Sufficiency Digest #12
16 January 2024
📉
MODELLING
(In)Sufficiency of industrial decarbonization to reduce household carbon footprints to 1.5 °C-compatible levels. Cap, S., De Koning, A., Tukker, A., & Scherer, L. (2024). Sustainable Production and Consumption. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.031
Scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5 °C rely on a combination of interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and capture carbon dioxide. However, the extent to which lifestyle change contributes to mitigation relative to technological change over time remains understudied. Here, we present a scenario model that incorporates extensive supply-side technological transformations while excluding lifestyle changes. We modeled footprints for 49 countries/regions, with a focus on the EU27. Our scenario results indicate that while technological change can substantially reduce emissions, the reductions are ultimately insufficient to achieve the 1.5 °C target. The average EU27 overshoot for household footprints approaches 2.2 tCO2e/cap in 2030 and 3.1 tCO2e/cap in 2050. Our results highlight the critical role of household lifestyle transformation in climate change mitigation. Future research can explore the diverse lifestyle change pathways necessary to align with the aspirational 1.5 °C target outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Built structures influence patterns of energy demand and CO2 emissions across countries. Haberl, H., Löw, M., Perez-Laborda, A., Matej, S., Plank, B., Wiedenhofer, D., Creutzig, F., Erb, K.-H., & Duro, J. A. (2023). Nature Communications, 14(1), 3898. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39728-3
Built structures, i.e. the patterns of settlements and transport infrastructures, are known to influence per-capita energy demand and CO2 emissions at the urban level. At the national level, the role of built structures is seldom considered due to poor data availability. Instead, other potential determinants of energy demand and CO2 emissions, primarily GDP, are more frequently assessed. We present a set of national-level indicators to characterize patterns of built structures. We quantify these indicators for 113 countries and statistically analyze the results along with final energy use and territorial CO2 emissions, as well as factors commonly included in national-level analyses of determinants of energy use and emissions. We find that these indicators are about equally important for predicting energy demand and CO2 emissions as GDP and other conventional factors. The area of built-up land per capita is the most important predictor, second only to the effect of GDP.
Modeling Low Energy Demand Futures for Buildings: Current State and Research Needs. Mastrucci, A., et al. (2023). Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 48(1), 761–792. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112321-102921
Improving the quality of services provided by buildings while reaching low energy demand (LED) levels is crucial for climate and sustainability targets. Building sector models have become essential tools for decision support on strategies to reduce energy demand and GHG emissions. Yet current models have significant limitations in their ability to assess the transformations required for LED. We review building sector models ranging from the subnational to the global scale to identify best practices and critical gaps in representing transformations toward LED futures. We focus on three key dimensions of intervention (socio-behavioral, infrastructural, and technological), three megatrends (digitalization, sharing economy, and circular economy), and decent living standards. This review recommends the model developments needed to better assess LED transformations in buildings and support decision-making toward sustainability targets.
The Strategy of Enough. A Scenario Analysis of Decarbonization Pathways and Socio-Ecological Implications for German Carbon Neutrality [Master’s thesis]. Dünzen, K. F. M. (2023). Albert-Ludwigs-Universität.
In this work, six qualitative narratives were quantitatively modelled, which were created by the EnSu research group. These narratives include four energy sufficiency scenarios, three of which are based on degrowth, and two growth-based scenarios that correspond to a business-as-usual approach. The scenarios describe possible future pathways for a climate-neutral Germany in 2050 and were modelled using Climact’s 2050 Pathways Explorer, a simulation tool for creating decarbonisation pathways by setting ambition levels in different sectors of the energy system.The modelled decarbonisation pathways of the scenarios are extremely ambitious, with the sufficiency scenarios being significantly more ambitious compared to the German government’s targets for 2030. In addition, all scenarios are compatible with the Paris 1.5°C target. A significant reduction in energy demand is closely linked to overcoming the growth imperative. However, this requires an immediate and comprehensive socio-ecological transformation of lifestyles, society and production methods, which must above all be driven forward and promoted politically.
Scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5 °C rely on a combination of interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and capture carbon dioxide. However, the extent to which lifestyle change contributes to mitigation relative to technological change over time remains understudied. Here, we present a scenario model that incorporates extensive supply-side technological transformations while excluding lifestyle changes. We modeled footprints for 49 countries/regions, with a focus on the EU27. Our scenario results indicate that while technological change can substantially reduce emissions, the reductions are ultimately insufficient to achieve the 1.5 °C target. The average EU27 overshoot for household footprints approaches 2.2 tCO2e/cap in 2030 and 3.1 tCO2e/cap in 2050. Our results highlight the critical role of household lifestyle transformation in climate change mitigation. Future research can explore the diverse lifestyle change pathways necessary to align with the aspirational 1.5 °C target outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Built structures influence patterns of energy demand and CO2 emissions across countries. Haberl, H., Löw, M., Perez-Laborda, A., Matej, S., Plank, B., Wiedenhofer, D., Creutzig, F., Erb, K.-H., & Duro, J. A. (2023). Nature Communications, 14(1), 3898. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39728-3
Built structures, i.e. the patterns of settlements and transport infrastructures, are known to influence per-capita energy demand and CO2 emissions at the urban level. At the national level, the role of built structures is seldom considered due to poor data availability. Instead, other potential determinants of energy demand and CO2 emissions, primarily GDP, are more frequently assessed. We present a set of national-level indicators to characterize patterns of built structures. We quantify these indicators for 113 countries and statistically analyze the results along with final energy use and territorial CO2 emissions, as well as factors commonly included in national-level analyses of determinants of energy use and emissions. We find that these indicators are about equally important for predicting energy demand and CO2 emissions as GDP and other conventional factors. The area of built-up land per capita is the most important predictor, second only to the effect of GDP.
Modeling Low Energy Demand Futures for Buildings: Current State and Research Needs. Mastrucci, A., et al. (2023). Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 48(1), 761–792. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-112321-102921
Improving the quality of services provided by buildings while reaching low energy demand (LED) levels is crucial for climate and sustainability targets. Building sector models have become essential tools for decision support on strategies to reduce energy demand and GHG emissions. Yet current models have significant limitations in their ability to assess the transformations required for LED. We review building sector models ranging from the subnational to the global scale to identify best practices and critical gaps in representing transformations toward LED futures. We focus on three key dimensions of intervention (socio-behavioral, infrastructural, and technological), three megatrends (digitalization, sharing economy, and circular economy), and decent living standards. This review recommends the model developments needed to better assess LED transformations in buildings and support decision-making toward sustainability targets.
The Strategy of Enough. A Scenario Analysis of Decarbonization Pathways and Socio-Ecological Implications for German Carbon Neutrality [Master’s thesis]. Dünzen, K. F. M. (2023). Albert-Ludwigs-Universität.
