Calls
Research
Events
Online
New Publications
Calls
1. Evidence submissions required – ECC Committee Inquiry into UK Government Draft Energy Bill.
On 22 May Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Davey announced the publication of a draft UK Energy Bill. The Bill includes significant measures to reform the electricity market which Mr Davey said were necessary to “ensure we keep the lights on, bills down and the air clean”. The Energy and Climate Change Committee will hold an inquiry to examine the draft Bill with a view to reporting soon after the House rises for the summer recess (17 July). This is to ensure that the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations can feed into preparations for the introduction of a full Bill in the autumn. The Committee invites submissions of written evidence on any aspect of the draft Bill, and plans to hear oral evidence in June. The draft Bill can be found here:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm83/8362/8362.pdf
and the information on submitting evidence can be found here…
More...
2. Call for nominations - UK Water Efficiency Awards 2012.
Waterwise and the Environment Agency, supported by Bosch and Methven, have just launched the 6th Water Efficiency Awards, a biannual competition that celebrates the achievements of public, private and third sector organisations in making the UK more water efficient. One category is ‘Research and Evaluation’, which is for ‘projects that seek to solve water efficiency challenges and/or better understand the value of water efficiency interventions’. Another category, ‘Innovation’, which is for ‘projects that develop, test or trial a new idea, such as an innovative approach to engaging water customers or a tool, service or device which helps customers in a domestic or non-domestic setting to be more water efficient’. More…
More...
Research
1. British Medical Journal – ‘Taxes on unhealthy foods’
This British Medical Journal article argues that taxes on unhealthy foods could result in significant health gains. The article highlights a range of trials, studies and natural experiments (ie. observational studies) that examine the effect of price changes on behaviour. It concludes that: “Health related food taxes could improve health. Existing evidence suggests that taxes are likely to shift consumption in the desired direction, although policy-makers need to be wary of changes in other important nutrients. However, the tax would need to be at least 20% to have a significant effect on population health.” It says that the key elements of a successful health related food tax involves: Taxing a wide range of unhealthy foods or nutrients is likely to result in greater health benefits than would accrue from narrow taxes; although the strongest evidence base is for a tax on sugar sweetened beverages; Taxation needs to be at least 20% to have a significant effect on obesity and cardiovascular disease; Taxes on unhealthy foods should ideally be combined with subsidies on healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables. More…
More...
2. Journal of Consumer Research - Quantitative evidence of metaphoric association between meat and maleness.
Published in the Journal of Consumer Research, this research is based on experiments carried out in the US and the UK and reports that there is a strong connection in people’s minds between eating meat—especially muscle meat, like steak—and masculinity. The authors explore whether there is a link between meat and maleness in Western cultures. The authors address this in six quantifiable studies that involve 1. Implicit associations, 2. Free associations, 3. Indirect-scenario based inferences, 4. Direct measurement profiling, 5. Preference and choice and 6. Linguistic analysis. The article concludes that there is a metaphoric relationship between mammal muscle meat and maleness. More…
More...
Events
1. Bristol’s Big Green Week
Saturday 9th – Saturday 17th June, Bristol
Bristol’s Big Green week commences this weekend, with over 100 events, talks and workshops held all over Bristol. Events include talks, film showings, religious services, a comedy night, tours and numerous other things. Speakers at various events include designer Vivienne Westwood, Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, Grand Designs’ Kevin McCloud and Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas. Topics presented by WWF, PIRC, Triodos Bank, The Bristol Pound, Good Energy and otherscovered include ‘The Ethical Debates in Advertising’, ‘Campaigning with Common Cause’ and ‘Moving to a ‘zero’ society’. There is even a Bristol Big Green Week app available to help navigate your way around! More…
More...
2. Workshop invitation – ‘Can climate change policies be fair?’
5th July 2012, 10.15 am at the Royal Statistical Society, 12 Errol Street, London, EC1Y 8LX.
This workshop will provide an opportunity to discuss findings of the ESRC project ‘Who emits most?’ as well as research findings from projects at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, an ESRC-funded project at the London School of Economics and a projects of the ESRC Sustainable Practices Research Group. The workshop focuses on the use of national scale consumption surveys to explore the distribution of CO2 emissions and effects of policies. Are the data up to the task? Which household characteristics are related to high emissions? Who are likely winners and losers from different policies? More…
More...
3. Digital Economy Sustainable Society Network - Event to help shape calls and generate ideas for future networking
12th July 1pm to 4 pm 13th July 2012 at the Director’s Suite, Science Museum, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD.
