Dr. Friedrich Hinterberger Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI ) Sixth European Conference...

Dr. Friedrich HinterbergerSustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI)

Sixth European Conference on Evaluation of Cohesion Policy30 November 2009, Warsaw

www.seri.at/FHwww.seri.at/FH

Sustainable development a concept developed enough to guide

Cohesion Policy programmes?

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What is Sustainable Development?

Brundtland definition “sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of

the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

Alternative by the Forum of the Future“a dynamic process that enables all people to realize their potential

and to improve their quality of life in ways which protect and enhance the planet’s life-support systems.”

It is NOT (necessarily) …… “sustainable growth” !

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Regional policy and SDRegions may influence developments more directly and rapidly than (inter)national levels

Example of SD on a regional level : Steinbach an der Steyr• 1986: Low point in the township history• Today:

Thriving place of immigration; Growing numbers of workplaces; Innovative businesses Achieved also through environmental innovation.

Regional policy could boost sustainable development in the EU!

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Why is measuring important?

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure”Clear communication in an understandable way is key to reach target audiences. Targets can only be defined based on clear measurement systems and robust indicators. Policy makers demand solid information to design appropriate policy responses. (Self-) evaluation and (cyclical) re-design of policies

-> scoping, visioning and learing! (www.matisse-project.net)

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“You can’t manage what you can’t measure”

Robust data and indicators are requirements for target setting and monitoring of sustainability strategies.

Quantitative targets for reducing resource use on company and product level.

Better information for ALL decision makers is required.

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Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (“Stiglitz-Commission”)Aims:

• to identify the limits of GDP as an indicator of economic performance and social progress• to consider additional information for the production of a more relevant picture• to discuss how to present this information in the most appropriate way• to check the feasibility of measurement tools

Outcome: Final report of the Commission (October 2009) that gains a lot of political interest and discussion

How should we measure progress (1)

www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr

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How should we measure progress (2)

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Communication from the Commission 20 August 2009: GDP and beyond - Measuring progress in a changing world

GDP should be complemented by a comprehensive environmental index (beyond CO2) and the measurement of quality of life and wellbeing!

http://www.beyond-gdp.eu

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How should we measure progress (2)

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Communication from the Commission 20 August 2009: GDP and beyond - Measuring progress in a changing world

GDP should be complemented by a comprehensive environmental index (beyond CO2) and the measurement of quality of life and wellbeing!

http://www.beyond-gdp.eu

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 ?

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

(... environment ...)

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 !

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

(... environment ...)

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 !

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

(... environment ...)

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EU Sustainable Development Strategy

Sustainable development „… aims at a continous improvement of the quality of life and well-being on Earth for present and future generations.“

EU Commission:

“Europeans value quality of life.“

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Measurement of Quality of Life

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Happy Planet Index (HPI): life expectency * well-being / carbon footprint

International surveys of QoL, life-satisfaction

UK‘s well-being indicators (national SDS)

Bhutan‘s Gross National Happiness

Calvert-Hendersons Quality of Life Indicators

World Database of Happiness (Erasmus Universität Rotterdam)

Measurement of QoL, happiness, wellbeing

Examples:

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QoL is a multidimensional construct, viz. many factors determine human well-being

QoL is not directly measurable, but only subareas

Objective indicators relatively easy to measure, subjective dimension more difficult

Different people interpret scalesdifferently

BUT: operational appoaches do exist and can be applied

15?

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Why measurement is difficult

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GDP and well-being (1)G D P an d L ife Satis faction 1973 - 2002

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

200%

1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

L ife S atis fac tio n

G D P

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GDP and well-being (2)

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(mental) Health

Deceleration

Slow food

Simple living

Decent work

Mixed work – more leisure

Eco-efficiency

Synergies between QoL and SD

Erwerbsarbeit

Gemeinschaftsarbeit

Eigenarbeit

Versorgungsarbeit

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 !

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

(... environment ...)

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 !

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

Total resource consumption

Used by EU, OECD, UNIDO , member states but also NGOs, businesses …

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„Frontpage indicators“: the big 3 !

Economic (GDP) growth

Quality of life

Total resource consumption

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• Resource demand is increasing

• Soaring commodity prices

• Climate change as the tip of the iceberg

• “Peak everything”• Renewable resources overexploited• Non-renewable resources: peak (soon)

reached and increasing competition• Water scarcity, etc.