In this work, six qualitative narratives were quantitatively modelled, which were created by the EnSu research group. These narratives include four energy sufficiency scenarios, three of which are based on degrowth, and two growth-based scenarios that correspond to a business-as-usual approach. The scenarios describe possible future pathways for a climate-neutral Germany in 2050 and were modelled using Climact’s 2050 Pathways Explorer, a simulation tool for creating decarbonisation pathways by setting ambition levels in different sectors of the energy system.The modelled decarbonisation pathways of the scenarios are extremely ambitious, with the sufficiency scenarios being significantly more ambitious compared to the German government’s targets for 2030. In addition, all scenarios are compatible with the Paris 1.5°C target. A significant reduction in energy demand is closely linked to overcoming the growth imperative. However, this requires an immediate and comprehensive socio-ecological transformation of lifestyles, society and production methods, which must above all be driven forward and promoted politically.
🛒
PRACTICES & CONSUMPTION
Barriers and enablers of 1.5° lifestyles: Shallow and deep structural factors shaping the potential for sustainable consumption. Hirth, S., Kreinin, H., Fuchs, D., Blossey, N., Mamut, P., Philipp, J., Radovan, I. (2023). Frontiers in Sustainability, 4, 1014662. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2023.1014662
Transforming consumption and lifestyles toward sustainability cannot be achieved by individual behavior change alone but requires changes in the structures in which this behavior is embedded. However, “structure” is a blurry concept and scholars use it in a multitude of ways. What often remains implicit in studies on structural phenomena are different types of structures, how they may or may not restrict the agency of individuals in particular ways, and how these restrictions support sustainable consumption patterns at the societal level. To move beyond the current state of research, this article systematizes political, economic, technological, and societal structural factors the literature identifies as impactful regarding the sustainability of consumption and lifestyles compatible with the targets of the Paris Agreement.
The spatial distribution of carbon footprints and engagement in pro-climate behaviors – Trends across urban-rural gradients in the nordics. Anttonen, H., Kinnunen, A., Heinonen, J., Ottelin, J., & Junnila, S. (2023). Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 11, 100139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2023.100139
Previous research has shown how behaviors are connected to the living environment and urban structure, which have shown having an impact in forming variations in our lifestyles and behavioral patterns. In this study, with a survey dataset of ∼8000 respondents across the five Nordic countries, the engagement of respondents to different climate and carbon mitigation actions were analyzed and linked to their calculated carbon footprints. Three types of behavioral clusters were found among the respondents, one presenting conscious pro-climate behavior, one relating to frugality behavior, and one cluster related to self-sufficient behavior. The stated behavioral intentions of the respondents were in contrast to their carbon footprints. Carbon footprints related to leisure consumption were highest in the urban regions and everyday consumption related footprints in the rural regions. Interestingly, only frugality behavior was associated with lower carbon footprints both in everyday and leisure consumption categories, whereas climate conscious behavior was positively related to leisure consumption footprint but negatively related to everyday consumption.
Living with climate change - Report from the CLIMLIFE project. Fløttum, K. (2023). University of Bergen, Norway. https://www.uib.no/en/rg/lingclim/139228/climlife
This report contains research results from the cross-disciplinary CLIMLIFE project. To investigate people’s willingness to change their lifestyle in order to reduce the consequences of climate change, we undertook a study of how Norwegian citizens themselves understand what a climate-friendly lifestyle implies.The findings indicate key dimensions about the citizens’ motivations to contribute to a climate-friendly life; they recognise their responsibility for the challenge, but some also give reasons for no change, where the usefulness of individuals’ contributions is questioned. Another perspective investigated is whether there is reason to suspect a generational gap regarding views on climate change and lifestyle, or whether students and seniors in fact agree more than disagree about climate issues. From a different angle, CLIMLIFE also researched the attitudes of Norwegian journalists and editors to lifestyle journalism on climate change. Furthermore, a study was undertaken based on survey data collected from two panels that compare the role of individual action in climate policies with the citizens’ willingness to act on political incentives.
Reducing without losing: Reduced consumption and its implications for well-being. Vollebregt, M., Mugge, R., Thürridl, C., & Van Dolen, W. (2023). Sustainable Production and Consumption. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.023
In this paper, we systematically review the literature to provide an overview of empirical studies that investigate the relationship between reduced consumption and well-being at the individual level. The majority of selected studies suggest that reduced consumption is associated with higher levels of well-being or that there is not a significant relationship. Others indicate potential negative effects. The results suggest that reducing consumption does not typically have a negative association with the wellbeing of consumers in wealthy nations. Reported increases in well-being may be due to supporting consumers’ autonomy, environmental mastery, and social relationships. Societal norms and the consumption behavior of our peers likely influence the relationship. By conducting the first systematic literature review on the relationship between reduced consumption and well-being, we provide a more integrated understanding of consumption’s role in well-being and in what contexts reduced consumption can be beneficial.
Ethical consumption in three stages: A focus on sufficiency and care. Karimzadeh, S., & Boström, M. (2023). Environmental Sociology, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2023.2277971
Given the excessive consumption of natural resources in affluent contexts across the world, this paper argues that there is a need to discuss, critique, and advance the concept of ethical consumption, which is commonly understood as involving only relatively minor practices of consumption refinement, such as acts of boycotting and buycotting. The paper does so by linking ethical consumption to the concepts of sufficiency and care and suggesting a temporal categorization. The sufficiency lens is applied to show why and how the understanding of ethical consumption cannot be restricted to that of consumption refinement but must also address consumption reduction, due to high ecological and climate footprints in many countries. A temporal categorization is helpful for further expanding on this idea. Finally, we emphasize the need to nurture a culture of responsibility and a sense of caring for others, including people, materials, and nature
An exploration of the practices and lifestyle of the new green wave [Master thesis in sociology, Uppsala University]. Mattsson, A. (2023). https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1813198&dswid=9402
This thesis aimed to explore the new green wave lifestyle, which pertains to people who are choosing to face challenges head on by actively changing and adopting a self-sustainable lifestyle. To explore this aim, the study utilised a theoretical framework consisting of two main concepts, social practice theory and the concept of lifestyles. The thesis used semi-structured interviews to gather data from individuals who actively made the active choice to change their way of living and adopt a self- sustainable lifestyle. The results show that the new green wavers rely heavily on inspiration from others to make their lifestyle change. The results also show that in enacting their new green wave lifestyle the participants chose to partake in alternative practices or enacting practices in a different way compared to how they conventionally might be enacted. Additionally, the results show that the new green wavers encounter challenges in enacting their lifestyle, which relates to a lack of available knowledge of how alternative practices are to be enacted but also the challenges posed by society in terms of legislation and bureaucracy.
Transforming consumption and lifestyles toward sustainability cannot be achieved by individual behavior change alone but requires changes in the structures in which this behavior is embedded. However, “structure” is a blurry concept and scholars use it in a multitude of ways. What often remains implicit in studies on structural phenomena are different types of structures, how they may or may not restrict the agency of individuals in particular ways, and how these restrictions support sustainable consumption patterns at the societal level. To move beyond the current state of research, this article systematizes political, economic, technological, and societal structural factors the literature identifies as impactful regarding the sustainability of consumption and lifestyles compatible with the targets of the Paris Agreement.
