principles. Half of the cities have an adaptation plan and its quality significantly increased over time. However, generally, plan quality is still low in many cities. Participation and monitoring and evaluation are particularly weak aspects in urban adaptation policy, together with plan 'consistency'. Consistency connects impacts and vulnerabilities with adaptation goals, planned measures, actions, monitoring and evaluation, and participation processes. Consistency is a key factor in the overall quality of plans. To help evaluate the quality of plans and policies and promote learning, we suggest incorporating our ADAptation plan Quality Assessment indices into the portfolio of adaptation progress assessments and tracking methodologies.
- Adaptation to climate change in cities of Mediterranean EuropePublication . Pietrapertosa, Filomena; Olazabal, Marta; Simoes, Sofia; Salvia, Monica; Fokaides, Paris; Ioannou, Byron I.; Viguie, Vincent; Spyridaki, Niki-Artemis; Hurtado, Sonia De Gregorio; Geneletti, Davide; Heidrich, Oliver; Tardieu, Léa; Feliu, Efren; Rižnar, Klavdija; Matosović, Marko; Balzan, Mario V.; Flamos, Alexandros; Sel, Natasa Belsak; Reckien, DianaABSTRACT: Cities across Mediterranean Europe face common climatic threats. They are highly vulnerable and very likely to suffer losses and damages due to heat waves, droughts, wildfires, landslides, and extreme coastal events. To this date, however, there is no systematic understanding of how cities in Mediterranean Europe are preparing to adapt to these impacts. To address this question, we analyse local adaptation plans in 73 cities located in 51 regions across 9 European countries along the Mediterranean Sea (France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta). We also investigate upper levels of planning to understand the influence of policy environments. Across the sample, 67 % of regions have adopted a plan, but only 30 % of the cities. The most common climate-related hazards these cities prepare for are extreme temperatures and rainfall, followed by drought and water scarcity, as well as floods and landslides. Without legal obligations, neither regional nor national adaptation policy frameworks seem to influence the development of urban plans. In some cases, cities are ahead of national policy. This paper sheds light on the progress of local adaptation planning in Mediterranean Europe and paves the way for further research in this climate-threatened geographical area.