• Western life-style cannot be generalised on global level

Our resource base is in danger

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Global environmental issues

…caused by extensive resource use related to production and use of products!Mitigate environmental problems by reducing resource use in absolute terms.

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Reduce the overall resource use caused by products

Overall objective

Carbon is not enough!

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Problems are related to overall scale

• Early environmental policy: focused on regional pollutants

• Significant improvements through traditional environmental policy instruments

• Sustainability policy focuses on overall scale of production and consumption system

• BUT: No real progress new environmental policy instruments required

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ecosphere

socio-economic

system

material

water

air

landwaste water

emissions

waste

The socio-economic system embedded in the environmental system

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Global Resource Extraction: 1980-2005

Source: www.materialflows.net

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Global Resource Extraction: 1980-2030

Source: www.materialflows.net and Lutz et al. 2009

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Report on global resource use (2009)

SERI in cooperation with:

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Economic growth and resource use

• Economic growth is closely linked to the use of scarce natural resources Higher input of resources causes more waste and emissions. Risks for economy and humanity (climate change, loss of

biodiversity, desertification, increase of food prices, poverty etc.).

Consumption Quality of LifeResource use

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More well-being…

… less resource use!

Many practical examples available

increase eco-efficiency !

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A set of environmental indicators

main categories of quantitative resource use plus the output-category CO2-emissions

Indicators applied

GHG emissions

Water

Land use

Non-renewable resources

Renewable resources

Carbon Footprint

Water Rucksack

Biotic Material Rucksack

Abiotic Material Rucksack

Actual Land UseGHG emissions

Water

Land use

Non-renewable resources

Renewable resources

Carbon Footprint

Water Footprint

Biotic Material Input

Abiotic Material Input

Actual Land Use

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Resource use category Product level National level

Materials biotic

Material Rucksack of products

biotic Material flow-based indicators of countries(including materials embodied in imports and exports)

biotic

abiotic abiotic abiotic

Water Water Rucksack / Water Footprint of products

Water Rucksack / Water Footprint of countries(including water embodied in imports and exports)

Land area Actual land use of products Actual land use of countries(including land embodied in imports and exports)

GHG emissions Carbon Footprint of products National GHG emissions(including GHG emissions embodied in imports and exports)

A set of environmental indicators

also for projects! also for regions!

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AN AUSTRIAN WORKING GROUP ON PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY

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www.materialflows.net

Data base of global resource extraction - time series1980-2005- 12 material categories- 188 countries- combined with GDP and population data

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Ecol. rucksacks: a sense of justice!

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Ecol. rucksacks: concrete guidance!

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Visualization exampleRESULTS FOR LIGHT BULBS

8 YEARS/8.000 OPERATING HOURS

LOW-ENERGY LIGHT BULB

LIGHT BULB

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Dynamic Scale (A-G)product category benchmarking

Overall performance

Additional Information

e.g. Fair Trade

Communication

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BUT

What about …

- work/employment- redistribution/cohesion- taxes/government deficit- …

?????

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EN

VIR

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NT

AL

CH

AN

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an

d P

UB

LIC

F

INA

NC

E

UN

EM

PL

OY

ME

NT

an

d

SO

CIA

L

SE

CU

RIT

Y

Replace income tax (partly) by material input tax, CO2 tax

subsidy-shift, regulations

Reduction of annual working times and increased flexibility

Social security through “negative income tax” (basic income)

Quelle: www.a-und-oe.de

Integrated policies

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WO

RK

ING

T

IME

UN

EM

PL

OY

ME

NT

www.a-und-oe.de

10,5 %

3,1 %

37,5 h

30 h

GO

VE

RN

ME

NT

-DE

FIC

IT

+/- 0

A Scenario

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Growth in Transition

www.growthintransition.eu

• Project from 2008-2010• An Initiative of the Austrian Ministry of the Environment• Book „What kind of growth is sustainable?“

• 28 and 29 January 2010: International Conference in Vienna

http://www.growthintransition.eu

Dr. Friedrich HinterbergerSustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI)

Sixth European Conference on Evaluation of Cohesion Policy30 November 2009, Warsaw

www.seri.at/FHwww.seri.at/FH

dziekuje ! Many thanks for your attention

Presentation will be available for download fromhttp://www.seri.at