The spatial distribution of carbon footprints and engagement in pro-climate behaviors – Trends across urban-rural gradients in the nordics. Anttonen, H., Kinnunen, A., Heinonen, J., Ottelin, J., & Junnila, S. (2023). Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 11, 100139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2023.100139
Previous research has shown how behaviors are connected to the living environment and urban structure, which have shown having an impact in forming variations in our lifestyles and behavioral patterns. In this study, with a survey dataset of ∼8000 respondents across the five Nordic countries, the engagement of respondents to different climate and carbon mitigation actions were analyzed and linked to their calculated carbon footprints. Three types of behavioral clusters were found among the respondents, one presenting conscious pro-climate behavior, one relating to frugality behavior, and one cluster related to self-sufficient behavior. The stated behavioral intentions of the respondents were in contrast to their carbon footprints. Carbon footprints related to leisure consumption were highest in the urban regions and everyday consumption related footprints in the rural regions. Interestingly, only frugality behavior was associated with lower carbon footprints both in everyday and leisure consumption categories, whereas climate conscious behavior was positively related to leisure consumption footprint but negatively related to everyday consumption.
Living with climate change - Report from the CLIMLIFE project. Fløttum, K. (2023). University of Bergen, Norway. https://www.uib.no/en/rg/lingclim/139228/climlife
This report contains research results from the cross-disciplinary CLIMLIFE project. To investigate people’s willingness to change their lifestyle in order to reduce the consequences of climate change, we undertook a study of how Norwegian citizens themselves understand what a climate-friendly lifestyle implies.The findings indicate key dimensions about the citizens’ motivations to contribute to a climate-friendly life; they recognise their responsibility for the challenge, but some also give reasons for no change, where the usefulness of individuals’ contributions is questioned. Another perspective investigated is whether there is reason to suspect a generational gap regarding views on climate change and lifestyle, or whether students and seniors in fact agree more than disagree about climate issues. From a different angle, CLIMLIFE also researched the attitudes of Norwegian journalists and editors to lifestyle journalism on climate change. Furthermore, a study was undertaken based on survey data collected from two panels that compare the role of individual action in climate policies with the citizens’ willingness to act on political incentives.
Reducing without losing: Reduced consumption and its implications for well-being. Vollebregt, M., Mugge, R., Thürridl, C., & Van Dolen, W. (2023). Sustainable Production and Consumption. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.023
In this paper, we systematically review the literature to provide an overview of empirical studies that investigate the relationship between reduced consumption and well-being at the individual level. The majority of selected studies suggest that reduced consumption is associated with higher levels of well-being or that there is not a significant relationship. Others indicate potential negative effects. The results suggest that reducing consumption does not typically have a negative association with the wellbeing of consumers in wealthy nations. Reported increases in well-being may be due to supporting consumers’ autonomy, environmental mastery, and social relationships. Societal norms and the consumption behavior of our peers likely influence the relationship. By conducting the first systematic literature review on the relationship between reduced consumption and well-being, we provide a more integrated understanding of consumption’s role in well-being and in what contexts reduced consumption can be beneficial.
Ethical consumption in three stages: A focus on sufficiency and care. Karimzadeh, S., & Boström, M. (2023). Environmental Sociology, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2023.2277971
Given the excessive consumption of natural resources in affluent contexts across the world, this paper argues that there is a need to discuss, critique, and advance the concept of ethical consumption, which is commonly understood as involving only relatively minor practices of consumption refinement, such as acts of boycotting and buycotting. The paper does so by linking ethical consumption to the concepts of sufficiency and care and suggesting a temporal categorization. The sufficiency lens is applied to show why and how the understanding of ethical consumption cannot be restricted to that of consumption refinement but must also address consumption reduction, due to high ecological and climate footprints in many countries. A temporal categorization is helpful for further expanding on this idea. Finally, we emphasize the need to nurture a culture of responsibility and a sense of caring for others, including people, materials, and nature
An exploration of the practices and lifestyle of the new green wave [Master thesis in sociology, Uppsala University]. Mattsson, A. (2023). https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1813198&dswid=9402
This thesis aimed to explore the new green wave lifestyle, which pertains to people who are choosing to face challenges head on by actively changing and adopting a self-sustainable lifestyle. To explore this aim, the study utilised a theoretical framework consisting of two main concepts, social practice theory and the concept of lifestyles. The thesis used semi-structured interviews to gather data from individuals who actively made the active choice to change their way of living and adopt a self- sustainable lifestyle. The results show that the new green wavers rely heavily on inspiration from others to make their lifestyle change. The results also show that in enacting their new green wave lifestyle the participants chose to partake in alternative practices or enacting practices in a different way compared to how they conventionally might be enacted. Additionally, the results show that the new green wavers encounter challenges in enacting their lifestyle, which relates to a lack of available knowledge of how alternative practices are to be enacted but also the challenges posed by society in terms of legislation and bureaucracy.
🗣️
COMMUNICATION & NARRATIVES
Visioning sustainable futures: Exposure to positive visions increases individual and collective intention to act for a decarbonated world. Bosone, L., Thiriot, S., Chevrier, M., Rocci, A., & Zenasni, F. (2023). https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.13939
A key factor for behavioural change, when individuals are already concerned by environmental crises, is individuals’ perception of how they could cope with such an issue in an effective way, as well as their perception of their ability to imagine environmental cognitive alternatives to the behavioural status quo. In this experimental study (N=300), we tested whether being exposed to positive visions of a decarbonated future influences individuals’ perceived ability to imagine environmental cognitive alternatives as well as their efficacy beliefs, and their intention to engage in climate change mitigation behaviour at an individual and collective level. More precisely, we compared the effects of being exposed to a positive vision focused on either eco-sufficiency or eco-efficiency through green technologies, to achieve the decarbonated world described (including also a control condition). Results confirmed that, regardless of the focus of the positive vision, being exposed to a positive vision is sufficient to increase individuals’ perceived ability to imagine the future, their perceived collective efficacy, and their intention to engage in individual pro-environmental consumption behaviours, technology-use behaviours, and collective behaviours. These findings explore and explain the psychological effects of mere exposure to positive visions on socio-cognitive determinants of behavioural change, which could become an effective strategy to motivate pro-environmental behavioural change in communication and education campaigns.
Performing zero waste: Lifestyle movement, consumer culture, and promotion strategies of social media influencers. Lu, D. (2023). Environmental Sociology, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2023.2267829
How do influencers popularize zero waste lifestyle practices that counter the dominant consumption norms? Are their strategies successful? This article examines influencers’ lifestyle advocacy as social performance, focusing on their scripts and visual presentations to social media audience. Based on content analysis of 250 Instagram posts, this article uses a cultural sociology lens to analyze zero waste influencers’ strategies and the audience responses. Problematization of wasteful consumption norms and legitimization of zero waste alternatives through demonstrating its feasibility, attractiveness, and integration with socio-political concerns are four prominent strategies. This article centers the analysis of sustainable lifestyle movement leaders and their social media presentation, which have been little discussed but increasingly important. It also provides practical strategies for promoting sustainable lifestyle on social media.
