Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary s... more Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary shifts, and food waste. Although nutrition sciences demonstrate that biophysical characteristics determine food requirements in individuals, and medical and demographic studies provide evidence for large shifts in height, weight, and age structure worldwide, the aggregated effects for food demand are poorly understood. Here, a type–cohort–time stock model is applied to analyze the combined effect of biophysical and demographic changes in the adult population of 186 countries between 1975–2014. The average global adult in 2014 was 14% heavier, 1.3% taller, 6.2% older, and had a 6.1% higher energy demand than the average adult in 1975. Across countries, individuals’ weight gains ranged between 6–33%, and energy needs increased between 0.9–16%. Noteworthy, some of the highest and lowest increases coexist within Africa and Asia, signaling the disparities between the countries of these regions...
The scale and patterns of household consumption are important determinants of environmental impac... more The scale and patterns of household consumption are important determinants of environmental impacts. Whilst affluence has been shown to have a strong correlation with environmental impact, they do not necessarily grow at the same rate. Given the apparent contradiction between the sustainable development goals of economic growth and environmental protection, it is important to understand the effect of rising affluence and concurrent changing consumption patterns on future environmental impacts. Here we develop an econometric demand model based on the data available from a global multiregional input-output dataset. We model future household consumption following scenarios of population and GDP growth for 49 individual regions. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from the future household demand is then explored both with and without consideration of the change in expenditure over time on different consumption categories. Compared to a baseline scenario where final demand grow...
The advent of the anthropocene was preceded by the advent of the holocene. One of the characteris... more The advent of the anthropocene was preceded by the advent of the holocene. One of the characteristics of the holocene is that it was a period with stable temperature and weather patterns, which in turn enabled the development of an agricultural society. Before that, human subsistence relied heavily on hunting and gathering. Given climate change and more unstable weather patterns, present-day practices of hunting and gathering for subsistence become relevant to explore. In this study, focus is turned onto hunting and gathering in urban environments. Empirical cases mainly in the Goteborg region (Sweden) are documented. Many varieties are found, ranging from dumpster-diving, street angling, to 'nicking' fruits from both public and private gardens. Some practices have even become operationalised as businesses (food rescue ventures). An attempt of quantifying and evaluating the environmental significance of these practices is made based on estimates of volumes and time used toge...
The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinar... more The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinary perspective. The publication begins by discussing the co-benefits and challenges for a sustainable energy transition in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout the chapters, the authors discuss: 1) The challenges of energy development in Latin America 2) Human rights and corporate responsibility in the energy sector 3) Challenges for sustainable economic growth in Mexico and the paradox of abundance 4) Energy and carbon in the consumption of Mexican households 5) Expanding the concept of energy poverty from a perspective of fundamental human needs 6) Regulatory evolution of the energy sector in Mexico and 7) Public consultation in Mexico and global governance of development. keywords: Energy transition; Sustainable Development Goals; co-benefits; energy poverty; development; households; fundamental human needs, governance, human rights; extractivism; energy regulatory; public consultation; Corporate Responsibility, inter-disciplinary
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the most influential trade agreement, signed b... more The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the most influential trade agreement, signed by the governments of USA, Canada and Mexico in 1992. It came into effect the 1st of January of 1994 promising economic growth and better employment opportunities to reduce Mexican emigration. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), a civil resistance movement against capitalist neo-liberalism, protested the agreement, warning that it would feed social inequalities and threaten indigenous rights, autonomy, land access and use of natural resources. The Zapatistas feared the NAFTA would reinforce a master-servant relationship where Mexican human and natural resources are displaced, undermined or employed for the benefit of USA-CAN. In this paper we use Multiregional Input-Output Analysis based on the EORA model to examine changes in the carbon, land material, water and employment footprints in Mexico derived from the NAFTA agreement. We pay particular attention to the fairness of ...
Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal... more Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, a more socially meaningful industrial ecology would have a stronger impact. Identifying the most feasible options calls for multidimensional systems perspectives. This research provides insights into opportunities and challenges to reconcile lifestyles, human needs and planetary well-being. This work assesses multiple environmental and social indicators to analyze synergies, trade-offs and lock-ins within the human-economy-nature triad. It views fundamental human needs and lifestyles at the center of socioeconomic metabolism.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Research Paper Series, 2019
The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinar... more The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinary perspective. The publication begins by discussing the co-benefits and challenges for a sustainable energy transition in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout the chapters, the authors discuss: 1) The challenges of energy development in Latin America 2) Human rights and corporate responsibility in the energy sector 3) Challenges for sustainable economic growth in Mexico and the paradox of abundance 4) Energy and carbon in the consumption of Mexican households 5) Expanding the concept of energy poverty from a perspective of fundamental human needs 6) Regulatory evolution of the energy sector in Mexico and 7) Public consultation in Mexico and global governance of development. keywords: Energy transition; Sustainable Development Goals; co-benefits; energy poverty; development; households; fundamental human needs, governance, human rights; extractivism; energy regulat...
The article gives a comprehensive overview of the roundwood equivalents (RE) consumed in the Germ... more The article gives a comprehensive overview of the roundwood equivalents (RE) consumed in the German bioeconomy from Germany and abroad between 1995 and 2015, i.e., the Timber Footprint of final Consumption (TFPcon). The calculation is based on an adapted version of Exiobase 3.4. The sustainability of roundwood procurement for the TFPcon is assessed. A systematic embedding of the tree compartments considered in the TFP in the context of national forest inventories and material flow analysis is presented. The results show that, in 2015, the total volume of the TFPcon of Germany is 90 Mm3 (slightly above the 1995 level) and is composed of 61% coniferous and 39% non-coniferous wood. Germany is strongly dependent on roundwood sourced from abroad and thus was a net importer of RE in 2015. Among the 17 countries with the largest supply of RE for the TFPcon, around one third very likely include large shares of roundwood procured from deforestation or clear-cutting. The self-sufficiency rate...
Sustainability endorses high quality, long-lasting goods. Durable goods, however, often require s... more Sustainability endorses high quality, long-lasting goods. Durable goods, however, often require substantial amounts of energy during their production and use-phase and indirectly through complementary products and services. We quantify the global household's final energy footprints (EFs) of durable goods and the complementary goods needed to operate, service and maintain durables. We calculate the EFs of 200 goods across 44 individual countries and 5 world regions for the period of 1995-2011. In 2011, we find 68% of the total global household's EF (218 EJ) is durable-related broken down as follows: 10% is due to the production of durables per se, 7% is embodied in goods complementary to durables (consumables and services) and 51% is operational energy. At the product level, the highest durable-related EFs are: transport goods (148-648 MJ/cap), housing goods (40-811 MJ/cap), electric appliances (34-181 MJ/cap), and "gas stoves and furnaces" (40-100 MJ/cap). Between 1995 and 2011, the global household EF increased by 28% (48 EJ), of which 72% was added by durable-related energy. Globally, a 10% income growth corresponded to an increase in EF by 9% in durables, 11% in complementary consumables and 13% in complementary services-with even higher elasticities in the emerging economies. The average EF of the emerging economies (35 GJ/cap) is 2.5 times lower than in advanced economies (86 GJ/cap). Efficiency gains were detected in 47 out of 49 regions, but only 16 achieved net energy reductions. The large share of durable-related EF across regions (40-88%) confirms the dominance of durables in driving EFs, but the diversity of patterns suggests that policy and social factors influence durable-dependency. Demand-side solutions targeting ownership and inter-linkages between durables and complements are key to reduce global energy demand.
Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary s... more Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary shifts, and food waste. Although nutrition sciences demonstrate that biophysical characteristics determine food requirements in individuals, and medical and demographic studies provide evidence for large shifts in height, weight, and age structure worldwide, the aggregated effects for food demand are poorly understood. Here, a type–cohort–time stock model is applied to analyze the combined effect of biophysical and demographic changes in the adult population of 186 countries between 1975–2014. The average global adult in 2014 was 14% heavier, 1.3% taller, 6.2% older, and had a 6.1% higher energy demand than the average adult in 1975. Across countries, individuals’ weight gains ranged between 6–33%, and energy needs increased between 0.9–16%. Noteworthy, some of the highest and lowest increases coexist within Africa and Asia, signaling the disparities between the countries of these regions...
Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary s... more Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary shifts, and food waste. Although nutrition sciences demonstrate that biophysical characteristics determine food requirements in individuals, and medical and demographic studies provide evidence for large shifts in height, weight, and age structure worldwide, the aggregated effects for food demand are poorly understood. Here, a type–cohort–time stock model is applied to analyze the combined effect of biophysical and demographic changes in the adult population of 186 countries between 1975–2014. The average global adult in 2014 was 14% heavier, 1.3% taller, 6.2% older, and had a 6.1% higher energy demand than the average adult in 1975. Across countries, individuals’ weight gains ranged between 6–33%, and energy needs increased between 0.9–16%. Noteworthy, some of the highest and lowest increases coexist within Africa and Asia, signaling the disparities between the countries of these regions...
The scale and patterns of household consumption are important determinants of environmental impac... more The scale and patterns of household consumption are important determinants of environmental impacts. Whilst affluence has been shown to have a strong correlation with environmental impact, they do not necessarily grow at the same rate. Given the apparent contradiction between the sustainable development goals of economic growth and environmental protection, it is important to understand the effect of rising affluence and concurrent changing consumption patterns on future environmental impacts. Here we develop an econometric demand model based on the data available from a global multiregional input-output dataset. We model future household consumption following scenarios of population and GDP growth for 49 individual regions. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from the future household demand is then explored both with and without consideration of the change in expenditure over time on different consumption categories. Compared to a baseline scenario where final demand grow...
The advent of the anthropocene was preceded by the advent of the holocene. One of the characteris... more The advent of the anthropocene was preceded by the advent of the holocene. One of the characteristics of the holocene is that it was a period with stable temperature and weather patterns, which in turn enabled the development of an agricultural society. Before that, human subsistence relied heavily on hunting and gathering. Given climate change and more unstable weather patterns, present-day practices of hunting and gathering for subsistence become relevant to explore. In this study, focus is turned onto hunting and gathering in urban environments. Empirical cases mainly in the Goteborg region (Sweden) are documented. Many varieties are found, ranging from dumpster-diving, street angling, to 'nicking' fruits from both public and private gardens. Some practices have even become operationalised as businesses (food rescue ventures). An attempt of quantifying and evaluating the environmental significance of these practices is made based on estimates of volumes and time used toge...
The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinar... more The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinary perspective. The publication begins by discussing the co-benefits and challenges for a sustainable energy transition in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout the chapters, the authors discuss: 1) The challenges of energy development in Latin America 2) Human rights and corporate responsibility in the energy sector 3) Challenges for sustainable economic growth in Mexico and the paradox of abundance 4) Energy and carbon in the consumption of Mexican households 5) Expanding the concept of energy poverty from a perspective of fundamental human needs 6) Regulatory evolution of the energy sector in Mexico and 7) Public consultation in Mexico and global governance of development. keywords: Energy transition; Sustainable Development Goals; co-benefits; energy poverty; development; households; fundamental human needs, governance, human rights; extractivism; energy regulatory; public consultation; Corporate Responsibility, inter-disciplinary
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the most influential trade agreement, signed b... more The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the most influential trade agreement, signed by the governments of USA, Canada and Mexico in 1992. It came into effect the 1st of January of 1994 promising economic growth and better employment opportunities to reduce Mexican emigration. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), a civil resistance movement against capitalist neo-liberalism, protested the agreement, warning that it would feed social inequalities and threaten indigenous rights, autonomy, land access and use of natural resources. The Zapatistas feared the NAFTA would reinforce a master-servant relationship where Mexican human and natural resources are displaced, undermined or employed for the benefit of USA-CAN. In this paper we use Multiregional Input-Output Analysis based on the EORA model to examine changes in the carbon, land material, water and employment footprints in Mexico derived from the NAFTA agreement. We pay particular attention to the fairness of ...
Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal... more Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, a more socially meaningful industrial ecology would have a stronger impact. Identifying the most feasible options calls for multidimensional systems perspectives. This research provides insights into opportunities and challenges to reconcile lifestyles, human needs and planetary well-being. This work assesses multiple environmental and social indicators to analyze synergies, trade-offs and lock-ins within the human-economy-nature triad. It views fundamental human needs and lifestyles at the center of socioeconomic metabolism.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Research Paper Series, 2019
The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinar... more The authors address different aspects of the energy transition in Mexico from an interdisciplinary perspective. The publication begins by discussing the co-benefits and challenges for a sustainable energy transition in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Throughout the chapters, the authors discuss: 1) The challenges of energy development in Latin America 2) Human rights and corporate responsibility in the energy sector 3) Challenges for sustainable economic growth in Mexico and the paradox of abundance 4) Energy and carbon in the consumption of Mexican households 5) Expanding the concept of energy poverty from a perspective of fundamental human needs 6) Regulatory evolution of the energy sector in Mexico and 7) Public consultation in Mexico and global governance of development. keywords: Energy transition; Sustainable Development Goals; co-benefits; energy poverty; development; households; fundamental human needs, governance, human rights; extractivism; energy regulat...
The article gives a comprehensive overview of the roundwood equivalents (RE) consumed in the Germ... more The article gives a comprehensive overview of the roundwood equivalents (RE) consumed in the German bioeconomy from Germany and abroad between 1995 and 2015, i.e., the Timber Footprint of final Consumption (TFPcon). The calculation is based on an adapted version of Exiobase 3.4. The sustainability of roundwood procurement for the TFPcon is assessed. A systematic embedding of the tree compartments considered in the TFP in the context of national forest inventories and material flow analysis is presented. The results show that, in 2015, the total volume of the TFPcon of Germany is 90 Mm3 (slightly above the 1995 level) and is composed of 61% coniferous and 39% non-coniferous wood. Germany is strongly dependent on roundwood sourced from abroad and thus was a net importer of RE in 2015. Among the 17 countries with the largest supply of RE for the TFPcon, around one third very likely include large shares of roundwood procured from deforestation or clear-cutting. The self-sufficiency rate...
Sustainability endorses high quality, long-lasting goods. Durable goods, however, often require s... more Sustainability endorses high quality, long-lasting goods. Durable goods, however, often require substantial amounts of energy during their production and use-phase and indirectly through complementary products and services. We quantify the global household's final energy footprints (EFs) of durable goods and the complementary goods needed to operate, service and maintain durables. We calculate the EFs of 200 goods across 44 individual countries and 5 world regions for the period of 1995-2011. In 2011, we find 68% of the total global household's EF (218 EJ) is durable-related broken down as follows: 10% is due to the production of durables per se, 7% is embodied in goods complementary to durables (consumables and services) and 51% is operational energy. At the product level, the highest durable-related EFs are: transport goods (148-648 MJ/cap), housing goods (40-811 MJ/cap), electric appliances (34-181 MJ/cap), and "gas stoves and furnaces" (40-100 MJ/cap). Between 1995 and 2011, the global household EF increased by 28% (48 EJ), of which 72% was added by durable-related energy. Globally, a 10% income growth corresponded to an increase in EF by 9% in durables, 11% in complementary consumables and 13% in complementary services-with even higher elasticities in the emerging economies. The average EF of the emerging economies (35 GJ/cap) is 2.5 times lower than in advanced economies (86 GJ/cap). Efficiency gains were detected in 47 out of 49 regions, but only 16 achieved net energy reductions. The large share of durable-related EF across regions (40-88%) confirms the dominance of durables in driving EFs, but the diversity of patterns suggests that policy and social factors influence durable-dependency. Demand-side solutions targeting ownership and inter-linkages between durables and complements are key to reduce global energy demand.
Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary s... more Changes in national and global food demand are commonly explained by population growth, dietary shifts, and food waste. Although nutrition sciences demonstrate that biophysical characteristics determine food requirements in individuals, and medical and demographic studies provide evidence for large shifts in height, weight, and age structure worldwide, the aggregated effects for food demand are poorly understood. Here, a type–cohort–time stock model is applied to analyze the combined effect of biophysical and demographic changes in the adult population of 186 countries between 1975–2014. The average global adult in 2014 was 14% heavier, 1.3% taller, 6.2% older, and had a 6.1% higher energy demand than the average adult in 1975. Across countries, individuals’ weight gains ranged between 6–33%, and energy needs increased between 0.9–16%. Noteworthy, some of the highest and lowest increases coexist within Africa and Asia, signaling the disparities between the countries of these regions...
Perspectivas globales para la transición energética de México: Retos de gobernanza y sustentabilidad, 2019
Los autores abordan diferentes aspectos de la transición energética en México desde una perspecti... more Los autores abordan diferentes aspectos de la transición energética en México desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria. La publicación comienza por discutir los co-beneficios y retos para una transición energética sustentable en el contexto de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable. A través de los capítulos, los autores discuten: 1) Los retos del desarrollo energético en América Latina 2) Derechos humanos y responsabilidad empresarial en el sector energético 3) Retos para el crecimiento económico sustentable en México y la paradoja de la abundancia 4) Energía y carbono en el consumo de los hogares mexicanos 5) Ampliando el concepto de pobreza energética desde una perspectiva de necesidades humanas fundamentales 6) Evolución regulatoria del sector energético en México y 7) La consulta previa en México y la gobernanza global del desarrollo.
Transición energética; Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable; co-beneficios; pobreza energética; desarrollo; consumo de hogares; necesidades humanas fundamentales, gobernanza, derechos humanos; extractivismo; regulación energética; Consulta pública; Responsabilidad Corporativa, inter-disciplinario; México
Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal... more Industrial ecology tools have a role in informing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, a more socially meaningful industrial ecology would have a stronger impact. Identifying the most feasible options calls for multidimensional systems perspectives. This research provides insights into opportunities and challenges to reconcile lifestyles, human needs and planetary well-being. This work assesses multiple environmental and social indicators to analyze synergies, trade-offs and lock-ins within the human-economy-nature triad. It views fundamental human needs and lifestyles at the center of socioeconomic metabolism.
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La publicación comienza por discutir los co-beneficios y retos para una transición energética sustentable en el contexto de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable. A través de los capítulos, los autores discuten: 1) Los retos del desarrollo energético en América Latina 2) Derechos humanos y responsabilidad empresarial en el sector energético 3) Retos para el crecimiento económico sustentable en México y la paradoja de la abundancia 4) Energía y carbono en el consumo de los hogares mexicanos 5) Ampliando el concepto de pobreza energética desde una perspectiva de necesidades humanas fundamentales 6) Evolución regulatoria del sector energético en México y 7) La consulta previa en México y la gobernanza global del desarrollo.
Transición energética; Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable; co-beneficios; pobreza energética; desarrollo; consumo de hogares; necesidades humanas fundamentales, gobernanza, derechos humanos; extractivismo; regulación energética; Consulta pública; Responsabilidad Corporativa, inter-disciplinario; México