The Sustainable Society Network+, funded by the RCUK Digital Economy Program aims to develop a group of leading researchers, industrial stakeholders and third sector members with a common interest in applying digital technologies to achieve measurable, real-world outcomes to ensure the UK achieves its goals in the creation of a sustainable society. This event aims to develop calls for the Network+ members to apply for pilot studies; Generate ideas for future networking events; Build connections in the Sustainable Society Network+ and identify common research interests across the group; Help generate new, path-defining ideas for potential research across the Network+; and to break down inter-disciplinary barriers. More…
More...
Online
1. World Resources Institute Insights – ‘Help Wanted: Communicating Climate Science Via Video’
This project, funded by Google.org, involved three scientists developing a series of videos on their recent climate science research findings. Help is now needed to assess which video format works best. The public can vote for their favourite format (webcam talk; a conversation; whiteboard talk) until the end of May 2012. The project aims to improve the way scientists communicate their peer-reviewed research to other scientists and the broader public, including media and decision makers. More…
More...
2. Combined Heat and Power Association - District heating installation map
The Combined Heat and Power Association have released this map of existing Districting Heating installations. More…
http://batchgeo.com/map/7002eac6eeae19252d35acb1e708122b
They have also produced a guide to Community Energy: Planning, Development and Delivery, which is aimed at planners and project developers. It outlines how energy maps can be created for use in development plans, to recognise where there are opportunities for decentralised energy and to help develop an energy project into a financially viable and deliverable low-carbon project. The guide is available from here…
More...
New Publications
1. Committee on Climate Change Report – ‘How local authorities can reduce emissions and manage climate risk’
A report published by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) argues that local authorities play a “crucial role” in meeting national emissions targets, and that limited action by local government would put achievement of UK carbon targets at risk. The report, which was commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, focused on the English context, although the CCC note much of the analysis is relevant at the UK level. There is currently no requirement for local authorities to take action on climate change. This coupled with limited funding means there is a significant risk that local authorities will not develop and implement sufficiently ambitious low-carbon plans. This report emphasises the crucial role councils have in helping the UK meet its carbon targets and preparing for the impacts of climate change. It outlines specific opportunities for reducing emissions and highlights good practice examples from a number of local authorities. The Committee recommends that a statutory duty and/or additional funding is needed to ensure local authorities have stronger incentives to act. More…
More...
2. KPMG Global Report – ‘Expect the Unexpected: Building Business Value in a Changing World’.
New research from KPMG International has identified 10 “megaforces” that will significantly affect corporate growth globally over the next two decades. The KPMG study explores issues such as climate change, energy and fuel volatility, water availability and cost and resource availability, as well as population growth spawning new urban centres. The analysis examines how these global forces may impact business and industry, calculates the environmental costs to business, and calls for business and policymakers to work more closely to mitigate future business risk and act on opportunities. The report calculated that if companies had to pay for the full environmental costs of their production, they would lose 41 cents for every US$1 in earnings on average. The report was released on the opening day of KPMG’s global “Business Perspective on Sustainable Growth: Preparing for Rio+20” summit in New York. More…
More...
3. Environment Audit Committee Report – ‘Sustainable Food’
The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee has published its report on Sustainable Food. Its member MPs conclude that “Government must develop a joined-up strategy to change the UK’s unhealthy and environmentally damaging food system, as fears mount about global food security.” The authors argue that the Government’s Green Food Project could provide part of the answer, but is not covering all aspects of sustainability, and risks delivering a food policy which focuses too much on increasing yields at the expense of delivering a fairer and a more equitable food system. It is their opinion that it could be used as a foundation for the joined-up cross-departmental food strategy which is required to deliver a food system in the UK that is sustainable and takes account of people’s health and the needs of their communities, as well as the environment. In particular, they argue that food strategy must: Provide producers (including local and small producers) with fair access to markets, and customers with access to healthy and less environmentally impacting foods (including local food networks); Provide consumers with the knowledge and information they need to make informed choices about food that is better for their health and the environment and reduces waste; and deliver research in the priority areas which we have identified, to improve and develop existing agricultural, food processing and distribution practices with fewer environmental impacts. More…
More...
4. World Resources Institute Report – ‘Building International Climate Cooperation: Lessons from the Weapons and Trade Regimes for Achieving International Climate Goals’
This report from the World Resources Institute considers lessons from the weapons and trade regimes, noting both their successes and failures in achieving international agreements and/or targets. It compares these lessons to what has been tried in the climate regime, and offers ideas that might enhance the chances of attaining global action to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A principal conclusion is that countries seeking to control greenhouse gas emissions might consider a wider variety of experiences and potential pathways than are currently under consideration. The report suggests that the objective at this stage must be to consider all options that achieve emissions reductions. It is suggested that the goal must be a timely global stabilization of the climate, however that objective is reached. More…
More...