A key factor for behavioural change, when individuals are already concerned by environmental crises, is individuals’ perception of how they could cope with such an issue in an effective way, as well as their perception of their ability to imagine environmental cognitive alternatives to the behavioural status quo. In this experimental study (N=300), we tested whether being exposed to positive visions of a decarbonated future influences individuals’ perceived ability to imagine environmental cognitive alternatives as well as their efficacy beliefs, and their intention to engage in climate change mitigation behaviour at an individual and collective level. More precisely, we compared the effects of being exposed to a positive vision focused on either eco-sufficiency or eco-efficiency through green technologies, to achieve the decarbonated world described (including also a control condition). Results confirmed that, regardless of the focus of the positive vision, being exposed to a positive vision is sufficient to increase individuals’ perceived ability to imagine the future, their perceived collective efficacy, and their intention to engage in individual pro-environmental consumption behaviours, technology-use behaviours, and collective behaviours. These findings explore and explain the psychological effects of mere exposure to positive visions on socio-cognitive determinants of behavioural change, which could become an effective strategy to motivate pro-environmental behavioural change in communication and education campaigns.
Performing zero waste: Lifestyle movement, consumer culture, and promotion strategies of social media influencers. Lu, D. (2023). Environmental Sociology, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2023.2267829
How do influencers popularize zero waste lifestyle practices that counter the dominant consumption norms? Are their strategies successful? This article examines influencers’ lifestyle advocacy as social performance, focusing on their scripts and visual presentations to social media audience. Based on content analysis of 250 Instagram posts, this article uses a cultural sociology lens to analyze zero waste influencers’ strategies and the audience responses. Problematization of wasteful consumption norms and legitimization of zero waste alternatives through demonstrating its feasibility, attractiveness, and integration with socio-political concerns are four prominent strategies. This article centers the analysis of sustainable lifestyle movement leaders and their social media presentation, which have been little discussed but increasingly important. It also provides practical strategies for promoting sustainable lifestyle on social media.
🏛️
POLICIES
How ideas shape the EU’s climate policy: Moving toward the sufficiency paradigm for the EU ETS. Wennick, D. (2023). European Policy Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.1186
This article examines the paradigm shifts in the European Union’s (EU’s) climate policy from 2009 to 2022 looking closer at the main policy instrument of EU’s climate policy, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The paradigm shifts of the EU ETS are linked to the climate policy paradigms prometheanism/growth unlimited (PGU), ecological modernization (EM), and sufficiency. The question of how ideas have shaped EU climate policy and the EU ETS in the past decade is answered, with the establishment of the EM paradigm and moving toward the sufficiency paradigm. There is a need for more research looking closer at how this paradigm shift impacts legislation for climate policy going forward.
This article examines the paradigm shifts in the European Union’s (EU’s) climate policy from 2009 to 2022 looking closer at the main policy instrument of EU’s climate policy, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The paradigm shifts of the EU ETS are linked to the climate policy paradigms prometheanism/growth unlimited (PGU), ecological modernization (EM), and sufficiency. The question of how ideas have shaped EU climate policy and the EU ETS in the past decade is answered, with the establishment of the EM paradigm and moving toward the sufficiency paradigm. There is a need for more research looking closer at how this paradigm shift impacts legislation for climate policy going forward.
🏭️
BUSINESSES
Sufficiency-based circular business models: An established retailers’ perspective. Beulque, R., Micheaux, H., Ntsondé, J., Aggeri, F., & Steux, C. (2023). Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139431
Taking on the much-criticized concepts of green growth, bioeconomy, and efficiency, both sufficiency and, in certain circumstances, the circular economy, are presented as potential new paradigms that can play a central role in a transition towards a stronger sustainability and enable humanity to remain within planetary boundaries. In this context, this study aims to identify new sufficiency practices that have been adopted by retailers and to assess to what extent these practices have transformed their traditional business model, thus providing useful insights to practitioners, policymakers and the nascent academic literature on the topic. Through a combination of action research and case studies of the French actors Fnac-Darty and Decathlon, this article emphasizes that retailers may try to slow material and value loops by assessing products’ repairability and durability and informing customers through a specific index, for certain products or more globally their overall product portfolio, but also by using such indexes in eco-design requirements to suppliers, supplier selection processes, and product purchasing policies. On a less optimistic note, certain limitations of the observed ongoing upscaling processes are highlighted, amongst which are the limited number of retailers that have started this process, the limited contribution of these new practices to overall value creation and capture at the firm level, and clear evidence of rebound effects.
Sufficiency between producers and consumers: A configurational analysis. Hernández, M., & Chávez-Bustamante, F. (2024). Ecological Economics, 218, 108097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.108097
Sufficiency is a normative principle that aims to reorganise the configurations between production and consumption to reduce ecological overshoot and improve human well-being. At its heart is the notion of “living well on less,” recognising the need to restructure resource allocations between production and consumption hitherto unsustainable. Although sufficiency has gained attention from scholars and policymakers as a strategy to mitigate the climate crisis and resource management, evidence on its formation, causality, and antecedents remains fragmented. This paper reorders antecedents from three disciplinary roots of sufficiency: complementarity of capital, social metabolism, and altruism, to reorganise empirical evidence and examine the formation of sufficiency in producers and consumers. Through configurational analysis, we mapped the responses of Chilean producers and consumers to explore the conditions that enable the formation of sufficiency and the configurations that emerge as a result. Our findings reveal the prominence of three interrelated attributes for both agents: labour security, moral duty and intrinsic motivation, which, when combined, give rise to two complex and nonlinear approaches for producers and consumers, labelled aggregately as metabolic, limited and ecocentric configurations. These results suggest that intertwining different attributes allows actions and behaviours to be adopted regarding decreased resource use, drawing transformational leverage points towards sustainability.
Buy, use, sell, repeat: Resale companies’ role in sufficiency-based circular economy. Turunen, L. L. M. (2023). 5th PLATE Conference, Espoo, Finland. https://research.aalto.fi/fi/publications/buy-use-sell-repeat-resale-companies-role-in-sufficiency-based-ci
Resale and secondhand can be regarded as one of the circular economy initiatives, enabling consumers and society to make do with less. While the extensive growth of the resale market shows successful customer activation in product circulation, it is reasonable to ask whether and how the secondhand companies are also encouraging extended use of garments. This paper examines secondhand companies’ marketing practices in the light of sufficiency-based circular economy.Ethnographic data was collected for 6 months, both online and offline in Finland. Preliminary findings show that secondhand companies offer a wide spectrum of activities that both support and hinder circular economy practices and sufficiency.From sufficiency perspective, the main concern is whether the current marketing practices multiply the owners and decrease the usage times instead of celebrating the reuse and longevity of garments.
Taking on the much-criticized concepts of green growth, bioeconomy, and efficiency, both sufficiency and, in certain circumstances, the circular economy, are presented as potential new paradigms that can play a central role in a transition towards a stronger sustainability and enable humanity to remain within planetary boundaries. In this context, this study aims to identify new sufficiency practices that have been adopted by retailers and to assess to what extent these practices have transformed their traditional business model, thus providing useful insights to practitioners, policymakers and the nascent academic literature on the topic. Through a combination of action research and case studies of the French actors Fnac-Darty and Decathlon, this article emphasizes that retailers may try to slow material and value loops by assessing products’ repairability and durability and informing customers through a specific index, for certain products or more globally their overall product portfolio, but also by using such indexes in eco-design requirements to suppliers, supplier selection processes, and product purchasing policies. On a less optimistic note, certain limitations of the observed ongoing upscaling processes are highlighted, amongst which are the limited number of retailers that have started this process, the limited contribution of these new practices to overall value creation and capture at the firm level, and clear evidence of rebound effects.
Sufficiency between producers and consumers: A configurational analysis. Hernández, M., & Chávez-Bustamante, F. (2024). Ecological Economics, 218, 108097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.108097
Sufficiency is a normative principle that aims to reorganise the configurations between production and consumption to reduce ecological overshoot and improve human well-being. At its heart is the notion of “living well on less,” recognising the need to restructure resource allocations between production and consumption hitherto unsustainable. Although sufficiency has gained attention from scholars and policymakers as a strategy to mitigate the climate crisis and resource management, evidence on its formation, causality, and antecedents remains fragmented. This paper reorders antecedents from three disciplinary roots of sufficiency: complementarity of capital, social metabolism, and altruism, to reorganise empirical evidence and examine the formation of sufficiency in producers and consumers. Through configurational analysis, we mapped the responses of Chilean producers and consumers to explore the conditions that enable the formation of sufficiency and the configurations that emerge as a result. Our findings reveal the prominence of three interrelated attributes for both agents: labour security, moral duty and intrinsic motivation, which, when combined, give rise to two complex and nonlinear approaches for producers and consumers, labelled aggregately as metabolic, limited and ecocentric configurations. These results suggest that intertwining different attributes allows actions and behaviours to be adopted regarding decreased resource use, drawing transformational leverage points towards sustainability.
Buy, use, sell, repeat: Resale companies’ role in sufficiency-based circular economy. Turunen, L. L. M. (2023). 5th PLATE Conference, Espoo, Finland. https://research.aalto.fi/fi/publications/buy-use-sell-repeat-resale-companies-role-in-sufficiency-based-ci
Resale and secondhand can be regarded as one of the circular economy initiatives, enabling consumers and society to make do with less. While the extensive growth of the resale market shows successful customer activation in product circulation, it is reasonable to ask whether and how the secondhand companies are also encouraging extended use of garments. This paper examines secondhand companies’ marketing practices in the light of sufficiency-based circular economy.Ethnographic data was collected for 6 months, both online and offline in Finland. Preliminary findings show that secondhand companies offer a wide spectrum of activities that both support and hinder circular economy practices and sufficiency.From sufficiency perspective, the main concern is whether the current marketing practices multiply the owners and decrease the usage times instead of celebrating the reuse and longevity of garments.
🏨
HOUSING
Supporting sufficiency approaches in the building sector — Introduction & Status Quo. Zimmermann, P. (2023). Institut für Energie und Umweltforschung Heidelberg. https://policycommons.net/artifacts/8340919/supporting-sufficiency-approaches-in-the-building-sector/9271625/
This study lays the foundations for systematically complementing technical approaches with building sufficiency approaches. Five overarching goals of building sufficiency are defined: giving priority to existing buildings instead of new construction, reduction of per capita space requirements, adaptability, low-tech and sparing user behaviour.The report describes the status quo and thus the relevance of the topic, names selected lighthouse projects and quantifies the potential for reducing the environmental impact of buildings through sufficiency approaches.The proposals developed address both the communication of sufficiency and its promotion in consultation, planning processes and the implementation of measures.
Prioritize energy sufficiency to decarbonize our buildings. Malik, J., Hong, T., Wei, M., & Rotmann, S. (2023). Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01752-0
We need human behavioural change to decarbonize our buildings. This requirement arises from our needs, lifestyle energy choices and interactions with buildings, and is an underexploited, yet essential demand-side opportunity for rapid and sustainable decarbonization. We propose a sufficiency-oriented approach that fosters equitable building decarbonization, while maintaining planetary boundaries.
Intensifying Building Use — How the Cities of Amsterdam and Malmö Enable the Sharing of Spaces [Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy, Lund University]. Leyvraz, S. (2023). https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/search/publication/9138975
This thesis explores how municipalities can enable space sharing and identifies relevant barriers, taking the cities of Amsterdam and Malmö as case studies. It finds that the municipalities are enabling space sharing either as a third party by subsidising, mediating, and leveraging the land allocation process, or as a space owner. Further, the municipalities enable space sharing at two stages: through the provision of a space, or through the operation of the sharing. Two levels of barriers are identified: first level barriers, which render space sharing as such difficult, such as user compatibility, safety, and liability concerns, and resulting organisational and financial cost. Then, second level barriers, which render it difficult for the municipalities to enable space sharing, such as lack of appropriate instruments, concerns of preferential treatment, the municipal ownership structure of buildings, and lack of knowledge and experience. Finally, the themes of reluctance to sharing, risk aversion, a lack of awareness of the environmental cost of space inefficiency, and inflexible understanding of space as a resource, as well as their implications for space sharing are discussed.
Adopting Space Sufficiency Interventions As A Means For Accelerating Energy Renovation: Swedish Homeowners’ Perceptive. Sula, M., Mahapatra, K., Mainali, B., Rupar Gadd, K., & Pardalis, G. (2023). Sustainable Built Environment and Urban Transition, Linnaeus University, Växjö.
Swedish statistics on Single-Family Houses (SFH) show that more than a third of households inhabit oversized spaces in aging buildings needing renovation. Sufficiency-oriented renovation strategies — optimizing, or reducing living areas per capita — present a promising avenue to achieve substantial energy reductions. This approach also opens the potential for space rentals, yielding combined energy and space efficiency advantages. In addition, the literature highlights reduced maintenance costs and potential urban housing crisis mitigation. However, practical implementation faces multiple obstacles.This paper investigates SFH owners’ attitudes towards space-sufficiency interventions, focusing on living size preferences and identifying barriers and opportunities for sustainable housing.