5. World Resources Institute Report – ‘Ready or Not: Assessing Institutional Aspects of National Capacity for Climate Change Adaptation’.
This report introduces the National Adaptive Capacity (NAC) framework. This framework is designed to allow its users to systematically assess institutional strengths and weaknesses that may help or hinder adaptation. National adaptation plans may then be better designed to make best use of strengths or remedy weaknesses. The report describes three pilot assessments conducted using the NAC framework in Bolivia, Ireland, and Nepal. The NAC framework evaluates national institutions’ performance of five key functions critical to adaptation: assessment, prioritization, coordination, information management, and climate risk management. The authors argue that the pilot applications of the framework in Bolivia, Ireland, and Nepal suggest that the NAC framework is useful across a range of countries and that it can be tailored to specific country contexts. More…
More...
6. Oxford University Press Book – ‘Between God & Green: How Evangelicals Are Cultivating a Middle Ground on Climate Change’
This book argues that despite three decades of scientists’ warnings and environmentalists’ best efforts, the political will and public engagement necessary to fuel robust action on global climate change remain in short supply. Katharine K. Wilkinson argues that, contrary to popular expectations, faith-based efforts are emerging to address this problem. In the US, perhaps none is more significant than evangelical climate care. Wilkinson argues that evangelical environmentalists are reshaping not only the landscape of American climate action, but the contours of their own religious community. Though the movement faces complex challenges, climate care leaders continue to leverage evangelicalism’s size, dominance, cultural position, ethical resources, and mechanisms of communication to further their cause to bridge ‘God and green’. More…
More...
7. POSTnote – Assessing Energy Efficiency.
Climate change, finite supplies of fossil fuels, and rising and volatile fuel prices are all perceived to drive the need to improve energy efficiency. This POSTnote (from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology) examines definitions of energy efficiency, looks at methods to measure and verify achieved energy savings and summarises UK and EU polices to promote energy efficiency. The UK’s residential energy efficiency policy is changing in late 2012 to the Green Deal and a new Energy Company Obligation. The EU is currently debating the Energy Efficiency Directive, including how energy efficiency will be measured. More…
More...
8. JRF Report – ‘Wind Energy and Justice for Disadvantaged Communities’
The authors of this Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) Report examine community benefits from renewable energy projects,
particularly wind power, but place two different concerns at the forefront of this debate. Firstly, the Report seeks to establish the principles of justice for requiring wind-farm developers to provide some form of benefits to communities. It is concerned mainly with distributive justice – a concern for the fair distribution of costs and benefits in society. The authors argue that viewing community benefits simply as devices for fostering social acceptance misses important issues of justice for communities living with large energy facilities. Secondly, it examines how these benefits might be used to best serve the long term resilience of the communities living with wind farms. Again, the emphasis on fostering social acceptance has eclipsed this question but it is vitally important; especially because much wind-farm development has taken place in rural or coastal areas suffering from economic, social and environmental disadvantage. More…
More...
9. IIED Report – ‘Climate change and agriculture: can market governance mechanisms reduce emissions from the food system fairly and effectively?'
This report examines what part market governance mechanisms (regulatory, fiscal, voluntary and information-related) can or could play in addressing Greenhouse Gas emissions from the food system, focusing on the two extreme ends of the supply chain – the process of agricultural production, and patterns of consumption. The key messages emerging from this study are that economic measures have a vital part to play within this regulatory context, but they need to be designed with care. To be effective, emissions from food production and consumption must be addressed together. If not, emissions reduced in one will simply be displaced elsewhere. A balance needs to be struck by applying a mix of approaches – regulatory, economic, voluntary, and information: no single measure will be effective in achieving emissions reductions on its own. ‘Soft’ measures, such as voluntary agreements and information sharing have a part to play in providing an enabling context for action, but they must be backed up by ‘harder’ regulatory or economic measures. Regulation, in the form of a cap on emissions, is a prerequisite for other market governance measures to function well. To be effective, policymakers need to consider the social, cultural and economic context within which market governance mechanisms operate. More…
More...
Jobs and Training
Jobs and Training opportunities around the Sustainable Development Research network are updated frequently on the ‘Jobs and Training’ page of the SDRN website…
More...
The SDRN Mailing is a moderated information resource and dissemination service for SDRN members. You can make use of this service by sending any information for inclusion in the mailing to Ben Watson.
To join or leave this list, please email Ben Watson or visit the JISCmail website.