Home swapping as instrument for more housing sufficiency! Kitzmann, R. (2023). International Journal of Housing Policy, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2023.2269619
Since housing is one major source of energy and resource consumption, the development of a sustainable housing provision is of upmost importance. Unfortunately, the public debate is constricted to efficiency and consistency measures, based on technical improvements, which do not question norms and values leading to necessary lifestyle changes. Instead, discussions on an environmentally sound housing provision should consider the concept of sufficiency, leading to a reduction of the physical building stock due to a decrease in per capita consumption. Despite acknowledging the necessity of a reduced per capita living space, the academic debate remains quite limited without offering appropriate systematic strategies. Thus, this paper takes up the instrument of home swapping to discuss its holistic value, adding to the debate on sufficiency strategies in the field of housing. It is shown that home swapping has enormous potential to reduce per capita housing space by better allocating living space.
Ecovillages as catalysts for the sustainability transition in the global north: A case study on woldwijk’s role in challenging the Western Dominant Social Paradigm [Master Thesis, University of Gröningen]. Bleeker, R. (2023). https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4427/
This study focuses on the potential role of ecovillages, using Woldwijk as a case study, in challenging the Western Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP) towards sustainability.The research encompasses ethnographic research within Woldwijk. This research explores how Woldwijk’s initiatives and practices align with the principles of sustainability, its challenges, and opportunities for integration into mainstream society.The study reveals that while Woldwijk displays a high degree of inviting openness, fostering connections within the broader community remains a challenge. The allocation of private space influences social engagement, suggesting that communal spaces could enhance interaction. Woldwijk’s embeddedness in the region is growing, albeit slowly, with activities enhancing the liveability of the surroundings. This recommends tighter collaboration between the municipality of Groningen and Woldwijk. This study emphasizes the need for greater collaboration between ecovillages and mainstream institutions to maximize their impact.
This study lays the foundations for systematically complementing technical approaches with building sufficiency approaches. Five overarching goals of building sufficiency are defined: giving priority to existing buildings instead of new construction, reduction of per capita space requirements, adaptability, low-tech and sparing user behaviour.The report describes the status quo and thus the relevance of the topic, names selected lighthouse projects and quantifies the potential for reducing the environmental impact of buildings through sufficiency approaches.The proposals developed address both the communication of sufficiency and its promotion in consultation, planning processes and the implementation of measures.
Prioritize energy sufficiency to decarbonize our buildings. Malik, J., Hong, T., Wei, M., & Rotmann, S. (2023). Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01752-0
We need human behavioural change to decarbonize our buildings. This requirement arises from our needs, lifestyle energy choices and interactions with buildings, and is an underexploited, yet essential demand-side opportunity for rapid and sustainable decarbonization. We propose a sufficiency-oriented approach that fosters equitable building decarbonization, while maintaining planetary boundaries.
Intensifying Building Use — How the Cities of Amsterdam and Malmö Enable the Sharing of Spaces [Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy, Lund University]. Leyvraz, S. (2023). https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/search/publication/9138975
This thesis explores how municipalities can enable space sharing and identifies relevant barriers, taking the cities of Amsterdam and Malmö as case studies. It finds that the municipalities are enabling space sharing either as a third party by subsidising, mediating, and leveraging the land allocation process, or as a space owner. Further, the municipalities enable space sharing at two stages: through the provision of a space, or through the operation of the sharing. Two levels of barriers are identified: first level barriers, which render space sharing as such difficult, such as user compatibility, safety, and liability concerns, and resulting organisational and financial cost. Then, second level barriers, which render it difficult for the municipalities to enable space sharing, such as lack of appropriate instruments, concerns of preferential treatment, the municipal ownership structure of buildings, and lack of knowledge and experience. Finally, the themes of reluctance to sharing, risk aversion, a lack of awareness of the environmental cost of space inefficiency, and inflexible understanding of space as a resource, as well as their implications for space sharing are discussed.
Adopting Space Sufficiency Interventions As A Means For Accelerating Energy Renovation: Swedish Homeowners’ Perceptive. Sula, M., Mahapatra, K., Mainali, B., Rupar Gadd, K., & Pardalis, G. (2023). Sustainable Built Environment and Urban Transition, Linnaeus University, Växjö.
Swedish statistics on Single-Family Houses (SFH) show that more than a third of households inhabit oversized spaces in aging buildings needing renovation. Sufficiency-oriented renovation strategies — optimizing, or reducing living areas per capita — present a promising avenue to achieve substantial energy reductions. This approach also opens the potential for space rentals, yielding combined energy and space efficiency advantages. In addition, the literature highlights reduced maintenance costs and potential urban housing crisis mitigation. However, practical implementation faces multiple obstacles.This paper investigates SFH owners’ attitudes towards space-sufficiency interventions, focusing on living size preferences and identifying barriers and opportunities for sustainable housing.
Home swapping as instrument for more housing sufficiency! Kitzmann, R. (2023). International Journal of Housing Policy, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19491247.2023.2269619
Since housing is one major source of energy and resource consumption, the development of a sustainable housing provision is of upmost importance. Unfortunately, the public debate is constricted to efficiency and consistency measures, based on technical improvements, which do not question norms and values leading to necessary lifestyle changes. Instead, discussions on an environmentally sound housing provision should consider the concept of sufficiency, leading to a reduction of the physical building stock due to a decrease in per capita consumption. Despite acknowledging the necessity of a reduced per capita living space, the academic debate remains quite limited without offering appropriate systematic strategies. Thus, this paper takes up the instrument of home swapping to discuss its holistic value, adding to the debate on sufficiency strategies in the field of housing. It is shown that home swapping has enormous potential to reduce per capita housing space by better allocating living space.
Ecovillages as catalysts for the sustainability transition in the global north: A case study on woldwijk’s role in challenging the Western Dominant Social Paradigm [Master Thesis, University of Gröningen]. Bleeker, R. (2023). https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4427/
This study focuses on the potential role of ecovillages, using Woldwijk as a case study, in challenging the Western Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP) towards sustainability.The research encompasses ethnographic research within Woldwijk. This research explores how Woldwijk’s initiatives and practices align with the principles of sustainability, its challenges, and opportunities for integration into mainstream society.The study reveals that while Woldwijk displays a high degree of inviting openness, fostering connections within the broader community remains a challenge. The allocation of private space influences social engagement, suggesting that communal spaces could enhance interaction. Woldwijk’s embeddedness in the region is growing, albeit slowly, with activities enhancing the liveability of the surroundings. This recommends tighter collaboration between the municipality of Groningen and Woldwijk. This study emphasizes the need for greater collaboration between ecovillages and mainstream institutions to maximize their impact.
🚲️
MOBILITY
Modelling the impact of urban form on daily mobility energy consumption using archetypal cities. Haffner, M., Bonin, O., & Vuidel, G. (2023). Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/23998083231206169
Urban form is regularly identified as a potential key factor for reducing road traffic and the resulting energy consumption, but the nature of the link between mobility and urban form has been subject to considerable debate. This paper employs quantitative research methods to investigate the influence of urban form on daily mobility energy consumption. First, we used archetypal cities, representative of French large-sized cities, which allow us to isolate the impact of urban form and to have more generalised results. Second, we simulated daily mobility in those archetypal cities by using an individual-based daily mobility simulation model, Mobisim-Soft and then calculated the resulting energy consumptions. Our results confirm that the periurban city is the most energy consuming compare to the axialized and the polycentric cities, but it appears that the global structure of an agglomeration is a second-order factor compared to the inner arrangement of its neighbourhoods.
Exploring the 15-minute City: Access Sufficiency, Travel Behaviour, and Perceptions of Accessibility in the City of Toronto. Yu, A. (2023). Department of Geography and Planning University of Toronto.
The populations of cities have been increasing, so ensuring that cities provide a high quality of life for their residents has become an increasingly important goal in urban planning. Compact cities are considered the most sustainable urban form which has led to the recent popularity of the 15-minute City concept. Using the City of Toronto as a case study, this thesis explores different aspects of the 15-minute City to determine the relationship between 15-minute accessibility and travel behaviour in a North American context. The results suggest that residents of Toronto tend to use slower more sustainable modes of transport if they provide complete sufficient 15-minute access to destinations. Additionally, perceptions of accessibility improve as 15-minute access becomes more complete. However, several issues, notably Toronto’s current urban form, prevent the 15-minute City from being realized in all parts of the city.
The 15-minute city for all? – Measuring individual and temporal variations in walking accessibility. Willberg, E., Fink, C., & Toivonen, T. (2023). Journal of Transport Geography, 106, 103521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103521
Popular concepts in urban planning, like the 15-minute city, suggest that everyday services should be accessible to everyone within “walking distance”. However, walking distance is usually considered from the perspective of the average person, and little effort is made to understand the temporal (daily and seasonal) variation in walking accessibility. If our aim is to create inclusive cities, we also need to address the realities of vulnerable population groups. In this study, we analysed how walking accessibility landscapes vary temporally and between population groups particularly focusing on the diverse realities of older people. We hypothesised that the temporal variation, especially seasonal, disproportionately influences their range of mobility options. The study highlights the importance of considering the variation in people’s walking abilities, road conditions and service network when modelling walking accessibility.
Teleworkability, Preferences for Telework, and Well-Being: A Systematic Review. Urien, B. (2023). Sustainability, 15(13), 10631. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310631
Telework has grown exponentially due to COVID-19, and has revealed itself as a useful work condition with a largely positive impact on employees’ well-being. Since many variables are involved in determining the relationships between telework and well-being, this paper clarifies the role of teleworkability, employees’ preference for telework, and telework intensity; specifically, how the first two variables impact on well-being through telework intensity. The results also confirmed that telework intensity establishes direct relationships with well-being, and it is essential to predict it. Hybrid work emerged as a new concept which captures the best combination between on-site work and telework. Based on their employees’ preferences, companies can introduce “hybrid-work flexible programs” to maximize its positive effects on well-being as well as being able to re-design their jobs to better fit their employees’ levels of telework expectations.
Understanding cycling neo-tribes: A non-western context. Asan, K., Yolal, M., & Chi, C. G. (2023). Annals of Leisure Research, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2023.2273549
This study employed ethnographical methodology to delineate issues related to cycling communities in a non-western context through the theoretical lens of neo-tribe. In-depth interviews and participatory observations were conducted in two cycling communities in Turkey, an emerging pro-cycling country. As a result of thematic analysis, the characteristics of the studied communities are explained under the following themes: states of emotional being, symbols and rituals, ethic codes, identities, and lifestyle. The findings revealed that the studied communities have tribal characteristics similar to the Western cycling cases, such as friendship, belonging, and collective enthusiasm. Meanwhile, differences of the communities from the Western cases were identified, such as more intense emotionality and stronger need for physical security and safe space. Implications for businesses and professionals that promote cycling for leisure, recreation and tourism purposes in Turkey were drawn based on the findings.
Tourism and degrowth. Murray, I., Fletcher, R., Blázquez-Salom, M., Blanco-Romero, A., Cañada, E., & Sekulova, F. (2023). Tourism Geographies, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2023.2293956
The necessity and consequences of the exponential growth in tourism activity experienced throughout the world over the past half-century have been increasingly questioned by an expanding body of activists and critical researchers. One of the emerging responses within this debate concerns calls for reversing the trend in pursuit of touristic ‘degrowth’. This discussion has been inspired by a longstanding body of research problematizing the imperative and consequences of economic growth more generally, initiated by natural and social scientists. This article offers a state-of-the-art overview of the application of degrowth perspectives to discussions of (sustainable) tourism development and outlines a future agenda for research and praxis continuing this important line of inquiry.
Urban form is regularly identified as a potential key factor for reducing road traffic and the resulting energy consumption, but the nature of the link between mobility and urban form has been subject to considerable debate. This paper employs quantitative research methods to investigate the influence of urban form on daily mobility energy consumption. First, we used archetypal cities, representative of French large-sized cities, which allow us to isolate the impact of urban form and to have more generalised results. Second, we simulated daily mobility in those archetypal cities by using an individual-based daily mobility simulation model, Mobisim-Soft and then calculated the resulting energy consumptions. Our results confirm that the periurban city is the most energy consuming compare to the axialized and the polycentric cities, but it appears that the global structure of an agglomeration is a second-order factor compared to the inner arrangement of its neighbourhoods.
Exploring the 15-minute City: Access Sufficiency, Travel Behaviour, and Perceptions of Accessibility in the City of Toronto. Yu, A. (2023). Department of Geography and Planning University of Toronto.
The populations of cities have been increasing, so ensuring that cities provide a high quality of life for their residents has become an increasingly important goal in urban planning. Compact cities are considered the most sustainable urban form which has led to the recent popularity of the 15-minute City concept. Using the City of Toronto as a case study, this thesis explores different aspects of the 15-minute City to determine the relationship between 15-minute accessibility and travel behaviour in a North American context. The results suggest that residents of Toronto tend to use slower more sustainable modes of transport if they provide complete sufficient 15-minute access to destinations. Additionally, perceptions of accessibility improve as 15-minute access becomes more complete. However, several issues, notably Toronto’s current urban form, prevent the 15-minute City from being realized in all parts of the city.
The 15-minute city for all? – Measuring individual and temporal variations in walking accessibility. Willberg, E., Fink, C., & Toivonen, T. (2023). Journal of Transport Geography, 106, 103521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103521
Popular concepts in urban planning, like the 15-minute city, suggest that everyday services should be accessible to everyone within “walking distance”. However, walking distance is usually considered from the perspective of the average person, and little effort is made to understand the temporal (daily and seasonal) variation in walking accessibility. If our aim is to create inclusive cities, we also need to address the realities of vulnerable population groups. In this study, we analysed how walking accessibility landscapes vary temporally and between population groups particularly focusing on the diverse realities of older people. We hypothesised that the temporal variation, especially seasonal, disproportionately influences their range of mobility options. The study highlights the importance of considering the variation in people’s walking abilities, road conditions and service network when modelling walking accessibility.
Teleworkability, Preferences for Telework, and Well-Being: A Systematic Review. Urien, B. (2023). Sustainability, 15(13), 10631. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310631
Telework has grown exponentially due to COVID-19, and has revealed itself as a useful work condition with a largely positive impact on employees’ well-being. Since many variables are involved in determining the relationships between telework and well-being, this paper clarifies the role of teleworkability, employees’ preference for telework, and telework intensity; specifically, how the first two variables impact on well-being through telework intensity. The results also confirmed that telework intensity establishes direct relationships with well-being, and it is essential to predict it. Hybrid work emerged as a new concept which captures the best combination between on-site work and telework. Based on their employees’ preferences, companies can introduce “hybrid-work flexible programs” to maximize its positive effects on well-being as well as being able to re-design their jobs to better fit their employees’ levels of telework expectations.
Understanding cycling neo-tribes: A non-western context. Asan, K., Yolal, M., & Chi, C. G. (2023). Annals of Leisure Research, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2023.2273549
This study employed ethnographical methodology to delineate issues related to cycling communities in a non-western context through the theoretical lens of neo-tribe. In-depth interviews and participatory observations were conducted in two cycling communities in Turkey, an emerging pro-cycling country. As a result of thematic analysis, the characteristics of the studied communities are explained under the following themes: states of emotional being, symbols and rituals, ethic codes, identities, and lifestyle. The findings revealed that the studied communities have tribal characteristics similar to the Western cycling cases, such as friendship, belonging, and collective enthusiasm. Meanwhile, differences of the communities from the Western cases were identified, such as more intense emotionality and stronger need for physical security and safe space. Implications for businesses and professionals that promote cycling for leisure, recreation and tourism purposes in Turkey were drawn based on the findings.
Tourism and degrowth. Murray, I., Fletcher, R., Blázquez-Salom, M., Blanco-Romero, A., Cañada, E., & Sekulova, F. (2023). Tourism Geographies, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2023.2293956
The necessity and consequences of the exponential growth in tourism activity experienced throughout the world over the past half-century have been increasingly questioned by an expanding body of activists and critical researchers. One of the emerging responses within this debate concerns calls for reversing the trend in pursuit of touristic ‘degrowth’. This discussion has been inspired by a longstanding body of research problematizing the imperative and consequences of economic growth more generally, initiated by natural and social scientists. This article offers a state-of-the-art overview of the application of degrowth perspectives to discussions of (sustainable) tourism development and outlines a future agenda for research and praxis continuing this important line of inquiry.
👖
FOOD & CLOTHING
Global meat demand projection: Quo Vadimus? Jia, J., Dawson, T. P., Wu, F., Han, Q., & Cui, X. (2023). Journal of Cleaner Production, 139460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139460
Meat demand is a crucial part of limiting the rise in global temperature below 1.5 °C or, at least, 2 °C and has an important role in maintaining public health. We combined machine learning with comprehensive meat consumption drivers to analyze and project meat demand both in history (1961–2019) and future scenarios (2020–2100). Our results revealed the disproportionate climate impacts of meat consumption in the West. The country group, Western Countries, was the biggest consumer in history, consuming 38% of global meat cumulatively but accounting for only 14% of the world population from 1961 to 2019. Our projections show that global total meat demand will decline in this century under most future scenarios. The East Asia & Pacific region is expected to contribute 56%–125% of global meat demand decline, but the region is used to being deemed the main driver of many current dramatically rising environmental problems. On the contrary, meat demand in Western Countries may be more likely to increase by 15%–71% between 2020 and 2100. However, both the general public and governments in Western Countries seem reluctant to promote lifestyle changing to mitigate climate change. Thus, it is essential to take measures to limit the negative environmental impacts of increasing meat demand.
Consumers’ Sustainable Clothing Consumption Practices: Adopting the Principles of Voluntary Simplicity. In S. S. Muthu (Ed.), Olwoch, M. A., Sonnenberg, N. C., Reis, T. L., & Taljaard-Swart, H. (2023). Consumer Awareness and Textile Sustainability (pp. 15–31). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43879-0_2
Although various stakeholders have invested substantial effort in addressing environmental and social concerns in the clothing and textile supply chain, consumers have an equally important role to fulfil through their acquisition, use, and disposal of garments. Overconsumption of, driven by amongst others, fast fashion trends has drawn severe critique in fashion circles and has prompted pushback from several environmental and social activist groups. Along with mounting consumer awareness, ideologies such as voluntary simplicity have grown in popularity and could in turn manifest in sustainable clothing consumption behaviour such as purchasing eco-friendly clothing, adopting ethical consumption behaviours, favouring handcrafted garments, reusing and buying second-hand clothing, reducing overall consumption, making purchases based on necessity, repurposing garments, and prioritising clothing longevity. This chapter provides a deeper understanding of these specific types of sustainable clothing consumption practices and how consumers’ adoption of such practices may ultimately contribute to the broader pursuit of circularity in the fashion domain.
Meat demand is a crucial part of limiting the rise in global temperature below 1.5 °C or, at least, 2 °C and has an important role in maintaining public health. We combined machine learning with comprehensive meat consumption drivers to analyze and project meat demand both in history (1961–2019) and future scenarios (2020–2100). Our results revealed the disproportionate climate impacts of meat consumption in the West. The country group, Western Countries, was the biggest consumer in history, consuming 38% of global meat cumulatively but accounting for only 14% of the world population from 1961 to 2019. Our projections show that global total meat demand will decline in this century under most future scenarios. The East Asia & Pacific region is expected to contribute 56%–125% of global meat demand decline, but the region is used to being deemed the main driver of many current dramatically rising environmental problems. On the contrary, meat demand in Western Countries may be more likely to increase by 15%–71% between 2020 and 2100. However, both the general public and governments in Western Countries seem reluctant to promote lifestyle changing to mitigate climate change. Thus, it is essential to take measures to limit the negative environmental impacts of increasing meat demand.
Consumers’ Sustainable Clothing Consumption Practices: Adopting the Principles of Voluntary Simplicity. In S. S. Muthu (Ed.), Olwoch, M. A., Sonnenberg, N. C., Reis, T. L., & Taljaard-Swart, H. (2023). Consumer Awareness and Textile Sustainability (pp. 15–31). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43879-0_2
Although various stakeholders have invested substantial effort in addressing environmental and social concerns in the clothing and textile supply chain, consumers have an equally important role to fulfil through their acquisition, use, and disposal of garments. Overconsumption of, driven by amongst others, fast fashion trends has drawn severe critique in fashion circles and has prompted pushback from several environmental and social activist groups. Along with mounting consumer awareness, ideologies such as voluntary simplicity have grown in popularity and could in turn manifest in sustainable clothing consumption behaviour such as purchasing eco-friendly clothing, adopting ethical consumption behaviours, favouring handcrafted garments, reusing and buying second-hand clothing, reducing overall consumption, making purchases based on necessity, repurposing garments, and prioritising clothing longevity. This chapter provides a deeper understanding of these specific types of sustainable clothing consumption practices and how consumers’ adoption of such practices may ultimately contribute to the broader pursuit of circularity in the fashion domain.